New-York tribune., 1900-05-07
DANGER N A CUBAN REPUBLIC
LIKELY TO BE SOURCE OF TROUBLE
AND ANNOYANCE TO THE
UNITED STATES.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: I have read with great interest the article
entitled Cuban Desires which appeared in your
issue of this date and. in my opinion, nothing
has ever appeared in any newspaper Of this city
which presents the actual situation in Cuba with
such truth and precision as does the article in
question. I have had exceptional opportunities
of becoming acquainted with Cuba and its in
habitants and I am convinced-as are also all
American officers and officials who have served
in Cuba and all Cubans and Spaniards df they
did but desire and dare to tell the truth)-that
the Cuban republic is impossible.
1t is greatly to be depored that Congress.
accepting as authentic the information it re-
ceived with regard to the constitution Of the
republic of Cuba during the insurrection, should
have bound the United States to give the Cubans
an opportunity TO demonstrate practically their
ability (or inability keep order insure respect
for international rights and maintain the Repub-
lie of Cuba for this demonstration will doubt
less bring in its train great amount of damage
and innumerabIe misfortunes unless the Gov
ernment of the United States should prevent
them, and it is not easy to see how it can do
this if the republic is established and the forces
of the United States withdrawn.
AS soon it is attempted to make a trial Of
the republic large numbers of Cubans, Spaniards
and foreigners will leave the country and from
distant shores will watch the result of the ex-
pertinent.
The acknowledgment of over $50 900 900 of
bonds issued by the Cuban leaders for service
rendered during the revolutionary period is the
| greatest danger which threatens the future re-
public of Cuba. These documents, in the
hands of a group of persons most of whom do
not know how to read or write, and do not
attach any Importance to the papers, will pass
into the hands OF others who buying them
for few cents apiece. The first measure to be
taken by the government of the republic will
be to get a loan to pay, not those who fought in
the insuTgent ranks, but the spectators who are
buying the securities. And the placing of this
loan will not present any difficulty, for there is
no doubt that it viii be issued on terms SO
| favorable bankers and so Onerous for the
| people Of Cuba that there will be no lack OF
| American, English and French syndicates ready
| to take il up when guaranteed by the customs
| imposts. etc, as it certainly will be.
The President alone will be elected. and the
! selection Of the members Of the Cabinet which
this President will have to appoint will be more
! difficult than the SQuaring Of the circle. This
| does not mean that the people Of Cuba are saw
| ages, but that IN Cuba, as in South American
republics during the first hundred years Of their
! existence, the turbulent element-the men who
| have little or nothing to lose-overrides the
| the lapse Of a hundred years a new generation
| might be able maintain a republic of order
and prosperity. but will Cuba be able to stand a
! hundred years Of military revolutions and shot
gun relationships?
! The relations Of Cuba with the rest of the
! world, on account OF its specially favored pro
! ductlons and the important foreign interests ir
the island, make it an object of much greater
! attention and concern than San Domingo and
! the small South American republics whose con.
/ Slant revolutions are regarded with Comparativf
! Indifference. The republic Of Cuba from the
! very day Of its inauguration will be source OF
| trouble and annoyance 10 the United States anC
/ or claims and contentious on the part of the ma
| tions OF Europe. ONE WHO KNOWS.
| New-York, May 4, 1900.