The sun., 1899-05-07
OUR PROBLEMS IN CUBA.
NATIVEs NOT REASsURED BIZ MIL
TARY GOVERNMENTS REFORMS.

: Suspicion and Fear Of ForcibIe Anne1atio
Grows Despite Every Assurance-Que
uons to he Decided by n Popular Ele,
tion Discussed. Though No Vote Can Il
Had for Months-The Rainy seasoI
HAVANA. May Cuba is to-day on tn
verge OF the rainy season. The period {
greatest activity is about closed. Perhar
within ten days the downpour will begin. ac
companied by excessive heat and then eve
American energy must let up In measure Il
work OF reformation and reconstruction or sui
fer the consequences. In fact, this condition
Is already manifesting itself. as much. however
| by reason Of the passing Of the crisis in Cuba
AFFAIRS as OF the impending descent upon th
| country Of fever -burdened weather. Thi
| Is by no means declaration that tn,
| Provisional Military Government Is idle
| All the reforms instituted by the Amer
| leans are being pushed along deliberately
and firmly to the manifest improvement OF the
| material resources OF Cuba: but. as the neces
! sity for the Inauguration OF new reforms IL moi
| 80 pressing now because OF those already insti
tuted. IL may appear to the casual observer
that nothing at all Is being done to further the
reconstruction. In fact this complaint is heard
In the clubs and CATS, not only from Gu
bans but from Americans. Because every
day Governor-General Brooke does not issue
some decree sweeping away this or that
institution. law or custom and putting in
its stead an innovation which must
meet the fancies OF a dozen factions and al
most as many races. the charge is made that
the army OF occupation is here for other pur-
poses than those made plain by the decla-
rations OF the Washington Administration.
The new Cuba no more than the old Rome
can be built In day. and II not another decree
is issued until next December the successful
completion Of the plans already launched will
constitute a task worthy Of the respectful and
diligent consideration OF the students OF gov
ernment.
But more than this is being accomplished.
The Supreme Court is all but constructed.
Sefor Mendoza has already accepted the Pres
idency Of the court. and within short time it
will be In active operation. Changes in the old
Spanish laws are being considered and will be.
made better to guard the rights Of the accused
The principle Of incon,unicddo so promptly
II somewhat arbitrarily squelched by Gen. Lud-
low in the case OF an American citizen recently
suspected OF murder. is to go by the board for
ever. and there are other reforms under con-
sideration.
However. despite all that has been and is
being done. despite the very manifest better
ment OF conditions here and In the provinces,
despite the cleanliness OF the city. the honesty
OF the customs administration. the safety OF
property rights. the freedom from the old
scourge OF brutal military force with its train
OF murder and political piage. the Cuban sus-
poets the United States. He does not believe
that the American army will ever leave Cuba
There Is deep-seated suspicion in his breast
that the Administration ct Washington does
not intend that 1t ever shall. No afflrmations
by Americans to the belief that their Govern
ment means to retire when its mission here as
organizer OF an independent government is
completed can rout out this suspicion. He
broods over it daily. taking every act no
matter what its apparent tendency. as con-
Of his own imaginings.
This sentiment Of suspicion and OF hostility
has been growing rather than decreasing. 1t
Is not perhaps so militant or so blatant. but IL
Is spreading. 1t exists among the wealthy and
more cultivated classes as much almost as
among the ignorant soldiers Of the army
taught by their political military leaders to
shout for Cuba libre that the spoils OF office
may follow ~ the wake Of war. Many OF them
which they believe it to be coming These
latter ,a want to come to the States of their own
The United States will never leave Cuba"
said saldont one OF , these men to TIE Sun CORE
here four or Ave years. and tn on. perhaps get get
put, p & but only mkt to return Amercans will come
Ing against them e amene "@ the rabbIe send sen,
away s the American soldiers and there will be
G6ht in the streetS Soss Al will be killed
1t the gates Of Havana. No. Cuba never viii
be free In one way or another we must go to
allowed to choose annexation for ourselves it
S9gld sE seem S easier. It would not tough our
s ns dSs Sss w f2 be Ws
, with the Cuban people feeling as they do on
hs Question i Would bs seem that no matter
judged in their adm nistration Of the functions
" government. they have failed to establish
Ives with reference to the future OF the island.
is bt here Ey not by
he American colony. And its a source RHn Is at. t.
ributed. not to lack of ability on the part of
IN here but to the fact that
raining and education to a strict. prompt
! thsI By al sunordnates to the viii
ers have been fashioned to one form. and il is
"id t Il here 6y men In the Government service.
east ADAPTED to gaining the coincidence ON Of the
eople. Cubans have known for centuries
That militaary power Is They bave grown
pom their streets They hated 5 Spain, al 'pa,dd and
hey, rose against her. She was driven from rom
thers analogy is nevtable soofrs From c9Hs fPis
IH treumstanee ms has arisen the impression among
pom that force is being employed to brne them
) J, .annexaton. The very fact OF his presence sn,
= object OF suspicion. An American citizen ,
high standing. who has been in Cuba
,r months, in discussing this subject with
He Sun correspondent the other evening did I
OF hesitate to say that we're the troops kept to 9
le barracks and civilians put in places where :
e much OF the hostility and T' suspicton usp cts0
ow burdeninR the minds OF the Cubans wouid | ,
sappear within year. He thought the Way
} annexation. II such was the desire OF the a
mercan people. would thus be assured with | 8
le United States. '' 'ioi W q
Whether the sentiment OF the Cubans be- for g
1nexation or against IL must necessarily be O
lown by an expression OF opinion atthe polls. q
ID were a vote to be taken tomorrow. ~ the
'neral consensus OF opinion may be taken IA Z
guide, Il would go overwhelmingly against '
1ion with the United States. Plans are already o
ling made. as The Sun has stated. Tor an o
lumtrati19 m T OF the islands population, nrepar- 4.
ory 70 holding popular election, This eIec- Z
On. although indefinite in the extreme as 10 o
e time and conditions pertaining 10 a
Is even now engrossing attention 8
mere, mere are many grave questions TO be Z
tiled concerning Il. In an island where 7
yentyfve per cent OF the adult males can 7
'lther read nor write. the desrnbilty OF uni 3
rSal suffrage becomes a matter OF doubt in s.
any minds. II an educational quaIiication 2