The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-08
UNDERSTANDING THE CUBAN.
We Must Become Acquainted with the
People of the Island.
Springfield Republican.

In the very first week of our career as
an occupier of Cuban territory we begin
to meet difficulties in handling the native
population, and especially the insurgent
party. Even tendency to be harsh in our
Judgments of the Cubans is already dis
ceEnihle in some quarters The real Cuban
we find to be very different person from
the ideal Cuban He seems laz.:r and shift
less to our fiercely energetic northern sol
to kill and plumber and burn among his
enemies is truly shocking. Under the in
nuence OF a reaction our people may DO the
Cuban Injustice and make unnecessary
trouble for themselves. What is neces-
sary, therefore, above all things, if we are
to succeed in our dealings with the races
this war may place in our power?
We must have knowledge. The necessity
of thoroughly understanding these people
cannot be overeStimated. Our position
toward Cuba is that of a benevolent father,
and as a father, protector, guide and friend,
we should not be led into errors by preju-
dice, Impotence, mercurial feeling or mar
rowness of vision. If the Cubans show lit
tie liking for hard work, according to New
England standards, let us understand the
reason and not fly into a passion because
other people are not as we are Clearly, we
can never govern or direct administrations
in tropical lands, without becoming mere
exterminators and tyrants. unless we learn
very quickly the great lesson the English
have taught the world, that races of a diff
ferent type from our own must be humored
along the lines of their racial traits and not
rigidly held up to the standards of people
who have enjoyed different environments
and civilizations.
First of all we should learn at once that
climate makes difference in the energy
of the individual In Cuba life may be
sustained on very little labor. The man
lowest in the social scale may build hut
sufficient to cover his head in day or two,
he needs but little clothing and food may
be had almost for the gathering. No one
in Cuba has ever been forced to work as
have our New England farmers. Accord
ing to tropical standards, tropical peoples
have no conception of what work means.
OF course, hard manual labor is more
less repugnant to them. These facts should
be remembered when our soldiers report in
great disgust the laZiness of their Cuban
allies.
This lack of energy, industry and capacity
for painful toll is also characteristic of the
most highly educated classes in all tropical
countries. An excellent illustration comes
to US by way of writer in the Providence
Journal. who once had conversation with
a wealthy coffee planter in Central Ameri-
ca This planter had been educated in
summers in Europe or in the United States
among cultivated and wealthy people. The
Journal writer says
Yet his estate upon which more than half
of his time was spent, was twenty miles
from town and postoffice and reached only
by bride path All of his coffee had to be
sent to shipping points by PACK mule and
household stores taken home In the same
way. / asked him If a carriage road could
not easily be built to the district where. he
lived. Certainly" he replied, but what
would be the use? What better way is
there to travel than by horseback? We all
love IL, and when we want to ride in car
riages we go to Europe the States'
But" / said. your coffee could then be
hauled in wagons and much expense and
inconvenience be saved. And / suppose you
would want a postoffice nearer home and
more frequent mails" He laughed heartily
Il assure you, my dear sir" he said that
we get our mail quite often enough |
always dread the day on which ii arrives
1t means work for | have quite a CORE
spondence. AS to the coffee. there is profit
enough on 1t already. so why not let the
mules and muleteers have the job?"
Now. 1t is obvious that we cannot go
among these people in tropical lands and
maintain pleasant relations with them if
we hold them rigidiy to standards. 1t
cannot be done without appearing to them
as narrow. intclerant and oppressive. We
must know their language. we must be toll
Grant of their customs. we must be char
liable toward their failings, we must rec
ognize their inheritance. and finally, we
must not assume to be perfection ourselves.
There Is real danger that in our imDa-
thence to achieve quick results, in our mas
terful desire to run things. in our conceit
of transcendent superiority over all the rest
of the world, we shall unduy antagonize
weaker races and end by simply pushing
them to the wall IF we are TO be teach
ers. helpers and protectors rather than con-
querors we must use the weapons of knowl-
edge and of liberation. and lead by the per-
suasiveness of sympathy rather than brute
force. We can Americanize, but i'm this
case. 1t is our boast that we will not Amer
icaniZe by the sword.