Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-22
4 STEINER POLICY NEEDED

Events at Havana show that there Is
need of u stcrner policy on the part OF
the American military authorities TO-
ward those elements of the Cuban pop
ulation which are prcdisposed to law
~lessness. While there appears to be no
lack of the means for preserving order
1t seems evident that n portion OF the
people have not learned to either FEAR
or respect the authorities and IN order
that they shall be taught to do this
those who offend against the aw must
he sternly and severely dealt with. The
policy pursued so far has manifeStly
tended to encourage the enemies OF law
and order. The emdeavOr has been TO
impress the Cuban people with Il
friendly and beneticent purpose, TO per-
suade them that in exercising authority
we had in view only their interests and
welfare and they have been constantly
reminded that this authority would be
exercised with as little harshness as
possible. They have been repeatedly
assured that our sole desire Is to enable
them to prepare for self-government
and that while we intended to enforce
the law this would not be done with
the severity which characterized Span
ish domination. In short, our occupa-
ton of Cuba vas to pacify and placate
and not to exercise a stern and despotlc
control.
The better classes in Cuba undoubt-
eddy appreciate this. The property own
ers, the business men and many of the
laboring class are satisfied with Ameri-
can authority. Some of them are so
well satisfied that they are in favor of
making our authority in Cuba perma-
nent. But there are politicians, officers
of the Cuban army, men who have
failed to secure places and other NAL
contents to whom American authority
is extremely obnoxious and these peo-
pie are continually engaged in sowing
seeds of trouble and disorder. The
dominant element in the military
assembly was of this class-men pro
Tossing much patriotic concern for
Cuba, yet taking a course distinctly hos
tile to the interests of the people and
inimical to the work the United States
has undertaken there. AS the Wash
ington Post says, we have to choose be-
tween two classes-the representatives
of industry and and the rep
resentatives of rapacity and violence.
1--WE must protect the merchant, the
planter, the laborer, or we must pro.
claim to the world that we are in sym.
pathy with the %rutfian, the agitator and
the drone." OF course there is no doubt
as to what the choice will be and it is
obviously important that it be promptly
made, because in such q matter delay
is dangerous. We must give adequate
protection to the la~w-respecting elements
and we must deal sternly with those
who do not respect law and who con
Spire against peace and order. We can
not abandon or compromise the responsi
bility we have assumed of p%acifyins
Cuba and enabling it's people to form
an independent government. We shall
not confess to the world hat we are in
competent to perform the task we hav'
undertaken. We will go on with thu
work in the spirit in which it was begun
and undoubtedly it's accomplishment
would be fastened by a sterner polio,
toward those who are ~antagoniZing it.
1t has been urged that in Porto Rice
also, a different policy from that whic'
has been pursued is needed. 1t is sal
} that there is too much of INDIGESTION an
temporizing. Possibly this is so. bu
the latest report from General Henry
military governor of Porto Rico, repre-
l Isents the condition of affairs in the islam
as entirely satisfactory and pronounce
: absurd the rumors of resistance againS
law and order. There is political agit;
ton, but it is less now than ever before
which is certainly re~assuring.