The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-01
CIVIL WAR IN CUBA
Such is the Prediction of
William J. Bryan
But They Are Capable of Self. Government and
that Best for All viii Ultimately
Prevail.
(Prophesied by Bryan. J

Washington, May 31.-'T predict that
Cuba will be the scene of Civil War, that
internal strife growing out OF dissen-
sion among the political leaders will tenn
porarily paralyze the Industries of the is
land"
Such is the opinion formed by William
Jennings Bryan as the result of his trip
to Cuba as the special correspondent OF
Golfers Weekly.
In his article in Golfers Weekly oe
June ., Mr.. Bryan will say:
'"rhat the people of Cuba are capable
of self government is not a question open
for dispute. Henry Clay declared, in his
defence of the independence of the South
American Republics, that God never made
a people incapable of self government
that it was the doctrine of thrones and
q reflection on Jehovah to say that He
created people incapable of self govern
ment and left them to the government of
kings and emperors. Clay's logic is
sound.
Capacity for government is not thing
to be acquired or to be bestowed; it is
inherent in the people AS individuals
differ in wisdom, in self-restraint and III
moral character, so nations differ, but
it can not be said that any nation has
reached perfection in the science of gov
eminent or in the art of administration;
neither can it be said that any nation is
so low down in the scale of civilization
that it needs foreign mastery
when Jefferson was invited to suggest
laws for a French colony which located
in the United States early in the nine
teenth century, he declined, and gave as
his reason that laws were the outgrowth
OF the history and habits of the people
and that no alien could be sufficiently in
formed about or sufficiently in sympathy
with, a people to make their laws for
them. elf-government is in itself a
developing process and growth in ca
pacity comes with the exercise of hui
man rights under self government.
But one who visits Cuba and becomes
acquainted with the people need not rest
the case upon abstract principles. for he
is convinced by observation that the
Cuhans not only have the right to govern
themselves but also have the ability to do
so. That they will make mistakes is GER
tain, but have we not made mistakes il
the United States?
THAT they may sometimes resort to
violence instead of reason is possible,
but have we not done so IN the United
States9 1t is even possible that the is
land may occasionally be the scene Of
civil war. but have we not had civil
war in the United States? The child will
stumble and fall in it's effort to walk, but
is there any other means by which it
can learn to walk?
Cuban independence will not give the
people a government free from fault, but
It will give them government as good
as they deserve to haye-a government
that will improve as the people them
selves make progress in virtue and intel
ligence.
Free gvernment does not mean that
each citizen will have just such a gov
eminent as he wants; it simply means
that the people will have such a govern
ment as the majority desire. and that
each individual can present his views 10
his fellows with the confidence that what
ever is best for all will ultimately pre-
vail