Evening star., 1901-03-27
Result OF His Observations on the
Island.
MUST Be FREE FOR AWHILE
Feeling of Business Men on the
Subject.
GEN. WOODS GOOD WORK

was Chairman of the House committee q,
insular affairs in the last Congress ana
undoubtedly win resume that position I'm
the next Congress, has returned from a trim
TO Cuba which he undertook TO investigate
Tor himself the conditions existing I'm the
island. The committee on insular affairs
VIII have Jurisdiction OF legislation I'm the
Rouse relating to Cuba, and Mr. Cooper as
'he prospective chairman, desires to have
personal acquaintance with the situation
In an Interview with a Star reported TO-
oay Mr. Cooper announced his belief that
the prophecies OF trouble and insurrection
In Cuba will prove groundless: that the
Platt amendment will finally be accepted:
that American occupation OF the ,slana
should be continued for awhile, and that
the Cuban republic is Inevitable.
VIII Accept the PIatt Amendment
The Cuban constitutional convention,
WILL / believe, accept the Platt amend
ment," he said 1T is my impression that
the objection to it is quite as much TO the
manner and form of its presentation 70
them as to the substance. was assured,
several times, by those in q position to
know the sentiments of the members OF the
convention, that If a committee OF the con-
Vention had been invited to come to WASH
lngton for the purpose of comforting with
President Mckinley and his cabinet every
thing of Importance in the amendment
might have been secured through negotia-
ton: They declared that the present pro-
ceeding was too abrupt and evinced too
little OF courteous regard to their feelings
However, think that the slight sense OF
Irritation thus aroused is rapidly passing
away. and that in due time the Platt
amendment will be accepted.
while L believe that the Cuban repub-
lie must come the highest welfare of the
island will be subserved by little longer
a ia,aCa ia nd
ministering the various local governments
as well as opportunity for the expiring
embers of passion engendered by the war
to die.
In Cuba. prompt acquiescence in the Will
OF the majority constitutionally expressed.
a written constitution with a court to in
terpret it and whose adjudications must
be accepted as authoritative. are in practice
unknown, although they are vitally essen
tial to the stability of the coming repub-
lie
Il appreciate the Cubans' desire for self
government, but as a sincere friend of that
long-suffering people / would advise them
not to enter upon that great experiment
with too precipitate haste.
Facts of the Situation.
During the eight days i was In Cuba I
endeavored, as far as practicable, to get
at the facts Of the situation, and to that
end visited as many places and met as
many people, in and out of Havana, as
possible. l. went 10 the WHdINtS, 70 sIloIss
cafes, stores and business offices. and con-
versed with merchants, workingmen. fnsur-
ance agents, bankers, lawyers and sugar
planters, with Cubans and Spaniards, men
and women, with United States army off,
GERS with civilians from the United States
residing in the island, and with some OF
the members of the constitutional conven-
tion. The experience was interesting and
instructive.
Il have never seen more quiet COM
munity nor one apparently more peaceful
and law-abiding. During my travels-and
they We're quite constant, day and night
/ did not observe a single instance of even
the slightest drunkenness or disorder. The
people everywhere Were most hospitable
and kind. The Spaniards, L am sure, are
all annexationists. But. unquestionably,
the Cubans, with practical, though not en-
tire unanimity, are for Cuba Libre.'
They have a pride of nationality. a feel
ing that they want to try the experiment
of self-goVernment, and to eStabllSh the
republic of Cuba
This feeling was forcibly expressed to
me one evening by Cuban whom i visited
at his offices, which, by the way. were
handsome, with everything systematfzed
to the last detail. He is highly educated
man, very successful in business, gradu-
ate Of one of the leading universities OF
the United States, an admirer OF our in
stitutions, with sympathies all strongly
pro-American. During our conversation L
said that in my opinion. Cuba would be
vastly more happy and prosperous annexed
to the United States than she could be II
independent.
Want Cuba Free for Awhile.
'He replied that he had. himself, long
the same belief, that he still
entertained it. but he added, I want to
see Cuba free at least for awhile. just to
show the world that we are civilized beings
and not all bandits. insrates, thieves and
scoundrels. generally, as Is alleged by
some of our defamers He then spoke with
much feeling of the indiscriminate abuse
heaped upon the Cubans by certain news
papers and individuals outside of Cuba.
II heard a similar complaint repeated
many times by men who are, at heart, an
nexationists. And this has LED me to
believe that while annexation will come
some day. yet that 1t has been sensibly
delayed by the unwise. contemptuous, an
abuse Of which these Cubans
has interfered with the immediate success
Of the annexation sentiment IL was
brought to my attention In a way quite
unique.
'I was at the house OF a Cuban family,
the mother Of which, as also one of her
sons was educated in the United States.
During the visit 1 remarked that the ad-
of President Mckinley and
felt very kindly toward the
Cubans and that / was sure that the
American officials who had been sent TO
tho island were anxious only to help the
Cuban people The old lady smiled, and
said with gentle suayity: Nicely, Rath-
bone innocent or guilty, there is no de-
nying the injury done American prestige
and Influence, and the cause of annexation
itself by the miserable Neely-Rathboue
episode. Every day heard 1t referred to.
We were in Cuba as the champions of free
dom, to succor the oppressed, and to set
before them a noble example of honest,
civil administration.
Suddenly. to the mind of the average
that means of the great mass
Of the population-we were revealed as
simple grabbers after money. embezzlers,
looters. who, with the Spaniards
opportunity, would do Just what the Span
lard had done. OF course, this generaliza-
ton was too broad, and 1t did very
great injustice, but it was only natural
that it should be made.
However. this feeling is being modified
By the reflection that it was the adminis-
tration itself which caused the arrests and
Is carrying on the prosecution. But the
onG delay is not understood, and IL is not
strange II It be misinterpreted. The dis
covery OF the crime. II any. was made
nearly year ago Nicely has been back
IN Cuba with the other defendants for two
and yet not even a preliminary
n -fx,<xl lae ~