The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-30

mics. the organization OF American schools.
public libraries and American industries.
It may be said without hesitation that
this is the way to reconcile the people oil
Cuba to the prospect OF American rule
and introduce American civilization into
the island With the advent Of specula-
tors. carpet-baggers. and various other
riff-raff which invariably accompanies pro-
gressive government an unfavorablc I'M
preston will be created in the minds o.
many Cubans. and this is not at all Won
derful People can only judge OF a coun-
try. a system of government, or a church
from the representatives with whom they
come in personal contact. Everything
should be done to counteract the unfaYor-
able ideas which the people Of the west
Indies are liable TO get regarding TINS
country. through the passage Of the Porto
Rican Tariff bill II something OF the sort
is not done. American interests in Cuoa
and Porto Rico are liable to suffer for some
years to come.
Aside from the political aspect when
this praiseworthy movement may nave
it will be a good thing for the people OF
Cuba and for the teachers. One oil the
gravest plumbers which American and Eng
lish agents Of civilization have made has
been that Of sending teachers and ms
sionaries to regions with which they were
totally unacquainted. so that they had to
learn the customs of the people. the ian
guage, and the whole political and moral
situation, before they could begin to DO
good work During the education oil the
missionary the native might learn some
thing but he frequently learned it wrong.
II this country is to be regarded as sum
ing light among the nations OF the earth'
if our institutions are worthy OF imitation
by all other peoples, let representatives Oh
these other nations come and assimilate
our ideas, and carry them back TO their
own land. They will know best where
such ideas can be applied TO practical use.
One intelligent, progressive man IKE
WI Ting fang will be worth more to emma
than hundred and fifty English or Amer
lean men, unacquainted with the country
the customs. and the temper OF the people
These Cuban schoolteachers, if they are
favorably impressed with American life
can 90 back to their homes and do twice
as much toward convincing their people
that progress is good thing than the
same number of Americans could do. When
an American goes into a foreign country
to teach the people how much better his
ideas are than theirs there is SAVIOR of
conceit about the performance which the
native is as quick to see as anyone. When
in addition to the attitude into which ne
is forced by his very mission-and which
is slightly ridiculous in itself, especially
when he comes totally uninvited-he adds
lamentable ignorance Of the language in
which he must express his ideas and total
want of tact in dealing with his listeners,
the cause OF American civilization is not
thereby advanced.
On the other hand, when the foreigner
comes to this country, observes our insti-
buttons, sees what material progress has
been made in manufacture, in transporta-
tion systems, in hygiene, and then goes
back to tell his people what he has seen,
he is more likely, in the nature of things,
to be believed and to have influence.