Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-06-01
HOW TO AMERIGANIzE CUBA.
Correspondence Of tho Baltimore American.

Correspondence Of the Baltimore American.
Realizing that the people at home"
will be pleased to read the opinion of
those who sec the needs of Cuba from
the standpoint of the close observer,
take pleasure in outlining for your
readers my idea of how best to educate
the natives to knowledge Of the great
advantages of civilization rs enjoyed
by the citizens of the United States.
1t will be no child's task to educate
the Cuban mind on subjects American.
The Spanish system has left its mark
deeply here, and it will take long and
patient toll to eradicate it. The people
have lived under system of govern
ment which discouraged everything
except Spanish literature, and gave
even that grudging support.
The first thing, then, Is to encourage
in every way the reading Of American
books on standard topics. These books
must come from the benevolently dis
posed people. of the United States.
Andrew Carnegie has generously led
the way by ordering 1000 volumes to
be purchased and sent to me. These,
with others that arc coming, will form
the nucleus of library for the city of
M atanzas. Other libraries will be es-
tablished in the cities of Cardenas and
Colon, and the work of educating the
people to a desire for education will
then have to be taken up.
My plan for starting the ball rolling
in this very necessary way is to induce
some benevolently disposed person, or
some association, to open school of
the republic for the purpose of teach
ing national, State and municipal gov
ernment, as they prevail in the States.
Such school would show the young
mon of the community how to carry on
republican government, and would
thereby be of inestimable value. The
people are docile, industrious, intelli-
gent and well-disposed, and do not
doubt would meet with graceful recog-
milton every effort made by their
friends in the United States to prepare
them for independence and republican
government.
The young Cubans would acquire an
education through such a system Of
schools that would as effectually wean
them from. the semi-civilized ideas of
the primitive islander as our schools in
the United States do the little savages
who land with the immigrants in New
York. These young Cubans would grow
up 10 sing bne DtdT-DphDSleu Dali
ner,'' to cheer for the flag of freedom,
and be proud to claim kinship with
the people of the country that snapped
the chain that bound their fathers.
Education by the American system is
the great hope for the Cuba of the
future.
The immediate and most pressing
want in this island, however, is capital
with which to purchase cattle, agricul-
tural implements, seeds and provisions,
to be used in the establishment of
agriculture and the restoration of pros
perity. Anything that your readers can
do to promote that, as we'll as the
political and intellectual education of
the people, would be in the right direc-
ton.
We are doing what we can to lay the
foundation solidly for the new Cuba,
that is destined to rise on the ashes of
the overturned Spanish government.
There will be much digging necessary,
great deal of hard work, and rroba-
bly, disappointments that will try the
endurance of the builders; but with
the help of the well-disposed in the
United States, we shall win.
James HI, Wilson, Major General.