New-York tribune., 1901-03-31
PROGRESS IN CUBA.
WHAT A VISITOR TO THE ISLAND I.EARHr6
ABOUT AMERICAN OCCUPATION

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: / left New-York City on February Q in co-,
pany with my daughter the steamship Curftyho
for Matanzas. We landed there on February II
Business. connected with the death of NV son
Major Cartwright. who died at Quesnado last fan
and who had purchased property near the civ, hon,
me there for over two weeks, about a week at
Havana and few days at Quemados. leaving for
home on the transport Mcclellan. on March 70
While In the island l came in contact with Span-
iards, Cubans and United States Army oairors
soldiers and civilians
/ met many Of the business men, and in privata
conversation they expressed their views freely the
substance OF which was as follows: That nv rea
son Of the Foraker and Teller resolutions tho
Cubans were worse off than the Porto tticans and
Hawaiians; that If those resolutions had never
been passed they would have been anneved
TO the United States; that present they were
In an anomalous position. and feared II the pro-
lection OF the United States was withdrawn that
their condition would go from bad to worse They
wanted some definite policy. and after Congress
passed the Platt resolution they felt relieved. The
business men In the cities the taxpayers and
planters In the country tinid I'm expressinf,
their views in public. and for a very good reason.
heretofore they have been fearful that the nro
lection OF our government would be withdrawn and
then If any one had publicly announced his prIvata
views he would be marked and prosecuted All be-
leved that after the first effervescence over TN,
action of Congress had passed the sober second
thought of the Cubans would be to acquesce and
that the convention would eventually do So Can
tal is timid there is plenty waiting to be in
vested in Cuba when they sure of a stable
economical government, and that surety is in the
continued protection OF our government
think 40 per cent of the Cuban population are
illiterate OF course, with universal suffrage and
designing to lead this mob it Is plain to seq
where the taxpayer and capitalist would he rba
remedy for this should be impartial suffrage-edu-
cation. not color. should be the test every male
citizen twenty-one years old who could read and
write the Spanish or the English language should
me me midl,ary government OF Cuba has been n
grand success, and the present administration of
taTy ana partly CIVIL Is lust the thing for the
Cubans. General Woods administration is spoken
duous task. but he has been equal to the occasion
The United States army and its officers in Cuba
true American who visits Cuba. I came in contact
Our officers are Intelligent kind courteous and
honest; of their bravery we all know-they have
never faltered where duty has called them, whether
II has been 10 face bullets disease as the deat
roll will furnish answer.
wish to say in behalf of the native Cuban and the
in the sanay e con6G 6 the 3 Inn
cities is most remarkable They will compare ia
States. They may in the future have TO
quarantine e, against US MatanzaS s for instance
under our rule 1t diminished sxty-eight in April
population of from forty thousand to fifty thou
sand. In havana this winter the death rate has
cities and where work has been done on roads n
in the country need only to be mentioned. We
complete system of electric railroads
of the United States instead d' Of Being menaes a1as
TO iree ri rniSu,GIions is really sure g9arantee
they will praise its administration: the army has
ity and always win unless it greatly deteriorafee
will give the production OF one sugar plantation
pounds each; 1900 1900 bags Of $50 pounds each
this year 5000 bags Before the insurrection this
coming back On this plantation there are seventy