Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1899-06-30
THE CUBAN PROBLEM I 1 ".
Some Benefits That Have Re-
suited From American Rule.
VIEWS OF A RETURNED OFFICER.

SSASS
Colonel James NJ. Campbell Says
Cheaper Food IL Gradually Work.
lng Out the PrOblem-Cubans' False
Notions About Americans-Advan-
tages the Island Would Derive
From Annexation.
Colonel James M. Campbell, whose
regiment has just baen mustered out at
McLeansboro, Ills. arrived in Wash
ington recently on his way to West
Point. Colonel Campbell's regiment.
while in Cuba. was stationed near
Marianao, where the Cuban assembly
met. The colonel therefore had excep-
tional opportunities for forming accu.
rate Judgment upon the Cuban situa-
zion. He takes an optimistic view Of
the outcome Of present conditions.
1.-THE Cuban problem, " eaid Colonel
Campbell. "~ i'll work itself out. There
are forces now operating toward its
harmonious solution, the potency Of
which are scarcely appreciated in the
United States. The most powerful Of
them is cheap food. The Cuban work.
ingman undor the American admins
tration can go out and earn 81 day
upon the highways of Cuba, and for that
dollar he can purchase as much az the
American workingman can purchase
for the same amount. Flour, which
before the liberation of the Cubans
from Spanish domination was held at
e6 per 100 pounds, can now be bought
In Cuba for from s1.76 to 81 per 100
pounds. There has been a correspond
Ing decrease in all articles of human
consumption. This is due to the fact
that the onerous tariff of Spain has
been abolished and all articles of food
are allowed to come into Cuba from the
United States free of duty.
1.-THE people Of the United States
San hardly appreciate what this means
10 the Cubans. Things which before
the war were to them the highest lux
uries are now within easy reach of the
Industrious. Take meat, for instance.
Before the war fresh meat was an ar
ticle of food which only the rich in
Cuba could enjoy. Now Texas firms are
shipping large numbers Of cattle on the
hoof to Cuba and slaughtering them
there for sale to the public at prices
which are about the came as those
which prevail in the United States.
my experience with the Cubans led
me to believe that it would be an ex-
cellent idea for our government to send
to the islands some Americans who are
thoroughly we'll versed in the United
States system Of government and who
would be able to impart this knowledge
to the, Cubans in the Spanish LAM
guage. know men who are among
the educated class in Cuba who enter
tain some very false notions about the
Americans. If they understood more
about it, believe there would be very
little opposition to annexation.
ITO illustrates: One day was sitting
outside my tent, near Mariana, when a
Cuban gentleman, who had been edu-
Gated in Scotland and who spoke Eng
lish well, came up with party of his
friends, among whom were ladies.
This gentleman had just built a very
handsome residence in Mariana and
was Cuban of the higher class. He
introduced me to his friends, and we
were chatting about one thing and an
other when his gaze fell upon the two
flags in front of my tent, one Of them
Old Glory and the other the flag Of
illinois. Colonel, he said, 4 have never
been able to understand why it is that
each regiment has two flags Of different
character outside of the headquarters
tent. The one with the stars and stripes.
I know, is the American flag. What is
the other?'
II told him the other flag was the
flag of Illinois. then went on to ex-
plain to him that each one of the states
of the United States had its own flag
and that this flag was hardly less dear
to the people Of that state than the ma
tional flag. gave him full under
standing Of the relations between the
separate states and the national govern
ment He said this information was all
new to him, and he was very much inter-
ested, as were all of the members of his
pNIUy, u WuOul Aau61oGCu d1A l ooaA'
I then outlined to him what the condi-
tion of Cuba would be if admitted into
the family Of states. She would still
preserve her flag, and, while she would
be represented in the general govern
u1ent, all her laws for local government
would be made by the people Of the
state of Cuba without interference up
ON the part Of any other state or of the
United States
II gave him also an idea of the bene-
fit it would be to Cuba to be part Of the
United States For instance, told him
if Cuba became a part of the United
Etates the expense Of the navy which
would be needed to patrol and protect
her coast would have to be borne by all
the states of the Union in proportion to
their taxable wealth, although many of
them, like Missouri and Illinois, were
70 situated that they needed no navy
for defense. l talked along these lines
for couple of hours, and feel certain
those people were more favorable to an
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