The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-25
Ex-GOV. EVANS ON OUBA.
His Views as to the Fitness and Char.
acter OF tho People on tho Island.

His Views az to the Fitness and Char.
aoter OF tho People on tho Island.
Ex-Gov. Evans, OF South Carol,na
who recently won't homo, aftsr spend.
Ing several months here as q major
says the Havana correspondent of tha
Ph1ladelph1a Press, made some pertin.
ont obaervations on the situation hera.
He said
There is only q sprinklinp OF the
people In Cuba who are fitted to take
part In the government of the Island
rho majority are like children. An
independent government would hardly
stand twenty-four hours. There would
DO Two parties at the start, the militia.
ry ana tne property owners. Tho for.
NOR would control, because Of their To-.
norant following. The first thing that
they would do would be to issue bonds
to pay the vast millions, which thew
assert ls due to the Cuban soldiers,
Sapguilly and Juan Gualberto Go.
moH we're among those who wanted All
thority from the United States to bor.
row $2O,OOO,O00 to pay the Cuban SOL
dlers. Once In control Of the govern
mont, the bonds would be sold for that
purpose. Tho army doubled In size
aiter the war WAS over, and by the
time the Cubans get control Of tho gov
ernment, the army on paper will pro-
oaoly be trsbled. Bonds would have
10 be sold at q discount and it would
require an Issue OF probably $5O, O,00O,-
900 to pay the alleged Cuban sold .ers.
Then tho soldiers would he pension
cd. That would require the issue OF
moro bonds. The franchises and con-
cessions which Congress has unwisely
saved up for the Cubans, thus prevent
Ing the development Of the island now,
would be disposed Of in quick order by
tho Cuban government, to secure money
and enrich tho members who would
vote away the CONCESSIONS.
Tho valuable franchises would pro-
badly oil go to promoters and speou-
lators. That would make the end of
tho Cuban ability to secure money and
tho government would collapse. The
5nited States government, II it then
came back in control, would find the
island mortgagod to an enormous ex-
tont, in proportion to its population,
with all valuable franchises In the
hands OF spectators. As this would
be done by d government establ ished
by the United States, we could hardly
repudiate its obligations. The situa-
tion then would be vastly worse than
it i5 today. No one will invest money
in Cuba under the menace OF an inde-
pendent government, and while it is
threatened or lasts the island will not
ba developed, nor will 1t become pros
perOus.'
Major Evans was detailed because OF
his knowledge Of the law to preside
over the court in Havana that tried
prisoners charged with minor offences.
tIe WAS asked II the Spanish laws need
cd to be- changed much.
No." was the reply. It ia the
code Napoleon somewhat modified and
is something the Same as the code in
Louisiana. The trouble is with the
procedure. That is abominabe and
should be wiped out. I think it 10 q
mistake to begin to reform at the top
by establishing q supreme court frat.
That ls q court for lawyers. What 10
needed is reformed courts for the peo-
ple My own opinion is that there
would be more satisfactory work done
If The chief mon Ia control we're more
experienced In civil affairs"