The times., 1899-03-05
AFFAIRS IN CUBA.
Confusion In the Methods OF At
tempted Governments.

tempted Government.
Havana, Feb. 25.-As time goes on the
affairs of the little Island of Cuba will
doubtless take on something of definite
shape. At present they seem enveloped in
political fogs which are not at all credit
able to the ruling powers. 1t is true that
the rule of those powers has been for but
a short time, and equally true that undue
haste in the determination of important
questions would be serious mistake. But
the present situation has been anticipated
for many months. and it would seem but
reasonable that some provision should have
been earlier made to meet it.
Nominaliy, Cuba is under the military
government of the United States. Act
ually. it either has no government at all or
it has such an everlasting lot of it that it
becomes beautifully ineffective. A vast
/ deal of routine work is certainly going on.
Order is coming out of chaos in the GUS
tom house and in the postal department.
Cities are being swept and otherwise
specifically sanitated. Police departments
are being organized for the maintenance
of law and order. Food supplies are being
issued to thousands who are in need, and
thousands who either are not or ought not
to be in need are cultivatinB their taste
for pauperism by sitting under the bounti-
full shower of Uncle Sans Commissary
Department. These are all items of great
Importance, but they do not constitute
government. They are but part of the
machinery of government. They can be
run by hand-power. but the proper way
is by some central engine. That engine
and the fuel for 1t are lacking, and no
one sees just where either is to come from.
| 1t might be questioned whether, without
| fully. realizing the fact the American peo-
/ 1r,atVa utrat ION nra
| not considering Cuba's future from
wrong point of view. Is the dominant note
| in that consideration the best interest OF
| the island and its people, or the best meth
| cd by which the island may be made a
| safe and productive field for exploitation
| by American capital? That the investment
| OF foreign capital, American or European,
| would be of great advantage to the people,
| is wholly true. But it is probable that the
! best basis for the introduction of the capi-
tai would come through law and govern
ment. The experience of the United States
| would seem to indicate somewhat dis
| tinct failure of the policy of legislation i'll
the interest OF capital, and of capital in
vested on the basis of legislation only.
+ If this idea be factor, as 1t seems to be,
in the Cuban situation today, it might be
| well to drop it and proceed at once to the
definite establishment of government in the
| island. All the capital which is needed
here may be trusted to find Its own chan
| nels. II there is money to be made in
| sugar or tobacco planting, in the estab-
lishment of industries. the construction OF
railroads. or the development of timber or
| mining interests, capital Will find 1t out
and the money will come. to give, through
wholly legitimate channels, the employ
ment of which Cuban labor stands in need.
There need be no delay in the organi-
zation OF some form OF government. II
need not be even an attempt at perma-
nent form, but 1t may easily be made
tentative. II election laws be. as is
claimed, dishonest and inadequate. let
military authority exercise its power oi
appointment in provinces, districts, and
municipalities Give the appointees the
power to act and the right of initiative
subject to the veto of the Military Com
nander OF the district This may be
done during the term of military occupa-
ton, and by 1t Cuba's power of self-goy-
ernment may be at least approximately de-
termined. Military authority has appoint
ed civil officials in Havana. The appoint
ments met with general approval and en-
dorsement. But no one seems to know
Just what they have to say or do about
Havana affairs The various department.
of municipal administration are in tht
hands of military officers Very rarely
does the hand of any salary drawing civil
4
Nominally John r. Brooke is Governor
General of the Island of Cuba. He should
be actually Governor General, subject to
removal only upon proof of incompetency
Work which pertains to his department is
being done from Washington over his head
One of his first steps on taking command
should have been diplomatic conference
as the representative OF the United States
with General Gomez, as the representative
of r,tho a
ideas concerning the best interests OF the
island and the best means OF advancing
those interests. Nothing but little bit
Of dignity on both sides seems to have pre-
vented that meeting A little bit of dip
lomatic courtesy might easily have made
such meeting possible without leaving
any scars on the dignity. Now the step
has been taken and General Brooke was
not in It.
The work cut out for the new Colonial
Commission belongs properly in the de-
partment of the Governor General. For a
nation which has no colonies, and no pro-
vision in her laws and constitution for
such things as colonies the idea of CO.
lonial Commission is simply beautiful. II
is an imposing term. 1t reads well and it
sounds we'll Its organization provides an
excellent iunketing trip for three worthy
gentlemen who are TO make so exhaustive
an examination OF country's needs and
requirements that, after few days. they
are to submit a report on island taxation,
the need of railroads. the granting of fran
chises, and sundry other political trities.
They are to do in few days what could
be effectively done only after long resi-
dence and a prolonged study Of conditions.
Probably. upon their return. they will be
followed by an Interregnum Commission.
TO report on the reports of the Colonial,
and Postmortem Commission. who will
rennrt on the nreYIOrs rpnOrtS