The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-04-26
Says the Spanish Residents Of
Cuba Are Fairly Treated Un-
der American Laws.
THEY FAVOR ANNEXATION
Spanish Would Withdraw From the
Islsnd Should the United STATES
Rellnaulsh rs Authority.

Correspondence Of tho Associated Press.
! HAVANA. April lb.--Nicolaa Rivera,
director VI tho Diar0 do La Marina.
today gave 10 representative OF the
Associated Press hls opinion as 10 the
wishes of the Spanish element Ia Cuba
concerning tho government Of tho island.
Tho Dlafo IL tho Oldest established pa
per m Cuba. With two editions daily.
and Il has a large circulation among
tho spahlards Of tho island. The paper
can DO said to DO the representative or
gan.
''lhe Spanish people In Cuba" said Mr..
| Rivera. number about g00.00, or one
lhlrd Of tho total population OF Cuba.
which 10 today not more than n million.
Their wealth amounts 10 more than two
thirds OF tho total wealth OF the island.
FOR almost all tho commerce is In their
hands. as n large part Of Il IL manu-
facIufca and luWe part OF II agri-
cultural Furthermore tho farms held
~ cubans are almost every one mort
gagged TO BpaHiards or other foreigners &"
Then you consider yourselves for
0lgaef5 In Cubay And how. as foreign.
crs, have you been treated since Janu.
arr"
we decidedly do not consider our
selves foreigners In Cuba and 40 such
We desire those things.
"a guarantee ana protection Tor our
pcraons. our property ANA our iabors
Since tho evacuation by Spain. our treat.
men, IN tho Largest towns has bern
hcarahlr, and fof this ~ have 10 thank
Tho presence ot the American troops
ana authorities But iu ihr smaller vi.
ages OF tho interior where inr moral
and material Influence of the United
States Ia not yet fc., We have zen per.
secuted on NOR, ihaH one occasion
In how far DO ihr Sp,nafds u CUBA
aorspt Genera G,msEr program ~ ihc
amaiEamAiIon ~ cuban and Spanish ln.
forests and rr1re iu the Island wiih the
idea u bfiuginr fhr speedy termination
NJ hc American occupation and the
immediate establishment ~ cuban m.
d'7' ndcnl government
THE spanlafds 100 cuba aserp, the
proposed union between tho,us,l,rs and
ruhuns which. by the way. aas pro-
pused hy the Spaulard- before Gum,E
ever took the matter u3 with the hope
~ rsritirE pasI d'-rofds ana Of Tor.
Ntriius iy thi- union ,h, rrcous,ru.-
'lun u the island. nut they do no, a..
Drpl ,his plan with the idea of crcctlng
the termination ~ the American mill.
iary occupation ~ the island Aud this
rlnd,y br,au-c wr know that without
lha military occupation ot cuba there
wodld Ac protection for no one. least Of
all Tor Spanlarjs
"As fur ,hc ultimate establishment uf
a cuban independent government the
Spiniatds wish this were possible but.
a. matter of fact, they fear it more
Than lhcy dcrlfr o. The spaniards IA
uha ,arr more for the Cunna. VINO
atr .hcr bruthcr' ,ban thcy do Tor the
Americans. who untn yesterday W-U
.b,lt cucmles and who Vsnquishcd them
In The Antilles and the Philippines. nul
ne Cuuans dc,cst Spanlards. while you
\mrri,Hns respect them. Consequently
ts between cuban independence and the
% the island TO the United .
states you would nnd every Si"nlard !
10 Cuha uuhcsilatingly voting ror am I
irNauon | assure you that lhr ma
orly nC Spaniards In Cuha today would |
from the lGand as soon as /
he United States announced IL, Intention I
,f leaving cuba free lnd Independent /
WIN the Americans gone the Spanlards I
would have me- protection. and they !
Notd of necessity have TO leave,
- believe the most important thing .
ar the Americans In cuba To do iS to .
the country 10 thar the men
uny return To Nuik on their farms. For I
Ii- purpose the hcs, ,hlng would hc the .
ormallnu OF rural guard composed
4 cuban spanish ana American soldiers
.rd oni,crcd In every ease by Americans
, puard that would 0l the place " the
,mucr Spanish guardh civil.
"Furthcr than this, tranquility and
racr In the country to stand needs
lcill. aud To establish this the Amcri-