The record-union., 1899-04-26

the Island, Fearing the Ulti-
| mate Establishment Of an In
dependent Cuban Government.
| Correspondence of the Associated Press)
| HAVANA, April 15.-Nicolas Rivera,
director of the "Diaro de la Marina,
| to-day gave to a representative of the
| Associated Press his opinion as to the
wishes Of the Spanish element in Cuba
concerning the government of the ISL
| and. The "Diaro" is the oldest estab-
| lished paper in Cuba, with two editions
daily, and it has a. large circulation
| among the Spaniards of the island. The
paper can be said to be the representa-
| tive organ.
THE Spanish people in Cuba said
| Mr.. Rivera, number about 100000, or
one third of the total population of
| Cuba, which is to-day not more than a
million. Their wealth amounts to more
| than two-thirds of the total wealth of
| the island, for almost all the commerce
| is in their hands, as a large part of it
| is manufactures and much of it agri-
| culture Furthermore, the farms held
| by Cubans are almost every one mort
gagged to Spaniards or other foreign
ers.'
Then you consider yourselves for
eigners in Cuba? And how, as for
eigners, have you been treated since
january"
I'VE decidedly do consider ourselves
foreigners in Cuba, and as such we de-
sire these things:
IA guarantee and protection for our
persons, our property and our labor.
Since the evacuation by Spain our
treatment in the largest towns has been
bearable, and for this We have to thank
| the presence of the American troops
and authorities But in the smaller
! villages of the interior. where the
moral and material influence of the
United States is not yet felt, we have
| been prosecuted upon more than one
occasion"
I'm how far do the Spaniards in Cuba
accept General GomeZ's program of
the amalgamation of Cuban and Span
| ish interests and efforts in the island,
with the idea of bringing the speedy
termination Of American occupation
and the establishment of a Cuban in
dependent Government
The Spaniards in Cuba accept the
PlOPOSCd uIiiOI DtlWt6u themselves
and the Cubans = which, by the way
| was proposed by the Spaniards before
Gomez ever took the matter up-with
| the hope of forgetting past disorders
and of forwarding by this union the re-
construction of the island. But they do
not accept this plan with the idea of
effecting the termination of the Ameri-
can occupation of the islands And this
| eli ,or11x1 Il
this military occupation of Cuba there
would be protection for no one least of
| all for Spaniards.
"As for the ultimate establishment of
a Cuban independent government the
Spaniards wish this were possible, but,
as a matter of fact, they fear it more
than they desire it. The Spaniards in
Cuba care more for the Cubans, whol
are their brothers, than they do for the
Americans, who until yesterday were
their enemies, and who have just van
quished them in the Antilles and in the
Philippines. But the Cubans detest the
Spaniards, while you Americans re-
spect them. Consequently, as between
Cuban independence and the annexa-
ton of the island to the United States
you would find every Spaniard in Cuba
unhesitatingly voting for annexation. II
assure you that the majority of Span
iards in Cuba to-day would withdraw
from the island as soon as the United
States announced it's intention of leay-
ing Cuba. free and independent With
the Americans gone, the Spaniardsl
would have no protection, and they
would of necessity have to leave
Il believe the most important thing
for the American authorities in Cuba
to do is to ira ranquillize the country so
that the men may return to work on
their farms. For this purpose, the best
thing would be the formation of a rural
guard, composed of Cuban, Spanish and
American soldiers and Differed in every
case by Americans, guard that
would fill the place of the former Span
ish Guardia Civil.
Farther than this, tranquility and
peace in the country to stand needs
credit, and to establish this the Ameri
can authorities at Washington should
positively decline the decree of Weyler.
which prohibited and still nrohibits
creditors in Cuba from using the courts
to settle their claims. AS long as this |
decree exists neither foreign nor local
capital can or will be invested No man
will loan money, no matter how good
the security, if the courts cannot be
used to sustain his just claim in case
of defaulted payment Furthermore. to
render confidence universal and to lift
the country as rapidly as possible from |
the prostrating effects of three wears of
war the United States should inso- |
much as it will not to-day state what
is to be the ultimate and definite gov
ernment of Cuba, declare that the
study of Cuban men and Cuban affairs
made of them during these first three
months of it's military occupation of
the islands has convinced it that in or |
der to fulfill its obligation to establish
in Cuba a firm and stable government. I
and extended occupation is needed Let
it fix upon a determined number of |
years = be it six, ten or twenty-and |
state that during these years the mill
tary occupation will not cease. that
during this period the island will be i
governed by provisional laws. which |
laws should Immediately be formulated
and put into execution in order to put
an end to the present confusion exist
ing in all branches of the public SER
|xy;a md toll