The Saint Paul globe., 1899-07-09
cial people What we can do should our government
Go anything like its duty imagine from what
has already been accomplished
HOW LONG WILL WE sTAy2

Among the questions which are every day fore
ing themselves more and more prominentlv +o tho
'front.' and which are being ignored by the people at
Washington is that relating to the time and man
ner OF bringing our present occupation of Cuba to
close
Whatever else the Observation-Disclosures may urge
against the Democratic opposition as in the nature
"a an excuse Tor their wretched bIunderng in their
neHC ol the former subjects of Spain, nothing
n"S YET been advanced indicating that they have
been embarrassed in their management of afairs Fl,
OuDa. On the contrary, all classes of Americans
recognize that we are In Cuba of right and that we
ought to remain long enough to set the peope fairly
on the way to the establishment of government of
their own. Most Americans too beIieva that an
nexatlon, If 1t can be accomplished with the fuIl an
preVaI OF Cuban society, would be a good thing for
both parties.
What is being DONE in this general direction Of
putting an end to the military rule which now pre-
walls in the island? What conditions if any. now
exist which render its maintenance necessary
AN answer to these questions is furnished In a
very thoughtful article which appears in the Dages
Oh the current North American Review by writer
VINO styles himself ''an officer of the army Of occr
patton" and which is entitled "STbe Logic Of Our Po
s1t1on in Cuba" After reciting the conviction which
prevails among Americans generally in favor of an
neXation, the writer SAYS:
Ii we hope for the eventual annexation of Cuba
we should at once fix early day for our withdrawal
from the island, and for the redemption of opp
pledge to the Cubans and to the world If necessary
we can ask the Cubans for their opinion of annexa-
ton before go. But whether we do or not we
Will then withdraw with honor; and we shall leave
III the hearts of the Cubans a sense of obligation
that added to a community of interests should som,.
day bring about the union"
Here is an American officer presumably familiar
With the conditions existing on the island and
With the disposition of the Cuban people toward the
system OF government which we maintain them
Our military government he says "as q means OF
rapprochement between the two peoples is fail
ure' What is thus far failure cannot be made n
success by its continuance. Gen. Wood in whose
Judgment and dsinterestedness the entire American
people have apparently unbounded faith has testified
MS strong conviction that the Cuban people are we'll
qualified to conduct their own affairs that bev ar,.
peaceful and law-abidng In all their tendencies IN
the province IN which he Is acting and that the re-
pors OF WlessnesS and Of the general prevalence of
yellow fever are false No one in authority or who
can by even the greatest stretch of imagination be
regarded as qualified to express an opinion has
clalmed otherWlse, unless it be that supenumerary
OF the administration, Robert B. Porter
The conclusion reached by the writer men+ionad
is worthy of being made generally known to the
American people. 1t is contained In the following
sentences:
10 conclude: We are in a false position in
Cuba; position the outcome of which may result in
Wounding our national pride
We have the choice of two alternatives: Shall
we drift, or shall we decide?
Io decide; to carry out our promise at once; to
take our troops out of Cuba leaving the people ~
govern themselves until such time as they NAV pre-
fer annexatiOn-that seems to be the proper course
Surely, in view of such testimony as this It Is
time that the people of the United States should be
made aware of the intention of their administration
as to the future of our government of Cuba and as
to the probable length of it's duration