Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-05
People Watch It's Coming
With Tranquility.
NEW PRESIDENTS TASK
WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY IN Sc
LETTING HIS CABINET.
Many Applicants for Ofice-Establish-
ment Of Foreign Relations-News-
paper Discussions.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

paper Discussions.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
HAVANA, April 2, 1902.
The republic comes. Cuban people watch
the coming TRANQUILITY. 1t is all like stage
for them with two sets of players. They
see the going of the Americans at the same
time that their own government prepares
to take over what Secretary Root calls a
going concern"
If it were not for the industrial depression
the going concern" would be able to go
right ahead and the experiment of Cuban
independence would be tried with every
means of encouragement Possibly Con-
gress will meet this difficulty in the right
spirit, and then all will be well.
In the week that has passed since the an
nouncement of policy was made from
Washington it has been possible to judge
the effect of the steps that are to be taken.
No one now doubts that President Roose-
Welt has made master stroke. The with
drawal of the American troops could have
been done gradually and without friction.
That was what the Cuban public was look
ing forward to, for it did not see how in a
single day. as 1t were, the whole process
could be accomplished. But when the Of
military Intervention was to end completely
on given date and the presence of the
American soldiers was not to be continued
except in the limited cases of the artillery,
people began to talk about the meaning Of
all this
Gen. Woods Trouble.
For a few days after he got back Gen.
Wood barely had time for anything except
to answer questions. Now he has it all I'M
derstood. Everything is clear. There is to
be no divided responsibility. The artillery
men who stay will stay as foreign troops
in friendly territory. Cuba is to be in the
hands of the Cubans. The working of the
Platt amendment and the treaty which
must be arranged by the Cuban congress
and President Palma with the United
States do not change this condition. The
responsibility for the administration Of the
island is shifted entirely to it's own people.
This comes to some of them with bewilder-
ing force. They were not quite ready to
believe it. Now they must
Not even the sanitary service Is to remain
under United States control The ever sus-
picious Cuban sees something wrong in
this You Americans are shrewd." he
says THE yellow fever may come back
Then you will say that We are not COM
petent to manage our own affairs though
you know this mosquito theory is only
an experiment"
Perhaps the yellow fever will come back,
but the medical authorities are so = sure
they have established conclusively the
mosquito theory that they say the fever
need not come back II the Cubans keep up
the standard Of sanitation that has been set
for them, and that they need not worry
about having this disease made the means
Of discrediting Cuban capacity for self gov
eminent.
To Establish Foreign Relations.
In no branch OF the future republic is the
meaning OF the coming change SO clear as
in the foreign relations that Cuba will have
to establish. This is one branch in which
there is not much Of going concern to
take over, because In the nature of the mil
itary occupation there could not be a de-
partment of foreign relations In General
Woods cabinet there has been a secretary
OF state and government, but the duties Of
this place have related chiefly to internal
administration and have been like those
performed by similar officials in the states
of the American Union. The dealings
which the foreign consus had with this
department were through the military au-
thority.
| The foreign consuls, who have been CROP
ing for their status. are relieved by the &C
| ton taken in Washington. 1t has to be
said that there have been more sneers and
snarls and shrugs Of shoulders among the
| foreign colony in Cuba when the Dolicy nj
| the United States was discussed than
| among any other classes. hey did not
! think the United States would keep faith
| for they knew that their own countries
would not. In the discussion OF their
| status they used to give plausible reasons
why they never would be called on to pre-
| sent credentials to Cuban government
| But the consuls now are in the same cate
CORY with the Spanish residents the Cuban
radicals and the American promoters who
kept saying that Cuba never would have
her own government. All of them are dis.
credited prophets and some are disappoint ed
Jeremiahs or Cassandras. as the case may
be.
| On the part of the foreign representatives
| there is a quick shifting about. The official
! statement that the United States will an.
point a minister and consuls relieves them
| of all uncertainty. So far as they are con.
| cerned the Platt amendment has no saving
| effect. The Independent republic of Cuba
| will be an entity. 1t will be a complete
| change from the old Spanish regime. wher
the leading countries had consul generals
| but no ministers, because Spain could moi
! have foreign ministers in her colonies The
| consul generals mad to discharge semi-dip-
| lomatic functions and their status otter
| caused irritation but there was no remed,
for it.
| 1t is not thought that many countries will
| be in hurry to accredit ministers to Cuba
| though some OF the islands Latin-Americar
| neighbors are ready to do so. The Euro
pean nations in the beginning, at least, will
! be content with consular officers. Presum.
| ably the initiative for the appointment OF
| ministers will come from the Cuban repub
| lie, and President-elect Palma has already
limited that. except In the case of the min
| lister to Washington. his government will
| not be In hurry to establish diplomatic
| representation abroad. Before much OF
that is done. If at all. it will be necessary
| for the Cuban department Of foreign rela.
tions to be thoroughly organized and to be-
| come familiar with the functions Of a state
/ department.
| Applicants for Office.
| 1t Is likely to prove true that good many
Cubans have their eyes on places in the
diplomatic and consular service. When the
| Cuban constitutional convention was ir
| session and the Platt amendment had no,
terminated, a report was spread that the
! United States meant to take cha OF
! Cuba's foreign relations, and that it d
not be necessary for the island to ma.u... IN
| a diplomatic or consular service This
would have been such a complete denial OF
| sovereignty that no Cuban convention
| ever would have accepted it. The sugges
ton caused much bitterness, but in this
bitterness was mingled a personal element
| of resentment from those who were think
| ing ahead for themselves and wanted to BIZ
dignified as ministers and consuls This is
! genteel kind Of public service which an