The evening times., 1899-11-18
GARCIA ANSWERS LUDLOW
He Resents the Statement Concern
ing CGba's !lliteracy.
Surprised to Find That the Military
Governor Has More Information
Than the Census Gatherers-lhe
General Discusses the Islands Pro-
posed Exhibit at the Paris show.

| When asked what he thought of General
LudlOw's recent remarks on Cuba and the
Cubans. in New York despatch, General
| Carlos Garcia said this morning;
Il do not know how General Ludlow has
| been able 10 ascertain that 50 per cent of
the Cubans are illiterate The census re-
| turns are not half completed and here is
| General Ludlow reckoning all at once what
| the enumerators and census directors have
been investigating for the past two months
| If the military in Cuba had interpreted the
wishes of the American people in ten
months Of administration with COM
| pulsory system of education the status
| might have been high up and very few
! Cubans could today say that they did not
know how 10 read and write. General Brooke
has organized the university before he has
laid the foundations of the primary schools.
| There is practically none of these in the
Islands This fact shows that the mill
| tary administration has done very little
to raise the educational standard of my
people.
General Ludlow also says that We do not
know how TO submit 10 the will of the ma
| jority | wonder how he has arrived to
| such a conclusion do not hesitate TO say
| he has been hasty and rash giving out such
a statement, because | can prove that its
| incOrrectness can be seen at glance when
| call attention TO the fact that no mi
| ncrity whatever in Cuba has ever gone or
| thought of taking to the woods with their
| machetes These minorities have been ask
ing for labor and aid since General Brooke
| took possession Of his luxurious dwelling in
Havana. and they have not been even
heard by the pompous governor general.
General Ludlow is quoted as saying also
that We do not know how TO fill public
offices II a man is not allowed to practice
job how in the world is he to be expected
to be master of it,
Moreover The Administration has not
sent US any experts in government down to
Cuba. | do not believe that the military
commanders have ever been experienced
statesmen in this country. With regard to
Ludlow's remark that the Cubans are of a
nervous temperament, | contend that that
is a good quality instead of defect; phleg-
matte constitutions cannot survive in our
climate.
Had the Cubans known three Or four
months ago that they would be called
ur0n TO make an exhibit ar ;he Paris
Exposition, they would have had time to
prepare something that would give the
I world = faint idea of what Cuba can 90"
continued General Garcia. But il is bet
ter late than never and with the limited
time at our command we Will do The
best We can for the exposition.
In the first place the appropriation of
$50 eco to defray the expenses Of Cuba's
exhibit would hardly be sufficient to make
the showing of which the island is capa-
BILE and | apprehend that it will b. daft
cult to secure the services of competent
men 10 attend and explain without COM
pensation the resources Of The island.
Men Of intelligence. men who have the
experience cannot afford 10 do this work
for nothing. The Cubans are like Ameri-
Cans-they want pay for their work. OF
course the Government may be able 10
secure the services Of some rich tourists
who intend to visit the Paris Exposition.
and there may be some wealthy planters
who will be ESnored by these aI~oint-
merts but TO do Cuba justice only men
Of large knowledge who understand and
are familiar with the products of Cuba
should be sent TO Paris.
In this connection. / want TO protest"
added General Garcia against the persist
eut designation Of Cuba as a colony A
grsya mistake will be made if Cuba's ex-
hibit at tie Paris Exposition is placed in
the space allotted to the Colonies OF the
UEitsd States Cuba is separate ari dis
tirct from the United States and her ex-
hibt must be separate and distinct al the
exposition. She must rank a. an indepsnd-
ent country. Il must he clear to every
body thai tha United States Government
does not regard Cuba as colony in the
s=nse that Porto Rico and the Philippines
are colonies. In proOi OF that, the postage
rate 10 Cuba rs The same as when Spain *
ercised her misrule over TIE island. while
the domestic postage rats TO Porto Rico and
the Philippines prevails. If Cuba were
colony Of the United States. surely this dis
tinctOn would rot be made.
Nothing infiamcs the Cubarz so much
as 20 be told that Cuba is colony of the
United States. and they are quick TO resent
such a statement. Cuba is net a colony: she
is an Independent state under United States
military rule for The time. which is soon
TO give way 10 a civil government. But |
am glad TIE United States has not over
looked Cuba and that we are in 10 be rep
essnted AT the Paris Exposition