The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-14
cUBANs MUST GET TOGETHER.


CUBANs MUST GET TOGETHER.
Leading Cubans are beginning TO
! realize that it is not going to be an
easy matter to elect a President who
viii have a majority party behind him.
! There are several parties and many
factions in the island and from pres
emf indications it is going TO be a diff
hcult task to get enough of the fac
tions together to make a majority
party.
According TO our dispatches yester-
day Cen. Gomez has been planning to
have Senior T. Estrada Palma elect
ed President and Senior Maso, vice
president. 1t seems. however. that
Maso has views of his own as TO who
is the best man for President. He is
of the opinion that he ought to be
President, and that he can get that Of
fee with the help of the black vote.
1t looks therefore as If the race ques-
ton were going to figure in the politics
of the island at the very beginning of
the national life of the republic. Such
a condition of affairs is greatly to ne
regretted. 1t would be better for Cuba
If the race question were eliminated
from politics. II IL is brought forward
at the very foundation of the govern
ment the probabilities are that its i'm
portance Will become greater as the
republic becomes older, until at last
it will be the leading one-that is,
there will be a struggle of the white
and black races for the control of the
island.
1t is believed by those who are well
informed respecting the Cuban popu
lation that the negro element is far
greater in the island that it is shown
to be by the census. In the census
taken by the United States blank forms
were distributed, and people were free
to say whether they were white or
black. 1t is alleged, we do not know
now how truthfully, that thousands,
probably tens of thousands, of mulat-
toes put themselves down as white.
Assuming that this statement is cor
rect, it would not be surprising If the
oolored. and would admit itself to be
so If the black race should succeed in
getting possession of the island.
Senior Palma does not seem to be
anxious to be the first president of the
republic. No doubt he would gladly
accept the Office If he were assured
of a support that would enable him
to carry out policy for the govern
ment of the island. Without such as
surance, however, it is doubtful If he
would be willing to accept the office.
In fact, it is the understanding that
he would not. He believes that he
would have practically no power If he
did not have a majority back of him
in the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives.
AS yet, there are no indications that
the man who will be chosen President
will have the support of a party that
will be able to have such legislation
enacted as will seem to him to be best
for the people. According to statements
which have appeared in leading Cuban
newspapers Senior Palma has gone over
the political situation very thoroughly,
and while he would like to be the re-
public's first President, and some of
the ablest and best men of the island
would like to have him fill that posi-
ton, it seems to be pretty certain that
before the people as a presidential can
didate unless given assurances that a
majority of the members of the House
and Senate will be in sympathy with
his political views. There are lively
times in store for Cuba. A heated po-
litical campaign will be almost as ex-
citing as was the war with Spain.