Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-06
CUBA AND PORTO RICO
Rumored Appointments of Civil Governors
for the Islands Discussed
Differences I'm Their status Pointed
Out and Commented
Upon.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
The press news for some DAYS has been
| rife with rurnors that the President is Just
ready to launch civil governments and ap-
| point civil governors for the islands of Gu
ba and Porto Rico. 1t ia said that The
choice for Cuba lies between the various
majors and brigadier generals who are on
! the island. How is this? What do such
rumors mean? That civil governors with
proper environments, for Cuba and Porto
Rlco would be more acceptable by the pco-
pie Of the islands and be better for all con-
cerned Is unqdestiOnably true. That the
time is rite for this advance is also true.
But if such changes are made they must
be accompanied with such other changes
as Will be consistent and make the govern
ment so established effective. First. a civil
governor cannot be made out of a mil
1tary general This ATTEMPTED change in
the form OF government by a change in the
tue OF the officer merely would be a farce.
The mere change of coats would not change
the man nor bestow additional know ledge
OF statecraft nor give additional wisdom or
diplomatic skill. The principal objection to
military governors or generals of the army
for those duties is Jnat Jney are ,itiI,i.-,
but, being soldiers, having been trained in
the arts of wa, they are unskilled in the
arts or peace. knowledge of how to con-
duct and how to train, command and dis
clpI1ne troops requires special schooling,
special tact, experience and skill. This is
nels than knowledge of how to govern a
republic, and instruction proceeds along al
together different lines.
NO man can acnIeVe great success in
both schools, so divergent in their aims and
methods. II is but fair to expect that men
schooled in military schools and on battle
heldS would be better fitted to gain bat
tie than a statesman, and the converse
must necessarily be true. BY all means the
civil governors should be broad minded
statesmen. taken from civil life and fresh
from study and practice of the science of
government And the more practice the
better
But full civil government in Cuba is i'm
possible and impracticable and unwise for
Porto Rico. In Cuba even Congress cannot
establish 1t, as Cuba is not ours, and Con-
greSS cannot make laws for foreigners and
under our pledges Congress cannot assume
ITS government ownership. We can only
occupy Cuba till pacification is secured.
and doubtless till Cuba has a government
of her own, stable and SAFE that we may
trust it to fulfill the obligations we have
assumed by the treaty. How long this will
take who shall say? But We are in honor
bound to give Cuba this chance. even if she
goes through d stage of anarchy and mis-
rule, unless prolonged for SO long time as
TO justify again, on humanitarian grounds
or to fulfill our own obligations, our inter
ference, or till she succeeded in establishing
such stable government
In the meantime we can only occupy"
preserve order protect the rights of all and
incidentally forward the moral and ma
terial interests of her people. Such a gov
eminent as We can maintain cannot be
other than military. Who but the COM
mander OF the army can exercise authority?
Congress cannot The President must do
It, The President may modify the laws as
he thinks wise. He must, according to the
law of nations, abrogate or refuse to have
enforced such laws and customs as are
contrary 20 the fundamental principles of
our government. Other laws he may have
In force, or he may alter, modify or sup
~ IN INV loo "a
This he may do directly his own order,
or through a military governor" pre-
sumably his order 4 civil governor
could not alter. change or annuI a law; he
could only enforce it, and that through the
courts and officials prescribed by the law
of the country or the military power in
possession. Hence a civil governor APP
pointed for the islands without a code of
laws would be simply continuous SPANISH
rule. He would be powerIess to do any
thlng toward change Of laws or procedure
In the courts The courts would go their
own way; the taxes would be levied and
collected as now; men would be held in
dungeons and chained down without
communication with friends-aH because
the law allows it All Cubans, and Amer
leans and Englishmen alike, can be arrest
ed without warrant or charge confined in
jail for years without trial-all under the
Thus saith the law and a civil governor
would be powerlesS TO interfere. No such
th1ng as injunction or habeas corpus is
known either in Cuba or Porto Rico nor
could civil governor introduce these or
other reforms which run counter to any
old Spanish law or royal decree
AS to Cuba. since our control is only
temporary, and our sovereignty only in
trust for the people of Cuba. the changes
we make in their laws must be only tenn
porary, and will be subject to revision or
repeal when Cuba comes to her own so |
they should be only such as are essential |
to the proper discharge of our trust and |
necessary to the discharge of the obliga- |
lions we have assumed.
If we give them civil governor let him |
be civilian. and give him enough laws
that he may be equipped for the discharge |
of his duties.
PORTO RICO.
But as to Porto Rico, We have a less |
difficult problem. This island is ours; we |