Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-09-24
OUTLOOK IN CUBA.
Government Has Great Problem to
Prevent Revolution.

ne new COHSTSSS dl l1dNdiid hos W.
ted several new measures; but they
are chiefly concerned with their own
salaries. About 80 men compose the
senate and house of representatives.
They have voted yearly pay to each
of $4,000! Already the factions are le-
gion-the Republicans, the Revolution
lists, the ex-Autonomists, the Palma
lists. the Masoists ad nauseum. Talk
Is rife about impeaching Palma. 1t Is
said he has gone against the constitu-
tion, he is too pro- American, he is this,
that and the other, while. If truth were
told, Estrada Palma is the only wise
and honest statesman in the Cuban
government today.
President Palma Is trying to be the
peace-maker. He has summoned to his
cabinet men Of all the leading factions.
He has tried to please everybody and
fear that he has pleased nobody. How
could oil and water -chicanery and
inf1exible honesty? If they could, then
might Palma please that conglomera-
tion Of worthless. cheating, self-seek-
ing politicians called the Cuban con-
gress. As it is in Venezuela, so 1t Is in
Cuba-nobody is loyal to the govern
ment because every one knows that
the government Is only an organized
banditti. The police force and the SOL
diery Of the new Cuban regime are
fine looking fellows. more eXpensively
uniformed than Americans-rich leath-
er leggins elegantly carved machete-
like swords, and, learning quickly the
sinister ways Of Spain-following lines
Of least resistance.
There Is a good deal Of anti-American
feeling here. Ignorant populations re-
semble cultivated communities in one
thing-ingratitude. They hat the Platt
amendment, they think we have not
done enough, given enough. shed blood
Of our brothers enough for Cuba. They
confidently expect reciprocity whether
it benefits America or not. They over
charge Americans. In fact, we are the
should not say this Of all the Cubans.
Many of them are good men and cher
ish only sentiments Of gratitude and
honor. No man in any government
could be more upright and stainless
than Tomas Estrada Palma, the presi-
dent of the Cuban republic.
took lunch with the president in the
old palace of Havana, where Weyler
and Blanco, Wood and Brooke have fol-
lowed each other in the past five event.
full years, Palma impressed me as a
splendid, intelligent, far-seeing, up
right statesman. He has lived in Amer
lea so long that he has true apprecia-
tion Of American feelings and Ameri-
can rights. He feels that after the
Platt amendment we are in a way
pledged to help Cuba in all friendly
ways, to build up her shattered reve-
nues and construct her government on
a strong, self-supporting basis. ] ask
the following verbatim opinion:
II am very confident in the sense of
justice of the American people. / am
sure that in the relations between Cuba
and the United States the people
and government of the United States
will always act with perfect good
faith. We all in Cuba feel sure
that there is no intention (as some
thoughtless people have said) by the
United States of any sinister de-
sign to force Cuba into annexa-
ton. On the contrary, l am sure that
the United States is willing to help the
Cubans to form a permanent and sta
BILE government of their own. More
over, the Cubans as nation have
most high regard and deep gratitude
toward America as our liberator and
guide to free government and this feel
ing we cherish, not only for the heroic
war we waged for our freedom, but for
the splendid help you gave us to lay
the basis of wise and lasting govern
ment during the four years Of Ameri-
can occupation in Cuba. do not think
that any Cuban is more beloved by our