The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-15
THE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL.
CUBA IS DOING WELL
Grasps Liberty With a Full Appre-
citation of the responsibilities,
Says Edgar II. Runyan.
Cubans Who Favored Annexation
Wsaned Away From That Idea
by Present Success.

Encouraging news from Cuba has been
received by Edgar w. Runyan of this city,
an employee at Washington, in the office
of the commissary general. Mr.. Kun
yam, now in Minneapolis has re-
Gently returned from Fort Riley, Kan,
where he was on duty in connection with
the army maneuvers. At his home, 7l0
B Fourteenth street, Mr.. Runyan said
last night:
ct spent three years in Cuba and left
there the day after the American troops
evacuated the island last May Among
my Cuban friends one in PARTICULAR a very
Intelligent man and an annexatlonlst at
heart, has lately written me what seems
to be valuable tribute to the abilities of
the native government. Because this
friend Of mine was not in sympathy with
the movement for independence, he
wanted the United States to assume per
manent control. He was afraid the Gu
bans hadn't sufficient experience in self
government. But he says now:
Things are being managed much better than 1
thought was possible. Most Of our officials are
acting as ii power was no novelty to them ana
as If our island had been always free. So much
good sense and moderation is being displayed,
upon the whole. that I now feel convinced that
we shall be able to hold our own.
but, of course, we shall hear this Win
ter the usual pessimistic reports from
American tourists just returned from Gu
ba. These people run down to the island
on one Of the excursion boats, spend two
or three days in Santiago and the greater
part Of one week in Havana. In that time
they thoroughly investigate the political
condition Of Cuba, the social condition as
we'll. They learn all the ms and outs OF
the commercial situation, and they dis
cover the essential defects Of the mu-
s~:x, ,{,%S1 1oo< - 0xr n
they are prominent politicians up this
way. Then as soon as they get back
Washington learns for the first time how
it should solve the Cuban problem.
"But, the American visitors to the
island that have more intelligence than
vanity are never heard Of. They realize
that the impressions they acquire within
one week must be trifie hazy.
Cuban Conditions Are Different.
ESPECIALLY, think, they understand
that fashion of doing things is not
necessarily the best becauseit is an Amer
lean fashion. 1t may be the best for us.
| 1t harmonizes with the conditions Of life
| In the United States. But transplanted
| to Cuba that fashion. may not fit at all.
| This may seem tr1te enough, but It's a
! fact overlooked by the people that wish to
| turn Cubans into Americans while you
| wait
| Nobody will doubt that much ought to
be reformed in the island, and that a vast
number of the American improvements in
| troduced by General Wood and others
were of immense benefit to the Cubans
| The intelligent natives admit that readily
| enough. But when it comes to many de-
| tails of general and local administration
it is proper, even necessary. that the
natives should be allowed, without criti
cism to do things in their own way rather
than along strictly American lines. Sucl
change of detail will enable the Cuban!
really to assimilate modern methods, t
sympathize with them and learn to prefer
| them. 3: :. ,.r. ..,.
| still there must remain ar multitude
Of practices, grounded on centuries Of half,
Spanish life that are not likely to b.
| changed, and probably should not b.
changed.
The Majors "intentions."
"To take a. comical example from thei
social life. The respectable Cuban cir
is the truest and most devoted Of sweet
hearts, and the most faithful Of wives
But the affections OF the Cuban man en-
brace the entire fair SEX. He adores ever,
bright black eye and he worships ever.
smiling gray eye. So It's very proper tina
the Cuban girl should not allow herself tt
be sighed. to and serenaded as simply on
Venus of thousand solar systems. AM
the parents manage It this way: The.
keep careful record Of the number o
times a young man calls upon. a girl. I
he calls two or three times in close sue
cession, he is required to state his, in
! tentions.
: But this fine fashion somewhat upse
, one Of our officers in Santiago. He wa
ID major with a fine record. He Gale
upon the family Of a. friend Of his,
Cuban general. The major chatted wit
, | +ha narents a son or two the three un
J married daughters, and several othe
> guests, for he spoke Spanish glibly. Th
mother asked him promptly-that's tn
rule-if he was married. No, he was no
The old lady appeared pleased. Thre
! | weeks later the major dropped In aga1
upon the generals family and talke
j, chiefly with the mother and the sons.
}. EXCHANGED some commonplace remark
;, only with the daughters and: talked wit
one as much as with announcer:
=; '+But at 10 O'Clock the next morning b
|, received a. call from the general The o.
gentleman had been delighted. he said,
] observe tho warm interest that the ma5s
= had taken in our little Mercedes bt
. would the major be good enough to d.
!. clare positively his Intentions?
|, "The major stated them without della
= OF course he answered, I'll tell you:
J; intend never to call at your house again
J.. but the American shouldn't have g
:, mad. The Cuban was only making tt
most of a fine native custom that not on
| protects the girls but enables their pa
ents to encourage bashful and desirab
catch We can introduce no America
!, scheme that will improve on the general
de1icate trick. Had the major really bet
interested in senorita Mercedes, he wou
have surrendered on the spot. -: