The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-21
OH STAY CIRA.

How long will our government remain
in control of Cuba? That is a question
that is receiving more attention in cuba
than in this country, if the reports re-
ceived from Havana are correct. In our
dispatches from that city yesterday it was
stated that at a banquet the previous
evening, given at the Casino by the cuban
assembly IN honor of the Cuban chiefs,
the speeches of all of the Cubans were
in favor Of immediate independence.
The reports from Havana are TO the eff
feet that among the Americans in that
city the impression is growing stronger
that American rule in cuba is there to
stay-that. in fact it is only a question
Of time when Cuba viii become a part
of the territory Of this country. Because
Of the strength Of this impression, Amer
lean capital is being freely invested in all
kinds of enterprises, and the purchases of
real estate by Americans are being made
on a large scale
There is no doubt that it is the purpose
of our government to keep faith with the
Cubans. Congress has said that our only
Spain ana Cuba was to free Cuba from
the yoke Of Spain, and to establish sta
BILE and enlightened government in that
island. cuba is free from Spanish rule,
but how long will Il take the Cubans to
learn how 10 govern themselves? Accord
ing to the Cubans who made addresses
al the banquet in honor of the Cuban
chiefs, the Cuban people are ready to take
charge of their own affairs al once. But
are they to he the judges as to their fitness
for self-government? It is quite certain
that they are not-at least those of them
who have been prominent as leaders of
the insurgent forces. The Cuban chiefs
and the members of the Cuban assembly
are not good judges of the fitness of the
people Of Cuba 10 take charge of their
own political affairs at this time.
In his speech at the dinner given in his
honor by the Union League Club of New
York last Wednesday night, Gen. Leon
ard Wood, governor of Santiago, said that
the people of Cuba have had very little
voice in public affairs and that their whole
disposition has been reversed by a sys-
TEN which has compelled deceit dishon-
esty and subterfuge in every department
Of life Their nature, therefore, will have
to be changed before they will be ready
for self-government. In the course of
his talk Gen Wood said: Il have tried
thing they have to do down there was
to learn to govern themselves, and that
the underlying principle of enlightenment
was thorough respect for civil law"
Gen Wood has made a study of the
Cuban people, and it is clear that he is
of the opinion that they are not now pre-
pared for self-government They have got
great deal to learn, and it is going to
take them years to become acquainted
with what it is necessary for them to
know. That they have but little respect
for the civil law is shown by the crimes
that are now being committed in some of
the provinces. and it may be in all of
them. In our dispatches yesterday there
was a communication from Gen. Castel-
lanos, the last Spanish governor general
of Cuba. In it he called the attention of
Gen. Brooke. governor of Cuba, to the re-
port that within very short time eight
men, who had been soldiers in the Span
ish army, and who had decided to make
Cuba their home, had been murdered in
the province of Santa Clara. Crimes of
many kinds, particularly crimes of vio-
lence, will continue TO be numerous until
the people are taught to respect the civil
law Americans who are settling in Cuba,
and American capitalists who are invest
ing large sums of money there, will insist
that the Cubans shall not be given con-
troll of their own affairs until they have
proven beyond question their respect for
civil law. BY the time they are qualified
for government the conditions in the
island will be so changed that it would
not be surprising if they should prefer to
become a part of the United States rather
than have their independence.