The Monticellonian., 1901-04-19

from this city for New York, was in Cuba for ten days studying the pos litical situation. He visited four of the six provinces of the island. talked with Cubans of all classes in their own tongue, and followed closely cur rent opinion as expressed in the Cu= ban newspapers, of which he was an indefatigahle reader. President Shur- man, in an interview, said:
 The PIntt Amendment.
 The people of Cuba are less ex- cited over the menace to Cuban sov- ereignty supposed to be contained in the Platt amendment than are the politicians of Havana. Indeed, busi- ness men and owners Of property uni versally favor an immediate accept anee of the amendment, though many told me they did not dare state so publicly.
 Paralyzing Uncertainty.
 "The present political uncertainty is paralyzing to the movements of capital, which are indispensable for the recovery of the prosperity of the island. So, too. q majority of the educated men of the country recog- nize the necessity, from the Cuban point of view, of the protection and security guaranteed by the Platt amendment. The opposition comes from the poorest and most ignorant section of the community, although how far they have views of their own and how far they are influenced by wirepulling politicians it is very diff ticult to determine.
 Only Know Whes They are Told.
 T have talked with both white and colored men-and one-third of the 1 population of Cuba is colored. Many of these have no ideas whatever on the subject. On the other hand 1 have been surprised by the earnest ness with which beth white and col ored-eolored perhaps more than white-have acclaimed to me against l the amendment as q menace to their l liberties and insidious scheme for re- dueing them to colonial dependence as l oppressive as that from which the war with Spain delivered them.
 Measure that Has No Existence.
 "Of course, the knowledge of these people is il-proportioned to their zeal. The measure they oppose has no existence, but such is their Idea of the amendment, and such their at 1 titude toward the product of their own imagination. Nor can you argue them out of this state of mind the less so as they represent the class that fought bothinsurrections against Spain for the independence of Cuba Nothing but the fact of a self-gov- erning Cuba will convince these people that their liberties are not in danger. There is the rub.
 Our Military Government.
 Our military government has pre- served order, established sanitation, built public works, opened schools and contributed to the restoration of property, but, like every other mili- tary government, it is incapable of generating confidence, sympathy and affection between rulers and people.
 The Great Desideratum.
 The great desideratum in Cuba is the immediate substitution of civil government of Cuhans, for Cubans, by Cubans. for the military government of the United States. But such a gov ernment will have no chance of sue cess, at home or abroad, without the l guarantees carried in the Platt amendment, which I am fully per suated, is desired in its essential con tents by a majority of the people of Cuba.
 The Present ProbIem.
 ''The problem, therefore, is to get the convention to accept it. I do not for moment question the ability and patriotism of the delegates, but | be- lieve they are too much animated by the irreconeilable spirit of the revolu- tion against Spain, in which many of them were participants, but of which the country is tired, knowing that the danger of tyranny, thanks to the United States, has now passed away forever.
 United States Must stand Firm.
 "The United States must insist on acceptance of the Platt amendment. Opposition of the Cuban delegates must be overcome. 1 believe both ends can be attained by a confer | ence between a committee of the con vention and President Mckinley. The Cubans will then state their desires to the highest authority in the repub- lie and the very opportunity to do so will predispose them to be concilia- tory, and the tact and diplomacy of the president. combined with the self interest of the Cuban delegates, will discover way, either by defining the conditions of intervention, or aban- doning the Isle of Pines, or specify ing the number of coaling stations, or by some other formal concession. to reach an adjustment which will save the face of the delegates and en- able them to return to their political parties bringing peace with honor.
 At the same time the firmness of the president may be equally trusted to maintain the substance of an act of congress, the terms of which he is required to substantially enforce.