Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-06-07
CUBA AND THE CUBANs.
Interesting Impressions of Mr.. A. B.
williams.

Interesting Impressions of Mr.. A. B.
williams.
Mr.. A. B. Williams, formerly Of the
Greenville News, now Of the Richmond
News, attended the ceremonies In con-
nection with the delivery Of the gov
ernment Of Cuba to the Cubans. Some
of his observations were as follows:
The people Of Cuba are as cold as
snow toward President Palma. They
know he is not their choice and is the
choice Of the United States authorities.
Bear in mind that the majority Of the
voters are Negroes-and a very poor
class of Negroes at that. They have
been trained to tyranny on one side and
turbulence on the other.
Of course, the color question re-
mains. 1t Is not serious so far as the
Cubans themselves are concerned. The
lower classes of Cubans intermarry and
associate freely with the Negroes.
The upper classes have a line some
where, although it Is difficult for
stranger to catch. Negroes are served
in the best cafes and hotels, and I am
told, attend all the large functions, es-
pecially those of an official character;
but they do not seem to visit or asso-
ciate intimately with the Cubans Of
those classes, or to marry among them.
In politics, however, a Negro admin
istration would be an anti-American
administration to begin with; and the
American, English and Germans, GER
tainly and probably the French, would
shun a country so governed.
I went to learn the real feeling and
general condition Of the Cuban people,
and believe did /. even In four days.
A newspaper man Is trained to compre-
bend situations from surface and gen.
eral Indications, and in this case the
indications are so entirely one way that
do not believe can be mistaken. My
conclusions are:
That the mass of the Cuban people
hate the government and people OF
these United States with deep and bit
ter hatred.
That they have not one spark OF
gratitude to either.
That they regard their new govern
ment with suspicion as merely the rep
resentative Of American government
and ideas. and will watch Its every
act with keenly suspicious eyes.
That this feeling Of distrust Is so
strong that 1t dampens almost to death
the natural elation Of new-found lib
erty.
That the new government Is con-
fronted with many serious natural and
unavoidable difficulties and that these
will be complicated by the violence of
factional and party opposition.
That business interests are Distress
ed. disturbed and doubtful.
That the leading politicians and the
new government are at sea together.
Not being an able journalist nor a
leading statesman, I am not In the
prophesying business, but II the Re-
publica de Cuba gets along six months
without a big internal row or foreign
complications, or both. I shall be sur
prised.
If the new outfit pulls through four
years intact it will have chance to
amount to something. There Is a glor-
ious soil to begin with, lots Of 1t un-
developed, and millions and millions OF
dollars Of timber and minerals not yet
touched. With a decent government
and an energetic population this would
be a paradise and the source Of wealth
beyond human power Of calculation or
expression In figures. Almost any five
acres Of 1t would make an Industrious
family comfortable. If the Spaniards
continue to pour in as they have done
in the last two years, and become citi-
zens they will help wonderfully to de-
velop the land, but they will not do
much to regulate politics. In four
years the influence Of the public schonls
may begin to be felt. I noticed that
the only one Of the several professions
dUOul VII lhC SOei SheAI SelA ASo
United States flag was the Society
of Santa Teresa, composed Of children
of school age. Attendance on the
schools is required by law and they are
taught by bright young men and wo-
men Of advanced ideas, and course In
English is part Of the method.
1 do not believe the Cubans ever will
voluntarily vote to be annexed to this
country. The business and thinking
people would like to be annexed today,
but the Negro and low class majority
would oppose it violently. If the coun-
try ever acquires sufficient intelligence
and ambition to ask annexation by
majority vote honestly counted, 1t will
have intelligence and ambition enough
to be self governing.
- s&
For BRITISH GoLD.-The Boston Her.
aid prints an interview with President
Kruger. in which he says: why can
not the greatest republic on earth at
=