The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-20
CLASSES OF CUeANS.

y
ing itself ridiculous. 1t affects a dis
dain for General Gomez which brings
upon it the contempt of the Cuban peo-
pie. 1t has turned UP its nose at "the
paltry 100000 the United States has
authorized distributed among the sur
vivors of the patriot army.
Gomez is the lone survivor of all the
ranking officers of the Cuban forces.
Maceo and Garcia are gone. The love
and veneration Of the people are CEN
tered in General Gomez.
The military assembly does not seem
to appreciate the fact that the United
States is doing a great deal more for
the islanders than the distribution of
those millions among the soldiers. The
American army and officials are clean
ing up the island to avoid the ravages
of fever, vaccinating people by the
thousand to prevent epidemics of small
pox, organizing and drilling forces Of
police, endeavoring to reorganize the
chaotic mail service, and seeking, with
large measure of success, to establish
a sound and healthy basis for future
work in all the departments of life.
1t may be that the Cuban people are
friendly to the United States because
of the aid they are now getting, and
are likely to get in the future, more
than from any feeling of gratitude Tor
the action of this country in Kidding
them of Spain. For, in spite of consid-
cradle Understanding talk of Cuba
Libre," of capacity for self-government,
of desire for immediate independence,
the general attitude of the Cubans to-
day is that of desire and exoectation
that the people Of the United States do
for them a great deal which they should
do for themselves.
Although they are cheering up and
Frightening over the social and bust
ness prospects ahead, they are natur-
ally indolent race, who may be as cas-
ily spoiled by too much charitable as
siStance as they were discouraged by
oppression. AS The Herald pointed out
some time ago, the better way TO i'm
prove their condition is TO provide en-
ployment and require them to earn the
help they get, instead of taking it as
aims.
This win accomplish two purposes;
it will teach them industry, and it will
contribute to the Improvement OF the
island. which is so badly needed.
Besides, many of the Cubans are in
comfortable circumstances. Some of
them are even wealthy, and it is of this
class that the military assembly is COM
posed. They are men who were tax
ing their ease while Gomez was hiding
in the swamps or darting from his
mountain Businesses to harry the enc
mics of his people.
Not all Cubans are poor and starving,
by any means. Neither are the richer
ones contributing to the support of the
helpless. While their own people are
suffering, while all around them their
own people are being fed by the charity
of the American people, many Cupans
live in afiluence, go to balls, give eX-
pensive dinners and banquets in honor
of their leaders. Cubans dress we'll,
ride on horseback, drive in carriages
and spend money in the cafes. This is
one side of the picture, but it is side
which is not to be ignored.
The dark side is one with which the
reading public is already well acquaint-
ed. 1t shows thousands who suffer, not
so much from lack of food today, as
from prolonged lack Of food in the past.
To the United States the one class
looks for its daily bread, While to the
same great fountainhead far too many
are locking for good salaries and OBJ
portunities for money making. All OF
which goes to show that there are Gu
bans and Cubans. And it explains why
there is a division Of sentiment in re-
lation to General Gomez.