The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-04-27
CUBAN PEOPLE
WANT FREEDOM.
Situation As 1t Exists in the
Island At This Time.
LEANING TO ANNEXATION.
Administration Evidently " ants to Annex
the People Against Their Will
What Robert 2. Por-
ter Said,


of the administration toward Cuba is
forming fruitful topic for discussion
among the people and the statesmen of
the country, as it appears to be well
defined plan of the administration to
annex the island instead of give the
people their freedom.
Is 1t the intention of the administra-
ton to continue the military occupa-
ton of Cuba indefinitely on the pretext
that such occupation is necessary in
order to the "pacification' of the
island? Is it the intention there as
elsewhere to adhere to the new and
strange doctrine which has more than
once been enunciated by Mr.. Mckinley
that when once the American flag has
been raised anywhere it must never
again be lowered? In fine, is it the in
tention to Philippinize Cuba?
Congress has never retracted or
modified its solemn declaration in these
words:
THAT the United States hereby dis
claims any disposition or intention to
| exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or
| control over said island except for the
| pacification thereof, and asserts its
determination when that is accomplish
ed to leave the government and con-
| troll of the island to it's people"
So long as that declaration stands
there can be no possible excuse for the
continued military occupation of the
| island except that 1t has not been
pacified, and that there is obvious and
unmistakable reason to believe that
there would be no peace, but that there
would be war or anarchy within or
attack from without If the authority
of the United States should be with
drawn. There must be more than an
apprehension-there must be solid
ground for the belief-that such results
would follow the retirement of the
United States to Justify the continued
occupation of the island.
Now, it is we'll known that there
has been no armed resistance to the
authority of the United States hitherto.
1t Is notorious that there has been no
occasion for the severe exercise of mill
tary authority. In short, it is evident
that peace prevails in that island as
much as 1t does in this country, and,
In fact, even more.
Even If things which are palpably
true go for nothing with those who
look with complacency upon the con-
tinued occupation of Cuba because such
is the policy of the administration, then
at least the testimony of one Of the most
trusted of McKinley's agents, ought to
have some weight. That agent, Robt,
p. Porter, in a paper which was read
a few days ago before the American
Academy of Political and Social Science
said: Cuba is perfectly capable OF
self-government. Those who have had
experience in the reconstruction work
know this perfectly we'll" 1t does not
J impair the force of this testimony, but
/. rather adds to it. that Mr.. Porter goes
on to express the opinion that ''the
people of that island will never reln-
quish their alliance with the United
States"
Since 1t is known to those who have
had experience in the reconstruction
work in Cuba that its people are
perfectly capable of .self-government
there can be no question that it is the
, duty of the administration to afford
those people an early opportunity tC
give the fullest and freest expression
to their wishes. If they wish for in.
dependence it is the duty Of the admin,
istration to see that they have it. AnC
, in a matter thus affecting the perman'
} ent condition of people nothing less
J than an overwhelming majority under
a perfectly free expression should bt
accepted as conclusive against inde
pendence.
But evidence Is constantly accumu
lating that the administration ha!
never meant to discharge it's duty ir
this respect. Evidence accumulate.
! that 1t has from the first intended
while processing to give the people Of
the island an opportunity for free ex'
preston of opinion, to bring pressure
to bear in every possible way and tc
resort to all the arts of the politician
to secure majority against indepen
dence and in favor Of permanent depen'
dency on the United States.
: The latest evidence of this comes t
us In the form of dispatch from
Havana stating in effect that Genera
Ruis Rivera, secretary Of agriculture
to our military governor, General Wood
E Is to be forced into retirement because
5 he recently wrote letter urging un'
ion of political parties and unanimous
: demand for independence by the end OF
) 1901. 1t is added that the other mem
bers Of the cabinet are considering the
. question Of retiring at the same time
because they fear that IL they remain
3 in the cabinet Cuban voters will infer
5 that they are opposed to independence
: The dispatch, which carries strong
8 internal evidence Of imperialisuc in
{ spiration, goes on to say that members
/ Of the cabinet hesitate to resign be-
: cause they think their places are likely
t to be filled by leaders of "the Democra.
, tic Union party, which is gaining
| strength every day." and which, while
protesting a desire to prepare the coun-
try for eventual government
would give the United States full swing
while the work of preparation is in
, progress.
This goes to show, in the first place
that the people of the island are be-
: lieved to be overwhelmingly in favor OF
independence, for it discloses the fact
that those who oppose the Rivera party
of immediate independence feel it to be
| al, Il,