The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-07
Congressman Slayden Says They
Are Not Satisfied With Quail
flied Sovereignty.
WANT COMPLETE AUTONOMY.
Willing to Concede Anything in
the Way of Trade Treaties,
but Expect Promises to
Be Made Good.
The Republic Bureau.

18th st. and Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, April 6.-Representative
James L. Slayden OF San Antonio, Tex. has
Just returned from q dfteen-days' tour of
the Island Of Cuba Mr.. Slayden speaks
Spanish fluently and made a diligent effort
by interviewing the Cubans themselves to
ascertain what relations they desire to hold
with the American people. Mr.. Slaydel
| said:
Il spent twelve days on the island and
devoted myself exclusively and diligently. l
think. to an effort to find out the state Of
| mind Of the Cubans as to the Plat amend
ment. I tried to avoid the mistake so many
Of my countrymen have fallen into OF
getting my information from Americans or
Cubans who are profiting by the inteEven-
ton and by the American military occupa-
ton of Cuba. The larger the army, the more
commissions to distribute and the more
eventful its career. the more rapid the pro-
motion, and American military officers
would not be human il they were not in
iuenc6d by such conditions. The same gen
eral IH applies with equal force TO the Of
ficials Of the civil government In Cuba
Men who held humber rank or lived up
Oil smaller pay before the American inter-
yention cannot be made to see that the
military occupation should be brought TO a
close. Therefore, with all due respect to
that class, l cared nothing for their opin-
ions.
average AILlC IlOslC IL y
the average American than the members Of
Congress who went 10 cub after the adj
jou~rnment-fnds 1t hard to Eet 1t the real
situation in Cuba. He does not speak the
Spanish language. His mission to the island
Is not entirely to studv public questions.
He is also a tourist and sightseer.
there 9ui are nh hta aWn e sas nrs1 psa'i Th nee m sseT
him courteSieS. They pilos him about the
cities and tell him how incompetent the Gu
bans are and what a blessing the American
npp1nnfinn 10 II Urn.rl1 apya nc nall f1r
him to stay at home and read official re-
ports; but after two or three day. in the
island under such circumstances. they have
the social and political conditions.
They speak in gross ignorance and mere
ly. reflect the views Of interested officers.
the Plat amendment saw very few Gu
bans who want annexation. Those who
do are the emnant of the old autonomist
tinue the control Of Spain, provided slight
concessions in the way Of self-government
were granted the Cubans. They wanted
alton or a protectorate now because they |
and to secure the free admission Of their |
su aThes snS believe iHDsef hat IT, G Il the mal islsnd is an !
nexed Cuba will soon become a State Of the
American Union. and that they will en- |
5sS all A 11 1hs so@ %ei,isens. %itnoas this IS
hope before them they will not be annex |
"The Cubans are an Intelligent. courte- ,
Gus people and desire nothing more than
close social and business relations with |
our country.
1.-THE. will concede almost anything that |
ma: be demanded in trade treat.ex. Thew |
what they say w:s promised them in |
the Teller resolution. absolute independ-
ence, not the hating. qualified sovereignty
of the Plat amendment. They repeatedly
said to me: II the Government Of the !
States is determined to do this
great wrong. We must submit. We cannot |
resist, Of course, so great and so wealthy
a nation. but 1t Is not what we had ex-
pected from the North American Republic |
Constitution and laws We are trying
to copy /
The effect of the Plat amendment has
nave for our people. II It was In
tended as an effort to promote the course
of friendly annexation, the card was not
we'll played" |