New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-25
CUBA NOT SOLELY FOR THE CUBANS.


A dispatch from Havana referring TO a slight
development of yellow fever in parts of Cuba
where 1t has hitherto been almost unknown, and
also TO Havanas remarkable freedom from the
disease in spite of gloomy predictions, contains
the following quotation from the newspaper eel
Cubano': The Cubans have a right to object
Ito the expenditure of money for sanitary
measures intended TO protect the lives Of few
Americans, they do not themselves take
yellow fever. In such circumstances large eX-
"pendlture cannot be justified We do not know
what the standing of EEL Cubano" is with the
people among whom 1t is designed to circulate,
but in respect 10 the question which it thus
treats whatever influence it possesses is plainly
eXerted in an ignorant, selfish and mischlevous
manner. and If 1t reflects the general feeling
and opinion in Cuba the fact strongly tends 70
prove that the Cubans far from competent
to manage their own affairs
In waglng war for the benefit of Cuba the
people of the United States were actuated by
benevolent motives. and they intend TO keep
faith with those whom they freed from the OPP
pressive rule Of Spain. But 1t would be a ser-
Gus mistake TO encourage a belief, or here
after, that our Government was so utterly dis
interested as TO take no account whatever Of
conditions In the island which were excessively
offensive to this country and injurious to its
welfare Spanish corruption and ineffciency
had long permitted abuses to flourish in Cuba
from which we suffered bitterly in manifold
ways and which had come 10 be regarded
wellnigh intolerable before the destruction Of
the Maine rendered war q virtual certainty
One Of the worst Of these abuses the DELHI
crate and reckless promotion Of conditions which
made a naturally healthful island close TO our
shores q breeding place of yellow fever. Year
after year for generations the deadly malady
had spread from that source TO our Southern
cities causing enormous sacrifice Of life and in
calculable financial losses. A determination to
put an end, If possible. to this particular af
Fiction was certainly not the chief Indictment
to interference In behalf of the Cubans but the
probability Of our being able TO do so
certainly one OF the cheerful considerations to
which the conflict with Spain gave rise. We
have been in control of the island less than two
years, and already that expectation seems sure
to be fulfilled In the face Of embarrassments
at least great We had reason to antiCi-
pate while yet the task Of establishing sanitary
conditions IN Cuba is Just beginning results
have been obtained which convince the Ameri-
can authorities that the island Is capable of be-
ing transformed from a hotbed of infection into
a land as wholesome as It is fair and fruitful.
At this initial stage in the process Of pur-
ucdIOn ana euuCdIlOu an 11dFdnH newspaper
comes forward TO oppose the expenditure of
money for sanitary purposes because, forsooth
Cubans are not susceptible TO yellow fever
Therefore it says, in effect: Let the disease
feed as Of old on such foreign material as It
finds and freely continue TO infect the United
States. Cubans do not need to trouble them
SELVES on that account. They all right and
"lt is shame to spend money in ways which
will do them good" It would be difficult to
say whether the sefshness the stupidity Of
this view Of the matter is the more conspicuous
We should be glad to believe that II indicated
merely careless and temporary relapse on the
part Of the journal expressing 1t into the bar
barism which Spanish rule engendered but we
fear It would be unsafe to assume that Gel
Cubano's" miserable attitude will not be CON
sidered wise and proper by a large number Of
Cubans.
OF one thing at any rate, there ought to be
no doubt and that is that until the people Of
the United States are thoroughly convinced that
such sentiments are not part of the mental
and moral furniture Of a majority Of the people
Of Cuba they will resoutey refuse TO turn over
the government OF the island TO its inhabitants