Evening star., 1899-01-30
The Commander at Matanxas,

General James II. Wilson who holds a
military command in Cuba, with hcadquar-
tiers at MatanZas, is one of the most
capable and accomplished men in the SER
vice of the United States. His career as a
Union officer during the civil war was bril-
liant, and since then he has seen a great
@eal of the world aud been connected with
some very large enterprises He is a writer
of distinction. a public speaker of recog-
nized power and thoroughly trained SOL
der. The selection of General Wilson for
service In Cuba was excellent In every re-
spect.
In personal letter to a friend in this
country, which has been given to the press
General Wilson says:
1T is not possible for me to give you an
idea OF what is going on here. because l am
too busy even to dictate what | would like
TO say. We are doing our level best how
ever to relieve the INDECENT secure employ
ment for those who are able to work and
to re-estabtish agriculture and commerce.
Sympathizing with these people, have met
them halfway In all their innocent desire.
to rejoice over the disappearance of the
Spantard and the coming of the American
make only one condition; that is. that
those who rejoice shall absolutely respect
the rights of those who do not feel justified
in doing so.
In tins brief space General Wilson states
the whole Cuban case and outlines the duty
of the American authorities. If peace and
prosperity are to be established in Cuba it
can only be by the means he is employing
The confidence of the people must be Sc
cured, and 1t can only be secured by exhib-
iting respect and sympathy for them. The
congressional proclamation will go for
nothing if II is not interpreted by the Amer
lean officials in a spirit of absolute frank
ness and sincerity. The fact must be con-
veyed to them by practical means and
measures that American occupa ton Is for
the purpose of restoring order and is not a
disguise for grabbing the island by force
and cheating the inhabitants out of their
aspiration for Independent government
And the difficulty IN Cuba today Is not
wholly referaEle TO conditions following a
lo1.s and fierce interIecin struggle Those
conditions are sad enough The SNUG Span
lard who profited by Spanish control and
encouraged its continuance hates the Gu
ban who retired to the bush and helped
break the Spanish power down. The Cuban
In turn, who did his little best hates the
Spaniard, and cannot understand why any
particular consideration should be paid him.
But to this state of things is added a rush
of strangers to the scene some with means
and SOM without. and all seeking advan-
tege of some kind from Il situation full of
ccmplexity and confusion.
This Is line especially to be guarded
Cuba, of course, needs capital and men of
experience in the conduct of business af-
fairs. New blood and plenty of It will bring
about the greatly desired new order. But
at this time, when the officials, new TO
their duties, have their hands full of other
more pressing matters, questions of munic-
ipal concessions and privileges should be
sparingly and scrupulously examined
There is 2 scramble for advantage And
minshng with the men of legitimate aims
and with means enough to carry them
through, are harpies and Sports" at
tracted by the breakup, and moved by the
low and loose reasoning that as the lottery
and the shell game fiourished In Cuba
under Spanish auspices they should be au-
thorized and protected under American
control.
As we are adding in this way to Cuba's
difficulties. our patience ought to be the
greater with the Cuban people.