Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-15
Action OF Mass Meetings on the Platt
Amendment.
EFFORTS TO USE WOMAN INFLUENCE
Effect Of the Letters of Gen.
Gomez.
WORK OF POLITI CLAN S


Written for The Evening Star.
Two now factors are at work in seeking
to solve the Cuban situation. One is letter
writing The other is the influence of the
women. The Havana reports give only a
faint idea of this movement.
Some of the most radical of the Cubans
who want to reject the Plat amendment
outright have sought to work up a senti
ment by means of meetings of the women
Up to this time their success has not been
great In Cuba 1t Is customary for the
women to take part in political meetings.
or manifestations they are called Two
years ago, when Maxine Gomez and his
ragged troops were allowed to be reviewed
in the city of Havana. many women took
part in the demonstration They also
formed relief associations which acted
auxiliaries to the societies of veterans of
independence. However. most of these
lief associations have disbanded. as there
little need for their services.
1t is unique part which the Cuban
women are expected to play in having the
Platt amendment rejected, but it is likely
that the radicals will be disappointed.
Though they were violent in their hatred
of the Spaniards. the Cuban women are
antf-American only by spells. For the last
year they have been growing more friendly
in their sentiments Some time ago. when
Colonel Bliss. the collector of customs dis
missed number of employees who belonged
to the best families in Havana, for dshon-
esty, there very bitter feeling and
the American officials were almost oStra-
cised, but this gradually died out and dur
ing the present winter there was universal
good feeling
Influence of Cuban Women.
That the Cuban women exert a
marked influence If they choose to
questions They were the mainstay of
the insurgent juntas all over the island A
few of them actually were in the field.
One of the amusing incidents which fol-
lowed the American occupation was in the
Havana police court, where man and
his wife had been brought for quarreling
and disturbing the peace of their neigh
bors The husband had been captain and
the wife Il sergeant in one of the project
ures, as the Cubans call the districts which
were controlled by them. But In the police
court the rank was reversed I'm the
captain, the woman announced, and the
husband sheepishly promised to keep the
peace and obey orders so as to get off
without being punished.
Desire for Independence.
The sentiment for independence has been
marvelOusly strong among the Cuban
women. but the question is what they con-
slider independence. Captain Sigsbee when
he was in Havana a year or two ago, told
a story to illustrate this sentiment He
may have told it for the benefit of the
short-sighted Americans, who at that time
were urging the Cubans to ask for annexa-
ton on the ground that the United States
could do much better for them than they
could do for themselves No one seriously
doubted this. but it ran counter to the SEN
timentS of the people.
A Cuban woman of social prominence ex-
planned the case for Captain Sigsbee's bene-
fit What would you think she said
of girl for whom her lover had made
all kinds of sacrifices. had suffered every
thing, had lost everything in order to carry
out an ideal for her. If. when the ideal was
achieved. she would reject him for the rich
sutton who offered her comfort and luxury
Cuba has suffered everything for independ-
ence- Now that it is coming. you Amer-
cans want her to reject it for annexation
but she will never do So"
Vague Ideas.
But while this sentiment of Independence
must be respected there is no reason to
think that the Cuban women will not ac-
cept the flag and government of their
own under the protection of the United
States as the ideal which they have sought
They are somewhat vague in their notions
Of public affairs and of the international
relations of the two countries One promi-
nent woman who is the head of an instftu-
ton of learning in Havana and who has
EumberlesS university degrees has been
quite active in the political movements.
In discussing the work of the constitu-
tlOnal convention she explained the Mon
Toe doctrine, she understood it. which
was that Cuba. because of geography. and
any European nation colonize the United
states without protesting. There are some
men whose notions of the Monroe doctrine
have been almost as vague. but recently
a better understanding of the subject has
prevailed.
Gomez Expresses His Views in Letters
The letter writing feature of the situa-
tion Is commented on because Gen Max
1mo Gomez has has been writing letters to
unnamed friends in Santo Domingo voic-
ing doubts of the American policy as con-
tained in the Plat amendment This is a
favorite method of the old chief in getting
his views before the public While he talks
very well. and always to the point ne
breads the interview. Some of the things
he says in his talk appear harsh in cold
print. and, in spite of his bitterness to-
ward individuals. he does not like to have
ms nasty utterances recorded in this way
W men he sits down to write letter of
confidential character, which he knows
will find its way into print, he is more
careful.
During the insurrectfon he sometimes
wrote letters which fell into the hands of
the Spanish commanders. and these COM
manders Were long time in finding out
that TINS mad been the purpose. Where he
had trustworthy agents he would also
write letters and transmit them unsealed
In order that they might be read by the
Cubans through whose hands they passed
mat he has taken up his pen again and is
writing to his friends in Santo Domingo Ia
pretty good evidence that he desires to be
in touch with Cuban public sentiment Dur
ing the sessions of the constitutional con-
yention, when his enemies made the most
determined effort to render him ineligible
for the presidency because of his foreign
birth his friends could not induce him to
write a line.
One day American who is a hero wor-
shipper took an interpreter and went to call
on Gen Gomez in the modest house In
which he lives. The American, after ex-
pressing his admiration, began to deplore
n
ton. which at that time seemed likely to
adopt the provision rendering him ineli-
gfble- Il have nothing to do with that
convention he said, sharply, and closed
the interview. He not only refused to
write the letter which his friends who be-
lieve he is in earnest in his decision not to
accept office I'm the Cuban republic wanted
but he spoiled their plans for dramatic
scene In the convention, in which he was
to appear and formally declare his posi-
tion. He has little sympathy with these
llsnlaNS Gen Gomez writes