The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-03
THE FUTURE OF CUBA
Annexation Foreshadowed by
Present Events.
SEEMS TO BE INEVITABLE
When Indep, ndsnce Is Granted the
United States VIII Insist Upon Some
Form OF Suzerainty - Blu Id
Ing UP the Island.

Chicago, Dec. I'm a Washington
special to the Times Herald Walter
Wellman says in relation to the future
of Cuba;
e Annexation of Cuba by the United
States and by the wish of the people of
the island is fcreshadowed among com
ing events The entire question of the
future of Cuba has been raised by the
arrival here of General Leonard Wood.
lie came at the request of the presi-
dent, not only to give information but
TO accept a much larger responsibility
IN the future government OF Cuba
General Wood is to be civil governor
Of the entire island If President Nc
kinley be able to carry out his plans
AT the very least he will be governor
OF the Eastern provinces. Before Cen
eral Wood leaves town the president
expects to be able to see his way to
settlement Of the questions involved in
the near future of Cuba and the gain
new Importance and significance
through their possible bearing upon
the larger and permanent status of the
island. Annexation is not an admins
tration policy, but it is believed by men
who have given closest attention to tn,
SUBJECT that annexation is an inevitable
outcome Of the present conditions.
At the present time the president is
working with a distinct policy, and this
policy is in line with the pledge Civ
en- by the United States at the begin
ming of the war with Spain that our
purpose was not to annex the island In
his message the president refers the
question to congress, stating what has
been done and giving certain facts for
the guidance of congress in whatever it
may wish to do. But realizing that it
will be a long time, perhaps year or
more, before congress can take action
in the premises, the president wishes
to make as much progress in the rehab-
ilitation of Cuba as he can under that
military rule which is imposed upon
him by congress. He wishes, in other
words. to withdraw as rapidly as posi-
bic the military hand and substitute
therefor civil rule. Government by
force when no longer necessary is not
in accordance with American tradi-
tions, and the force Is not longer need
ed in the administration of Cuban af-
fairs. By this it is not meant that all
the troops are to be summarily with
drawn, but that the military are to
have gradually less and less to do with
the government and the civil authori-
ties more and more. 1t is along these
lines that the president wishes to adj
wise with General Wood.
President Mckinley has no other plan
in view than one to rehabilitate the is
land and prepare it for independence
according to the original American
idea. He hopes to institute more and
more civil government, with the Gu
bans themselves taking more and more
part in lit. In time the moment will
come for the adoption of a Cuban con-
stitution and the setting up of a Cuban
government.
But when that moment comes the
United States in all probability will in
sist upon retaining a suzerain's rela-
tions to the new government, with pow
er to interfere in matters Of war or
peace, thus serving some sort of guar
antee of the perpetuity of the govern
1nent thus esta blished. 1t goes without
saying, also, that the United States will
have much to say as to the character
of the constitution adopted.
This is the future from the admin
istration's view point. But the mme-
diate difficulties in the way point to
the probability of different future
to annexation instead of independence.
Already the crucial difficulty of setting
up Cuba as an Independent nation has
arisen. and this difficulty is racial and
economic. Moreover, it is incurable.
The opposition to civil government in
Cuba which is now being shown on
the part Hf certain part Of the pop
nlatipn is the best evidence in point,
That opposition comes from the Cuba
libre" people. They are willing enough
to have civil government, but they
want it not a government by Ameri-
cans, but by Cubans. Without doubt
every step which the administration
may take toward preparing the island
for independence will be fought by the
ultra Cubans, who think they see in
the plan deep-laid plot to institute an
American government which will never
be withdrawn. These opponents of
American civil rule are for the most