The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-08
THEY WANT THEIR FREEDOM.

The New York Commercial Adver-
tiser, radical imperial paper, sent a
special correspondent 70 Cuba to in
vestigate conditions and report the tenn
per of tie people and the outlook for
annexation. It must be borne in mind
that the Commercial Advertiser be-
lieves with Admiral Dewey that "the
Fflipinos are better fitted for self-gov-
eminent than the Cubans are" but
considers it the duty of this nation to
forcibly annex both peoples.
This correspondent says that sit viii
never be known whether the Cubans
are capable of governing themselves
cannot be said this chance has been
given them until the restraining au-
thority of the Americans has been re-
moved and the Cubane are thrown on
their own responsibilities. What is
more, there will be no advance at all
until the American administration an
nounces some definite policy"
A prominent patriot, leading bust
ness man of Cuba, was asked by the
correspondent if he didn't consider
Cuba better off under United States
government than II would be under an
independent government Of it's own.
He shrugged his shoulders and re-
piled: 1.-THE Americans did well for us
when they interviewed in the war with
Spain Their power is now good for
the preservation Of peace Their ad-
ministration of Cuban affairs, however,
is not successful"
Being asked the reasoa, he replied:
The American administration OF Gu
ban affairs has been too American, and
not enough Cuban. Your people are not
my people; your ways are not the ways
Of my people; the customs of the eoun-
try. the habit of thought of the people
and their disposition are so different
from the American that what may be
good in New York is not good in Cuba;
what may seem good and wise and per-
feet to an American does not always
appear so to the Cuban. and who shall
say that he, knowing his own people
so wei, is not the best judge?"
Furthermore, he explained: "Tht
president of your country and his COM
missioners are acting in Cuba on the
suppOsition that American ways are the
only ways which lead to certain results
which are desired. They are mistaken
in this
The correspondent interviewed many
eminent and educated Cubans. He
found them all of the same opinion
and says that unless some definite ar
rangement is made the Cubans will, il
time, become restless under American
control and demand freedom of the
kind they fought for, and which th'
Americans have not yet given them"
In conclusion, the correspondent says
and the Commercial Advertiser admit:
| that it is the universal opinion of al
who have felt the Sudan pulse:
II American officials undertake to dis
| pose Of the CubanS as they did th'
| Tagals, without consulting their wishes
it viii lead to disorder and possibly al
/ uprising which will undo all the Amer
1 leans have done during their occupation
/ of the island The United states mus
I let Cuba rule herself without so mucl
I a definite plan for the complete indie
/ pendence of Cuba. If neither OF thesl
! things come to pass within reasona bl
! time there is trouble ahead for both cOun
/ tries, and the difficulty is that there is ;
] vast difference OF opinion between tn
/ Americans and the Cubans as TO Wha
/ constitutes a reasonable time.
If no assurance had been given thu
Cubans that their independence would
be given them, we would have tn
Sc ne state of affairs there that W,
have in the Philippines. II the sam
assurance had been given the Tagal
that was given the Cubans. there woul'
have been no Instruction. no bloodshe,
and needless slaughter of our fghtirt
men
The only Spanish colony where tn
American flag was received without
question was Porto Rico, and look g
the tyrannous, despicable course tn
administration is pursuing towards tn
people of that unhappy island
Governor General Davis Of Port
Rico has demanded for the peopl
there "the same trade privileges tina
are given the Hawaiians." He say
that the tariff system proposed will in
crease the distress.
Is it any wonder that people rebe
against the despotism of the trust
which wrap Mckinley around thei
fingers and speak through Chairman
Hanna? Why. the American peopl
! themselves are ready to REBEL
/