The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-12
A SPANISH GENERALS VIEWS
CUBA WILL GIVE AMERICA
MUCH TROUBLE.
The Philippine Question, Also Will
Be a Hard Problem to Deal With
Natives Cannot Govern.

New York, Aug. ia dispatch to the
World from Madrid gives an interview
with General Polavieja, in which, speak
ing of Cuba and the Philippines, he says
The day will come in Cuba when al
the respectable MISUNDERSTANDING as
well as the foreign residents, and the ole
! Spanish party, ton-will work for annex
alton to the United States in preference
| to being governed by the separatists Qn-
surgents.) But before annexation is
reached Cuba will have hard times. That
| is sure. She will cause America much
trouble and expense.
LAS for Spain. new policy and new
men are required. The masses ana the
political classes are now profoundly dis
gusted and weary of the present politi-
clans, newspapers and leaders. The great
danger of the future is that these yet I'M
decided but controlling elements may be
driven into Carlism or democracy.
The Philippine question is bound to
give much trouble TO America, to Spain
and to the European nations generally.
1t is unwise not TO understand that the
Americans have taught the nations of the
Mala- race to face the Europeans. This
Will tell against any rulers of our archi-
pelago. and Will be felt in the far eastern
colonies of England, France and Holland,
because the spell of prestige has been
scattered TO the winds.
The Americans have approached the
Philippines probably without enough
~ Informed by their consuls, they have
committed the egregious mistake of sup
posing that the natives are capable of
carrying out Anglo-Saxon notions OF self
administrative, decentraliza-
ton and liberty of conscience.
Directly they were rid of the Euro
peans, the natives, in every insurrection,
even in the last ones, have instantly re-
aurned to their primitive conditions. At
fecting to elect little kings and chieftains
with absolute power, in each district, they
keep up the worst features of our official
ism and even in religious matters stick
to those outward forms and ceremonies Of
worship which most strike The magma
ton of the oriental races, though real re-
to their almost childish nature. Rich men
are the moving spirits in the insurrec-
lions. They sell themselves, like Agui-
naldo, or ask for titles and crosses, like
many of the so-caled loyalists.
America must bear-this in mind.
fancy the United States viii be content
with a few naval stations, and really aim
at commercial advantages which Spain
would grant. The object of America may
even be rather to secure advantages over
European competitors, who, like England,
France and Germany, were ahead IN the
archiDelagoes. But Japan is a rival not
to be diSdalned, as her foreign and COM
mercial policy is fostered and directed by
able, far-seeing. ambitious men. She can
not extend northward on account of Rus
STA. Germany must necessarily go south
and east toward the Spanish sphere of in
nuence.
/ have studied the eastern countries
carefully. The European powers do not
pay enough attention to formidable eco
nomical and commercial rivals starting
into existence in China and Japan.
I'VE. perhaps better than any others,
could have dealt with the differences of
ruling our archipelagoes. because we are
accustomed to handling the Heterogeneous
races under our sway. Only we cannot
undertake to do so unless allowed a free
hand. without a
or protectorate to cripple our
costly efforts to re-establish imperial rule
The religious questions will give us as
mucn trouble as the commercial questions
upon which America will lay the most
stress. | found that the Jesuits exercised
the most influence on the natives. then
the Dominicans, next the Augustinians
and the Franciscan friarS the least of all
Church privileges and property will not
obstruct reform or our rule in the archi-
pelagoes.