The Irish standard., 1900-03-24

THE OUTLOOK IN CUBA.
Secretary Root Gives His Impress.
sions, Formed During His
Recent Visit.

recent visit.
Washington, March 21.-Secretary
Root Tuesday afternoon gave to Pres
ident Mckinley the results of his OBJ
servations of affairs in Cuba during
his recent trip to the island Subse.
quently the secretary consented tc
talk for publication as to existing
conditions iii the island and the pos.
sibilities of the people IN the direc.
ion of elf-govcrnment.
During Mr.. Roots trip he visited
The provinces Of Havana, Matanzas
md Pinar Del Rio and made it a
'oint to note carefully The condition
VI the people and their industries and
discuss with individuals as we'll as
'1i'c'als i'll all the places at which he
stopped questions affecting their in,
erests. His inquiries and observa-
ions covered Il large branch of sub,
Gets and gave him Il fund of informal
ION which will be of value to the
president and TO the war department
~ its future dealings with the
ubans. On the whole the secretary
cells that he is we'll repaid for the
inc required to make the trip. for
ne now has personal knowledge OF
nanny things which heretofore he had
'rard OF only through the channel OF
Heports of the military authorities
stationed i'll the island. The secre.
AIRY expresses himself as satisfied
WITH what he saw; the people appear
10 he getting along very we'll, and
}"Acr prevails throughout the coun.
NY.
Naturally the question of the uhi.
nate Independence of the island came
mp FOR discussion during the sccre.
'arys visit to Cuba, but he was not
prepared to say Just when the United
states government would be willing
hat this should be IL reality. Incl.
'"ntnlIy to this matter, which is up
aermost in the Cuban mind. are tho
formative steps that will bring il
lhou1 The first of these. viz. the
holding of the municipal elections al
an carly date. was subject that Sec
rotary Root discussed freely, particu
|arly with the United States officials
IN the island and the arrangements
for carrying into effect this first ste,
towards an independent government
were matters into which Mr. Root
looked very carefully. "Thesc cleo.
TONS said the secretary, will be
the Cuban's first effort towards popu.
lar government. Unaccustomed as
1 hey are to these things, they are as
the babe unborn and have everything
to learn. The whole plan for making
effective the scheme of municipal suf.
fraSe has to be very carefully worked
out and the people instructed in all
the details. This involves a vast
amount of labor and takes consider.
able time, but ultimately will be
worked out and the elections take
place. ! hardly believe, however, that
the authorities will be quite ready for
holding the elections by the list OF
May"
Secretary Root was not prepared to
venture an opinion as TO Just when
he believed this government would
grant complete independence to the
Cubans. The declaration in the Joint
resolution of congress- however
granting them full independence
would be carried out. He pointed out
how it would be necessary that the
municipal governments should he
firmly established on a working basis,
after which attention would be given
e
convention for the purpose of franz
ing constitution for the island and
ITS adoption by the people. Following
this and the establishment of a firm
government in the island the sccrc-
1ary felt would be time for the formal
recognition of the independence of
the island and the withdrawal of the
assistance and supervision of the au-
thoritics of the United States.
Mr.. Root made it feature of his
visit to talk with the leaders of what
has been known as he revolutionary
element of the population, and those
who arc opposed to annexation TO the
United States, and he says they are
not impatient over what arc regarded
aus ncccSs;rY and reasonable DELAYS
in the formation of a wcll-cstnblishcd
government, realizing that these are
Il necessity. When stable and set
tied policy of rule has been cstnb-
lishcd the secretary believes the is
land will have a season of prosperity
and that outside capital as well as
much now there remaining uninvcst-
ed because of the uncertainty that OK
lists will find its way into the chan
nrls Of trade and agriculture.
Competition Open to World.
ST. Paul. Mimi. March 81. - The Ma
,ional l.ducationalnss association, through
he National Council of Education
has offered $1,000 in prizes for the best
essays on seating, lighting; heating and
vcniilating public school buildings
$500 rs Il first prize and S1i)O MS n srrond