The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-28

It'll Secretary Roots order appointing
kE| May 20 as the day when the government
w of the republic of Cuba assumes con.
troll jurisdiction and authority over the
island the interference of the United States
reaches its last stage.
No conquest in history has a like record II
began four years ago with war. Not until three
years ago were the disturbing conditions of con.
tilct over. The first elections We're only possible
little over year since. Yet the United States
two months hence surenders the island to the
rule Of its people, fulfilling the pledge with which
interference began and which no European OBJ.
server expected would be kept
Kept ii has been, and much more than was
pledged accomplished. Tie United States received
the island after thirty years OF intermittent i'll.
smrection. For three years it had been blazing
flom end TO end. An insurgent force was in the
hcld OF some $4,000 men, strong enough TO re.
qutre Spain 10 send TO the island nearly its
whole army Of lSO,O0O men. The sugar planta.
tions were rlvagcd with fire and the sugar prod
uct had fallen from l,OOOO00 to 10000 tons. All
trade bad similarly shrunkcn. Only the death
rate had grown. Yellow fever was endemic
Each summer it wIs epidemic The deaths we're
year by year three to four times the normal mum.
her. starvation in 1897 and 1898 swept off nearly
Il sixth of the populations, hcrdcd in military
camps whose mortality in many eases LETT dead
every young child. Tho island was without agr-
culture or industry, without security or trade
and the only thriving calling was that OF grave
digscrs and rcnchmakerS who were weekly
hmying more human beings that the war cost in
open fight.
No problem WAS absent from tile work OF
pacidcation. An insmgent army and government,
which had borne mucl feared to lose all ruit
ot three years OF conflict and exposure and thirty
years OF agitation. The cities were divided into
hostile Cuban and Spanish factions. The credit
of planters had gone with their plant A vast
mortgage debt, from three 10 five wears in ar.
rcarS, pressed ON industry and agriculture. The
roads and iunglcs swarmcd with bandits, some
bands of thirty years standing Pcstilence was
in every hamlet and the sanitary condition ii The
cities made every home possible pesthouse.
-Four yeaIs have pissed. The insmgent army
was disbInded without shock or collision. Fair
play and fair treatment satisfied all. The insur-
gent government dissolved. The island enjoys
better order than Tor generation, Yellow fever
has been excluded for the first time in four cen
tmies OF its history The death rate shows Cuba
one OF the most healthy tropical islands Schools
have been opened. Teachers have been trained.
Education has been freed from onerons charges
and is free TO all Credit has been restored.
Sugar plantations are Ic'equippcd and produce
this year GljOOO tons, twothirdS full crop,
All agriculture has revived. Peace exists. Labor
is employed. Every problem presented has been
trilmphantiy solved
The record is without example, No land has
done this land has done. For Our blood and
our treasure IN freeing Cuba we have asked no re,
turn. The island is freed from debt. Its security,
its defense its Independence, its sanitary con
ditiOn and its economical administration are guar
anteed by the United States, AZ the appointed
hour its liherator will commit its destiny into
the hands of the Cuban people, and its prosperity
will continue to be aided by the United States
which freed the island and its inhabitants.