The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-20
THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA.

To-day Cuba becomes an independent re-
public. with a President and Congress Of
its own choice. The first land looked up
on by a white man on this hemisphere.
Cuba is the last to have an independent
government selected by those who are Gu
bans, either by birth or the process of nat
uralization. For hundreds of years Cuba
has been the victim Of misrule for the adj
vantage Of a government which had no
intelligent desire to encourage a rule on
the island which would promote the we'll
being of the inhabitants. The only ex-
perience which the natives Of the island
have had with government until Ameri-
can rule was established in 1899 was with
a power to Cypress and taxa thing to be
hated secretly and TO be fought when op-
portunity offered.
Such being the case, it was cause for
gratifying surprise when the Cuban people
so quickly recognized the authority of the
United States and yielded implicit obedi-
ence to a military government which gave
the people personal liberty and absolute
security. 1t was predicted that the change
from Spain TO the United States would be
attended with lawlessness. These predic
lions have not come true. Cuba has had
a season of tranquility which could scarce
~ be due to the presence of American
soldiers, because they have been gradually
withdrawn until there were few on the
island. The season of tranquility has led
all real friends of Cuba TO a belief that
its people will have the intelligence and
the sef-control to maintain a stable gov
eminent The outlook Is full of promise.
President Palma has been received with
iattering expressions of good will in all
parts of the island. indicating that the
people desire TO have an independent gov
eminent. Indeed. there is every reason
to believe that the mass of the people
would not have been satisfied with any
thing short OF trial of independence.
Under the direction of the late Presi-
dent Mckinley and his successor Cow
ernor General Wood has given Cuba an
object lesson in good government. An
island full of turmoil has become tranquil;
a rule which stood for wrong and cruelty
based upon justice, personal liberty and
security, with all the agencies which pro-
mote the public welfare. That govern
ment has turned Havana from a plague
spot to one of the healthiest cities in the
world. For years yellow fever at Havana
has been constant menace of the United
States. Under the enlightened rule of Gen
eral Wood Havana has been renovated
1t has schools, hospitals. modern police
system. The revenues of the island nave
been honestly collected. If the Repubh-
can administration had been interfered
with as it has been in the Philippines, all
these hopeful conditions might have been
changed so that the situation in Cuba
would have been as discouraging as it
now is hopeful
1t should be repeated that every real
friend of popular government in the United
States generally, and of the new Republic
of Cuba, sincerely desires that the good
government which General Wood has set
up in the island will be continued with
out a break, so that if Cuba shall ask
to be annexed to the United States it
will be because its intelligent people see
the greater advantage of being a ST. re in
the larger republic over Independent gov
eminent however efficient. Cuba's friends
in the United States would be disappointed
beyond measure to have its leaders ask
for annexation because its people cannot
successfully maintain an Independent gov