The Atlanta constitution., 1900-09-03
DEMONSTRATION" in Cuba.

American carpet-bagger appears very
clearly in the juggle that is going for
ward in Cuba.
1t Is to be found In the proposition
to throw down the bars and permit all
the elements to be found in Cuba to
participate in the new government. Old
General Gomez. who Is very wise and
patriotic man. no matter what the
flunkies of the syndicated administra-
tion may think about him, has discov-
cred this spider In the dumpling, and
he has made a very timely protest
against ii. There can be no doubt
that aid given our forefathers by the
French government enabled them 10
win their independence. Without that
aid there would have been no York
town surrender, and the war would
have gone on until the last resource of
the patriots was exhausted.
Suppose that the French, after vic
tory had been won. had insisted on
even one of the CALLING and irritating
conditions that have been imposed on
Cuba, considerable trouble would have
ensued. But the Frenchmen who aid
ed us knew nothing of the profits of
carpet-baggism, and so after aid
Ing the patriots with men and money,
they withdrew their forces and left
to the Americans the sole responsible
ity of framing and organizing their
own government.
our allies and benefactors never so
much as limited that the American peo-
pie were under obligations 10 them.
and yet It is impossible to pick up a
copy OF a republican organ in which
the question Is discussed. from the
blanket sheet TO the one-horse patent
outside. without finding some reference
to the tremendous obligations" which
the Cubans owe TO the United States.
Such talk is in the mouth of every
blatherskite who has swindled the gov
ernment, or who is subsidized by the
syndicates that control the republican
government. The Cubans who have
been suffering, starving and dying In
the cause of freedom have been made
to feel that they ought TO take off their
hats to every parasite and carpet-bag-
ger that has been exported to the
island.
The situation has been made irrita-
ting to all intelligent Cubans and
sickening to every honest American.
All our institutions stand for liberty
and equality. and yet the republicans
are industriously endeavoring to i'm
press the Cubans with the idea that
they should bow and scrape in order to
show their gratitude, and that when
Mckinley graciously permits them TO
assemble together in convention. they
shall call in their ancient enemies to
aid them in forming a government; in
short. that their independence shall
have n string tied to it-a string which
will enable the North American car
pet-baggers to loot and plunder the
Cuban government at will.
That this is the republican pro-
gramme is shown by the order recently
issued by the war department provid-
ing for constitutional convention in
Cuba. This order, taken in connection
with recent events. shows that the syn
dicates believe the time has arrived
to dispense with the American con
gress. There is too much loud talk
In that body; too many embarrassing
questions are asked; an administration
with secret engagements with the in
ternational gold trust which controls
| England and the continental monar-
chies cannot afford to be bedeviled by
an assemblage which is partly com
posed of bitter opponents of the new
brand of patriotism"
The affairs of Cuba are in the hands,
not of congress, which represents the
American people, but of the president
and the war department. The recent
order provides that there shall be
constitutional convention in Cuba,
which body shall frame and adopt
constitution" and as part of this
instrument. the convention shall "pro-
vide for and agree with the govern
ment of tho United States upon the
relations to exist between that govern
ment and the government of the Unit
ed States"
Thus il will be seen the proposed
constitution for Cuba is TO be framed
and ratified, not by the Cuban peo-
pie. but by the war department of the
United States. Is it to be wondered
at that the intelligent Cubans are be-
ginning 70 believe that the brand OF
independence" which they are to re-
ceive from the war department is a
sham? II Is true that Cuban named
Verona declared that the republican
administration should take charge of
this matter: but when we come to in
quire who Verona is, the explanation
pops out like a rabbit from brush
pile. He is holding office under the
war department; he is secretary of ed
ucation; he is drawing a salary. 1t is
the same old story-wherever you find
carpet-bagger, there you will find his
roommate, the scalawag; one Is the
product of the other.
The whole truth of the matter seems
to be that the republican party is re-
producing and effectively carrying out
in Cuba the lovely system of recon-
struction that 1t attempted TO put in
operation in the south directly after
the war. 1t is succeeding in Cuba for
three reasons-frst, those who were
| fighting for Independence in spite of
the odds against them feel under OBJ
| legations to the people of this coun-
| try: they would have this feeling if
there were no republican organs to call
attention to the fact that they should
be grateful; In the second place. the