The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-06-05
THE CUBAN .
SITUATION.
General Collazo Airs his Views
Says the Real Conditions are
Misunderstood.
THE DIGNITY OF THE PEOPLE
Af1ronted by the Gratuity OF
$4,000, o,ooo..-Prcss Censor for
Santiago de Cuba.

HAVANA, June 4,-General Collazo
publishes in the Herald OF Havana o let
ter expounding the Cuban idea of tho
situation. He says in part:
"a good deal of the discussion now in
progress shows that the real situation Is
misunderstood. Both the Americans
and the Cubans desire the independence
OF the island-the Americans because
they are pledged to 1t, and the cubans
because of patriotic and political con-
siderations. Between the two stands
the Washington administration, repre-.
senting the important business interests
involved. There is no doubt that the
beauty and rich possibilities of Cuba
have aroused in many Of our visitors q
greed which IS responsible for the at
tempt to create the notion that the
country is war-l!lse. whereas the fact Is
that the Cubans are SO docile that even
the desperation OF hunger will not lead
them Into wrongful action.
THE offer of charity arfronts the dig
nifty OF our people; and the grntulty OF
S3.O0000o insults them. The United
Stutes government. II It intends to free
the island. should pay what Is due the
army In the form OF a loan to Cuba,
which Cubans would gladly and easily
repay. We do not want gifts: and the
course hitherto followed discredits the
American government among US and In
spires distrust. The Cubans have been
deceived for four centuries, and 1t Is
only logical that they should be suspic-
ious now. They were formerly taught
that the Americans had an honest home
administration which conformed strictly
to law and knew no favorites except
that based upon merit.
In practice here the Cubans see Just
the contrary exempli1ed. No one
among US sees in advance the measures
to be promulgated; the caprice of the
military chiefs is paramount: the people
nre iifeless factor that can exert no
power, nor even protest. except in pub
lie meetings and the press. The Cubans
are starving while hundreds OF thou
sands of dollars are spent upon palaces
for the American commanders who ap-
ply the military or the Spanish law as
their whim suggests. Charity, such as
is offered, must be In any event useless
because inadequate. Cuba will not re.
cuperate without s5o,0OO.OOo to finance
her agr!culturists and without paying
the army what 1t deserves. In this way
recuperation can he accomplished. Az
that Is necessary is the Will of the
American administration.
According to dispatch from GuInes,
Lieutenant Colonel George NJ. Randall,
who with the pay car and his escort ar
rived there yesterday. to continue the
payment Of the Cuban troops, slipped
on banana peel to-day and broke q.
tendon In his left leg. This necessitated
his sending for crutches and his negro
servant. Though in great pain he de-
clines to give up the work he has In
hand and was, In attendance all day at
the disbursement office.
When the pay car arrived at Gulnes
yesterday 1t was met by a large crowd;
and the guards had considerable work
in keeping the people back. Colonel
Randall made 1T4 payments yesterday !.
and rejected 81 applicants. The pay
ments made to-day brought the total UP
TO 417 and there was large crowd still
waiting at o'clock when the Office
closed. Probably oil of tomorrow will
be required to complete the payments.
The crowds were orderly. The pay car
will leave FOR Jaruco late tomorrow at
ternoon. afst