The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-08-24
DIR. Macarthur on Cuba.
He Believes the Sentiment Favoring Ar
nexation is Growing.

He Believes the Sentiment Favoring An
nexatiOn is Growing.
The Rev. DR.. Robert S. Macarthur,
pastor of Calvary Baptist church in West
Fifty seventh street, New York, returned
to that city after months vacation,
which he spent in study of conditions in
Cuba and Mexico. In Mexico, he said,
he found we'll ordered republic, though
not in the American sense, ably admins
tered, and as progressive as the people of
that country, he thought, in their pres
ent state of superstition, could be expect
ed to be. In Cuba, he said, he found
chaos, from which is slowly emerging an
other country, or another State of the
Union.
'Of Cuba, under American rule said
Dr. Macarthur, 'sit must be said that
there is evidence of the greatest increase
in business, of greater security and con-
fidence, and of the brightest hopefulness.
The first thought one has in Mexico, in
Cuba, and in all the islands Of the Carib-
bean is that destiny holds all these lands
in trust for our country. This seems
clearly to be what the future has in store
for us. / felt this when | was in Mexico,
and saw magnificent realm, So called
republic, ruled by very able man, but a
dictator, whom they call PRESIDENT
felt it when saw the priest ridden people
in Vera Cruz trying to ward off the plague
of yellow fever-not by cleaning their
dirty city-but by parading the streets,
preceded by images of saints. l felt it
again when l saw the American flag float
ing above Moro and Cabana. | said to
myself, lit can never come down.
&c n a 1,n
Doctor. l took pains to inquire into the
state of feeling, in Cuba especially, toward
the United States. There seems to be
three sentiments or opinions One, of
the Spaniards, who still remain in large
numbers in the island, that is very strongly
and positively in favor of annexation.
They fear the effect upon them of Cuban
government. The second sentiment is
that held by large number of Cubans,
many of whom have been educated i'll this
country These believe, as far as | could
learn, that it might be to the highest adj
vantage of Cuba to have the United States
establish protectorate, looking to ulti-
mate annexation. The third sentiment is
that held now by those who have made
many sacrifices for the dream of a re
public, for Cuba libre. Many of these
are young men who are ambitious, and
who want the experiment of free re
public tried, although they admit that it
would be a somewhat rash experiment
This third class is very numerous, and
believe chat if a plebicite could be had now,
Cuba would decide upon an independent
republic. l think, however, that this
sentiment is declining. The people have
seen some of the benefits of enlightened
and progressive government, are becoming
converted to American ideas, and are
beginning to love the American flag as
their own.
"a magnificent work is being done in
Cuba by our soldiers and administrators.
They are developing the island, so that it
bids fair to become what it is by nature
the garden of the Western world. They
are also graduating all feeling of irritation
between the Cubans and Spaniards, and
ourselves.
81 feel that ought to say word here
for what | consider the best work that is
being done in Cuba to-day. This is be-
ing accomplished by the wives of the
American soldiers and administrators. |
refer particularly to Mrs. brooke, Mrs.
Ludlow, and, above all, to Mrs Rath-
bone, the wife of Gen. Estes c. Rathbone,
in charge of the Postal Department OF
Cuba. Mrs. Rathbone, with a truly
womanly tact, has adopted the Cuban
customs at the receptions she holds
weekly in Havana, and it is not too much
to say that this social recognition of and
comradeship with the Cubans by Mrs.
Rathbone and the other American women
in Havana, is doing more to bring the
people of the island closer to US than all
the military and administrative work
combined"
Among the many American officers who,
Dr.. Macarthur says, are doing good work
in Cuba, Gen. Fitzhugh Lee is the favor
lite.
The priests constitute, according to DR..
Macarthur, one of the gravest problems
of Cuba They are continually besetting
Gen. Ludlow" he says, "to have the
United States pay them their salaries, and
it is impossible for them to get it through
their heads that the Church and State are
separate under our institutions.
Yet it is remarkable, was told by per-
sons who have long resided in Havana,
how the Roman Catholic priests have dis
appeared since the war 1t is said that
not one is now seen upon the streets for
ten or twenty that were visible under the
Spanish regime. The Roman priests were
tor the most part Spaniards, and many
have left Cuba with the retreating forces
Of SPAIN
The doctor said that Professionalism is
rapidly growing in Cuba and Puerto Rico.
His own church here has bought land in
Rio Piedras, a suburb of San Juan,
Puerto Rico, and will establish a church
there under the ministry of the Rev. w.
ii. Sloan, an American missionary who
has long been working in the City of
Mexico.
DR.. Macarthur is now preparing lee
ture on the subject of "Juarez, the Wash
ington and Lincoln of Mexico