The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-04-02
LOOKING FOR INDEPENDENCE
OBSERVATIONS OF THE SENATE
 COMMITTEE IN CUBA.

Impatient and Wish Action Imm cdi-
 ntely-ImpOrtance of the Municipal Elections Which Take Place in May. Washington, April 1.-The sub-con-
 mittee of the senate. consisting of Sen-
 ators Platt of Connecticut. Aldrich and Teller, which went to Cuba for the pur-
 pose of personally Investigating condi-
 tions on the island with a view to in-
 telligent action by congress with re- spect to Cuba, has returned to Wash- ington. Senator Platt, chairman of the
 subcommittee. tonight authorized tho
 following statement concerning the
 subcommittee observations
 we return with a much better un-
 derstanding of the problem to be solved
 and the steps to be taken in its solution
 than we could possibly obtain other-
 wise than by personal visit. It may
 be said of all classes in Cuba that they
 are looking to the establishment of an independent Cuban republic. A few are impatient and wish for immediate and complete independence. Others are less impatient, believing that suff1- cient time should be taken to avoid mistakes and to set up the new govern meDt upon such firm basis as to in- sure its success and. permanence. All are looking forward to the municipal elections that are to take place in the latter part of May, regarding such elec- tions as the first step toward the estab- lish1nent of the new government These will depend upon the result of these elections. If they take place without disorder and good officials are chosen they will go far to prove the capacity of the people for self government and steps can be taken without delay for further progress in that direction.
 we were very much impressed by the evidences of good administration of the affairs of the island under Governor General Wood. He has very difficult and complicated problem to deal with, conditions growing out of three hun- dred years of Spanish misrue and the consequent character of the people of Cuba make every step in its solution embarrassing, but we are convinced that he is the right man in the right place, and that his administration, though firm, is as good as possible and the people aid wisely to the establish ment of an independent government, which shall have close relations with our own and in which the interests, both of the people of both Cuba and the United States, shall be surely ob- served. It is not too much to say that the people of Cuba in respect tosthe formation of a stable and benef1cent government are both like children who have to be led or taught. They regard the United States as their friend and teacher, and as a whole are quite will- ing to be guided.
 There are great possibilities in the island. It is fertile, has a great nat ural resource, and is capable of SUD- porting population four or five times larger than it's numbers at present. Eng fish and German capital seems more confident and is being invested. Surely our own people ought to have as much confidence in the future of Cuba as for- eigners have. On the whole we were much pleased and encouraged. The people of the United States and of Cu- ba should alike exercise patience, be- ing assured that thereby progress will be more certain"