The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-21
SATURDAY. ...... January q, 1899
HERE'S ANOHER STORY-SOME
CUBANS COMPETENT TO
GOVERN.

No sooner had the war ended than
Gen. Shafter and the others, who sought
favor with the administration, began to
decry the Cubans. to abuse them and
to declare that they were unfit for the
slightest duties of citizenship. They
talked all in one strain, and their Ian
guage was SO much alike that it sounded
as if they We're talking by order of
higher authority. Later, when it APP
peared that Alger was getting ready to
control all the franchises in the island.
and syndicates were organized to pluck
it, the object of discrediting the Cubans
became clear.
1t seems that there has been one Of
fcer in Cuba who has not joined in
the cry against the Cubans. His tes-
timony with appropriate comment is
presented by the Springfield Republ.-
can as follows:
General Woods testimony regarding
the Cubans must produce more favora-
bic impression of them in this country.
Following the excitement of the war
there came a reaction against the Gu
hans, based entirely upon the experiences
of American soldiers with half-starved
insurgents and canlp-followers in San
tiago province. The real Cuban. or the
average Cuban, is of course, midway be-
tween the idealized victim of Weyler's
oppression and the despised object of
Skaters condemnation and abuse.
In his speech at the Union League
Club in New York, General Wood said
that in Santiago, 'alI the public places
were filed by representative Cubans
without exception. They have filled
them SO satisfactorily that up to to-day
] have not had occasion to remove a
single person recommended by them"
Furthermore. ''the people are cheerful
and coDtented. I have allowed them 10
hold public meetings and discuss what
ever they saw fit without limit, and the
result is that there are no more public
meetings, and everything is as quiet as
in a New England village"
The secret of this signal success lies
in General Woods policy. He has
shown confidence in the capacity of the
Cubans to help themselves. This was
what the General did:
II have tried to draw the army out of
the situation at the earliest possible day
and tried to impress upon the people
that the first thing they had to do down
there was to learn to govern themselves
aud that the underlying principle of self
government was thorough respect fol
civil law, and that we did not want any
lawlessness."
Opinions may differ as to the number
of American soldiers necessary to be
CHARTERED among the Cuban people dur
ing the next year or two. General Wood
himself tells the Senate Committee Oh
Military Affairs, that 10000 will be
needed for the present on the whole
island Still, the policy of making the
military force as small as possible shoule
be pursued, especially in view of The
success of General Woods administra
ton in Santiago. Military men are surs
TO exaggerate the Importance of then
own function and to give large estimates
of the number of soldiers necessary Il
occupy the island. 1t is very probable
that not nearly so large an army as they
claim is really required. There has beer
no sign of disorder or anarchy in Cubf
since the American occupation began.
General Wood admits that when he
began his administrative work he wa:
very peSSmlStlc reSdiulhS inc lutuic
II went there feeling that 1t was Amos
hopeless he said. He now regards this
people and their capacity for self-govern
ment with genuine optimism. The dut!
of our government is clearly to reduce
its military display at the earliest oppor
tunity and encourage in every way th'
art of self-help in the administration o
Cuban affairs.