Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-24
Tobacco Men Worrying.

| Some of the American tobacco men are
disconsolate. while the Cubans are fret
| ting, because a definite date is not fixed for
ending the military occupancy. These to-
bacco men are worrying because they can
get no declaration from Washington that
| it will be continued Indefinitely. They have
| tried pretty hard, too. One of them went
to Washington two months ago for the eX-
press purpose of impressing on the authori-
| ties that large body of troops must be
held in the island to keep the Cubans from
massacreng the Spaniards. This American
has large tobacco plantations; he has a
great deal of money invested, and his capt.
tai has been of immense benefit in pushing
industrial regeneration His views are en-
titled to respect. Nevertheless, when he
went to Washington there had not been a
single instance of aggression against the
Spaniards in that locality. In the two
months that have followed not an outrage
has been reported. No American troops
have been within miles of the place. The
little community has maintained order by
its own efforts and Spaniards have worked
with Cubans and Canary Islanders the
plantation. And when he thinks about the
alarmist reports which he previously car
ried to the national capital this tobacco
capitalist is disconsolate. He is as much
| in earnest as ever in his anxiety for in
| definite military control, and is sincere in
| his belief that it is best for the Cubans
and decidedly best for himself. But he
I iedliZeS ludl WIldl he says the next time
| may not be received with the same degree
| of credence that was given his former ut
terances. When he told spook stories he
really saw ghosts in his Imagination. The
spooks have failed to materialze, and he
| cannot conjure them second time.
Another American tobacco man, a manu-
| facturer, pulled me into his factory the
| other day to listen to his whispered tale
| struck for higher wages but the cigar
workers in the United States do the same.
| thing, and a strike could hardly be looked
| upon as having special significance This
| was not what the manufacturer wanted to
| talk about, for he had had strikes when he
| was trying to prop up the tottering author
! ity of Spain. Our officials he said, ARE
making a great mistake with these peo-
| pie. They are too lenient too easy entirely.
| The iron hand is the only way to rule in
| Cuba" l did not remind him that Spain
| had made a gigantic failure of the iron
hand, but asked what the trouble was.
There was no trouble at ALL He fancied
he saw signs that American military gov
ernment was relaxing, and he feared there
might be trouble. He was disconnected at
the notion that the military authority
would in time be withdrawn. For his own
convenience he wanted indefinite military
occupancy. He is a type of many Ameri-
cans who have real business interests in
Cuba. Because they want an immediate
protectorate or annexation they think the
wishes OF the inhabitants are not to be
taken into account. They are disconsolate
when they think of the experiment of indie
pendent government for the istaas-s So
they try to make everybody else diseonso-
late. But their feelings will not control.
Army Officers Feelings.
Many of the army officers have similar
feelings. Tt has, been a pleasant winter
The experience has been of immense bene-
fit. They are willing to continue it, even
through the unhealthy rainy seasons They
like their posts in Cuba. When they review
the situation they find many reasons why
the volunteers should not be dshanded and
why the force in the island should not be
materially reduced. If the occasion should
arise they will all do their duty. Some of
them have been doing it right along faith
fully and efficiently. Others have been
having the kind of a good time that If long
continued leads to the delusion that army
life is simply picnic. While the majority
of officers are disconsolate at the SUCCESS
ton of being withdrawn from Cuba, the en-
listed men are disconsolate at the idea of
remaining. They, too, have enjoyed their
experience. and it has been of great benefit
to them. But they do not see the need of
their staying much longer, and they are