The sun., 1901-04-10
Ct'BA.
The Feeling Of the People on the Piatt Amend
ment, q, Dia Rnosed by a Cuban.

you some information which you may prob
ably desire regarding Cuban AFFAIRS. Your
valued journal Is known throughout CUBA
as a good friend of the Cuban people. 1t IL
also known that your interest In our future
welfare is honest and sincere. and although
We are charged with ungratefulness, we
assure you that the real character ana teel-
ings Of the Cuban people are outraged by
an imputation Of this sort
will not take up your time with state
ment OF the work done by the Cuban con-
stitutional Convention, rs the Constitution
which has been adopted must already be
well known in the States. but as the ATTITUDE
Of the Cuban people is much misnnder-
stood and has been so frequently msrcpre-
sented by a part Of the American press,
take pleasure In explaining To you. as we
see It here. the cause Of the excitement ana
misinterpretation of our position.
Indeed, the manner In which the Piatt
amendment was presented and enacted
into law was a matter Of general surprise
and even OF alarm TO the Cuban people
Every one here hoped that ms soon aS our
Constitution should be completed and SUD
mitted to the American Government 'he
Cuban Republic would bn nt once es'ab-
lished according to the Joint resolution oil.
the 18th of April 1898, and with the pro-
visions OF the Treaty Of Paris. Naturally
after that the first act Of the new government
would have been the negotiation or an inter-
national treaty between the United states
and Cuba. both of which would be acting
In their sovereign capacity. and 50 far as we
can now see that action would most probably
have been in accordance with the wishes OF
the great American Republic, as manifested
in the Platt amendment In this manner "
would have been compact firmly based on
the free will of both contracting parties.
The Plat amendment, IN fnCe OF the
recent declaration of the Supreme Court
OF the United States that G. Cuba was "a Tor
eign country" has therefore been considered
by US "a an imposition, or trick OF imperial
Ism. something like an ultlmatum imposed
upon a weak country which could not con-
slider that II 1t was really nm independent
State IL would be subject 10 the laws OF the
United States or that those laws could have
the same character for us, foreign nation
as they have for the country enactlng them
Inasmuch, however. as cuba Is not yet In
control OF its sovereign rights every one
here believes we are not able to contract any
treaty Again, all discussion of the subject
seems to be forbidden to cuba, as This country
under the Platt amen .moni. mas no "lhet
duty than that Of suhmltilnV even agalh~l
It's will, 10 the command Of the United states
When 1t j. considered that Cuba country
OF one and half million inhabitants, j. 70 pc
compelled without appca! 70 submit to IN"
will 0f "A Christian paoplc Of seventy million,
some understanding may be had or our tr"i-
ingS Looked al IN thlS way, the Platt amend
nlent seemed 90 be an attempt To override
our indepcndcnCe II is looked upon as an
offence inflicted on cuban honor aud as "A
manifest reputation of former promises, W
violation Of Justice and of your duties under
the Constitution. In spite OF all MS. 'hlnk
| am safe in saving without reference TO the
merits OF the Platt amendment, everybody
here would have been disposed, II LEFT free
10 act in accord nce With h- own conviction,
10 ncos't the lrovi,i0n' o' the amen ,in"nt.
in order to give periect PROOF 9l our gratitude
struggle for liberty. but 40 far "a !know there
T. no ono here who * voluntarily willing TO
accept whnt appears To be an imposition by
force md is looked upon a~ a wound IN
nic,rd upon our sentiments, or as menace TO
our rights ~ free peop" IN short the
Cuhan- waItrd TO have the night - comply
with yolr wishes and Interests by th"lr 'wn
free actions without losing We npnortumty
of showing 10 the world that they know how
w he grateful and lu-t So The Plntt amen i
mcnt NAV be considered A. cold water thrown
on thchot iron of Cuban ointment
II Should n { y crcf0rr be on~idcred strange
That 20 much di-trust preVailet from TIE adop,
faith Of your, ADMINISTRATION, or A. 70 il, pnr-
pose Of fulfilling the promises 80 often made
To- the Cuban people We nnd some COM
pensntion however, in H." full conf
en"c which po maintain in tho .sympQthlcs
and good wishes Of thc people of the nited
States We feel sure they viii not ah ndon
This young country ~ an unfortunate des-
tinv. ,ondomning II, after such long struggle
for lihcrty. either 70 an awf,Il misery. or 20
rerprtuu -uh'ugation against H. VIII odd
tlco '1"' and liberty TO II" Feeble coHntrles, Of
America, and we have an abiding t'lth that
1incoln's words. Justice Tor az malice Tor
none" will not he an empty declaration in
II I, frequently asked here how can il be
possible that the nation whl'h as an EnG,i-h
colonr considered the linpo~iti n of law
which was nor voted by it. people aS a sufi-
cicnt cause 10 defend IL rights agqtnst its
mother country should now think II right 20
a. If il had been voted by the CuhnnS. or with |
their consent Is not any agreement be- |
tween separate countries hllutera trans |
action for tho negotiation OF which ind =
nendCnCn IA necessary? Tn" Cuban- are |
Jealous " their liberty, which has been won |
nj the cost NJ so much blood and ruin, and |
II j. the want Of tact and knowledge Of the |
Cuban charaCteusNcs winch has been the |
cause Of 50 much ml,undersi anding hetwee |
tho Cuhans and the representatives Of rho |
United State, II IS the opportunity ~ the |
whenever Just request Is made Of il. but |
when the weaker i compelled 20 accept !
terms which are diSagrecahlc, such as are |
now imposed upon cuba, It must bow IL, |
head In obedience but II Is not natural 10 |
expect that this Sho Id be done without !
protest
The Platt amendment will Of course he COM
piled with hv W. but Il our views and Ohssr-
yn'iou- are not ~ be heard by the American |
Administrator. a feeling uf natural disgust |
If not If auiagonism in the whole of Cuba |
will bo tho consequence II j. q pItv that the |
natural way Of adjusting the relations he !
tween MS has not been adout"d from the fret
Do not he deceived hy iho-" who suggest !
the danger uf cuban revolt for there is !
nothing go fear In that our people have |
more common -cnse than they havr gener-
nllv been credited W'h in foreign cuup,ric.
We are tired of war. and have been ruined |
hv its devastation We know too much ~
hs horrors 10 commit suicide hy marching
ngain into II 10 on" here has ANY other
wish than 20 employ hi, strength and ra-
sources in the future dcvcl' umcnt ~ the
country. md such welfare, V" know. Is hascd
only IN peace, on The credit which We NAV
secure bv oar good Scn-" and hv he qppli-
cation ~ powerful and CONSTANT devotion
20 labor md industry You NAV depend on
II that IN" tim" ui patriotic scn'imontalism
haS passed away
you must not think that what have vritten
above arc 1ltoRcthar my ow n private opinions
They are n ncarlv n, | can give IL a true
picture of tho general frolnC m cuba
NATtS2As. cuba Narch27
MODERN OID NtIDS.