Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-22
AGAINST ANNEXATION
Masses of the People Of Cuba Want
Independence.
POLITICIANS ENCOURAGE TEEN
Wealthy Classes, However, Would
Welcome American Rule.
INCIDENT IN A THEATER.
INCIDENT IN "A THEATER
Copyright, 1900. by J. D. whelpley.)

Copyright, 1900. by J. D. whelpley.)
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
HAVANA, February IS, 1900
The man who comes here expecting to
find the people demanding the annexation
of Cuba to the United States will be very
E1uch disappointed. He will not only be
disappointed, but he will be astounded at
the strenuous demand for independence and
the strong feeling OF resentment, unmis-
takably manifest, at the continued presence
of Americans in control of the island. There
is an annexation sentiment in Cuba, but it
does not exist to an appreciabIe degree
among the Cubans who have been selected
by the Americans to hole office, or among
the masses of the Cuban people. The Span
iards of property and standing are anneXa
tionists Some few of the Cubans who are
holders of large properties are likewise so.
Cubans who have lived much in the United
States do not view such a possibility with
alarm. There is also class of Cujans who
say that they favor the independence of
Cuba in their hearts. but that in their heads
they feel considerable doubt to the
ability of their fellow countrymen to make
an independent republic a success The po-
liticians of Cuba, following their own in
terests and the sentiments among the
masses of the people are for the complete
independence of that island, and that to be
accomplished soon as possible
Annexation Sentiment Waning.
year or so ago, when Cuba was in
chaos and the people confused as to their
political future, there was quite a strong
feeling that perhaps annexation was the
only safe solution of difficulties then pres
ent During the past year, however, the
people have had taste of peace. Public
and private affairs have settled into some
thing like normal condition of sequence.
Public functions have been organized and
carried on successfully, and all from the
revenues of the custom houses, without i'm
posing any direct taxes on the people.
Numberless public offices have material
lied, each one carrying a good salary, and
nearly all occupied by Cubans. Public
moneys have been spent to the advantage
of those who spent it, and to those for
whom it was spent. All this has been done
by Cubans but under the closest kind Of
control by Americans. Nowhere In the
world is there a more open acknowledg-
n,ent of the creed that public Office is.
first of all, private snap ana then' per-
haps. incidentally, public trust.
American Restraint Is IrksOme.
American restraint Is already irksome to
the Cubans, and is becoming more so every
day that passes. They claim that the time.
has arrived for American evacuation-in
fact, many of them believe it is long over
due They claim that the United States is
now collecting and spending the money Of
the Cubans in ways to suit the Americans
and not the Cuhaus. They defy any one to
prove that the Cubans are not as accom-
plished and competent to govern themselves
as any other people in the world, from their
own point of view. at least.
Class of Cubans One Meets.
The American who comes to Cuba for
pleasure or for investigation usually meets
only the most liberal and cosmopolitan
class of Cubans, nearly all Of whom have
lived more or less in tho United. States. The
visiting American naturally talks most to
those Cubans who speak English and who
are connected with the present government
Even among these people he will find little
or annexation sentiment, for, even II
they believed that annexation was the des-
tiny of the island. they would not say so.
for it would not be good politics. the
people are against annexation, and the pol
iticiaus of today hope to be the politicians
| of the tomorrow. which it is generally be-
lieved Is soon to come to Cuba-the tomor-
row of independence. This class of Cubans,
however, are more or less tolerant. They
understand the imDossibility of the United
States in the role of conqueror as the word
is understood in old world parlance. They
know that there is no possibility of des-
potic American government in Cuba or an
AmericaniZation of her people against the
| will of the Cubans, so there is little of the
bitterness in their talk of Independence.
such as is found in the speech Of the less
informed and more impressionable masses.
General Wood has made a different i'm
preston from that produced by General
Brooke. General Brooke was simple and
direct almost to crudity and brusqueness.
He seems to have gone on the theory also
that the wishes of the Cubans should be
consulted, and that within very wide latf-
tude they should be allowed to have their
own way. General Wood on the contrary
came to the office of governor with well
defined plans in which the American idea
and his will are the dominant notes. Cen
eral Wood, however, is much better poll
tician than General Brooke. The Cubans
are naturally politicians, and when they
meet a man of the type they recognize
him at once and fear his power more. They
admire the qualities in which they them
selves excel and did not hesitate to express
their friendly contempt for a man of such
direct and simple nature they found
General Brooke to be.
Wood Keeps Them Guessing.
General Wood has kept the Cubans guess
ing as to his policy. The fact that they
recognized in his makeup certain adroit-
ness heretofore lacking in the American
commander increased their respect for his
power, but has also given rise to the sus-
picion that he has not told them all he in
tends to and that possibly he has some
thing up his sleeve for their discontinue.
This feeling has bred the suspicion among
certain, class that General Wood was not
sent to Cuba to bring about independence
50 HiuCn DIS TO perfect the EAHtfiCdH COLI
troll of all branches OF the government of
Cuba. 1t is known by those not blinded
by prejudice that there is no ground for
this belief but General Wood has felt the
effect of it, and recognizes it as one of the
difficulties with which he has to contend.
The politicians of Cuba are divided into
fnnumerabe clfques. At present each
clique maintains toward the others air
of polite hostility, for the Cubans are
warm in their friendships and bitter in
their iealousies When the cabinet and
their sub-offices were first organized 1t
appeared that a certain we'll defined ee-
nent in Cuban politics WAS to control the
situation and there was rejoicing in that
set accordingly. 1t Vas but a short time
however. before this Illusion was dispelled
by the appointment to IMPORTANT offices of
men of very differeus~ political stripe. In
speaking of this move Dne of General
Woods most prominent; 6ffice holders said:
THE new governor ofCuba is a politician"
and then he asked me, .Is the new policy
to be the appointment of leaders of hostile
interests so as to try and bring them all
into the Wood camp?'' He added: 1T is
dangerous policy; it will make trouble"
Forget Their Former Grievances.
Disagreeable it may sound to Ameri-
can ears, it is nevertheless true that the
masses of the Cuban people have already