Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-12
CUBAN ASPIRATIONS
Awaiting the Coming Of
Independence.
READY FOR A REPUBLIC
GLAD AND SORRY AT WITH
DRAWAL OF q. S. TROOPS.
Talks With Scme Of the Leading Men
in the Central District of
the Island.

oftNIA SLAIhA, ApIu ., lSUS
1t happens that the city of Santa Clara
Is almost the heart of the Island of Cuba,
as we'll as of the province of which it
is the capital. The pulse beats here give
a good idea of the condition. of the body
polite throughout the great central sec
ton. Historic and Cuban patriotic associa-
lions are the reasons for this.
During the last week / have been in the
four quarters of the province. What I
found in the different parts is reflex of
f1ected elsewhere.
The best understanding of the prevailing
feeling may be had in one of the little vii
lagos on the spur of the railroad between
Esperanza and Cruces. A daring and patri-
otto Cuban there has managed to climb
great royal palm and has fastened Cuban
flag in the feather top. The wind and rain
have almost obliterated the single star
and the flag is weather beaten SO that its
coors all have run together, but it still
floats. In it is typified the Cuban aspira-
ton, always intense in this province,
which soon is to be realized.
Both Glad and Sorry.
1t does not take long to learn that this
realization is coming quicker than was
thought. Most of the people are still lit
tie bewildered and confused at the sud-
denness of the change that is announced,
although they have been expecting it for
months They thought there would be some
dra wback, but the visible preparations that
they see for the withdrawal of the United
States authority convinces them otherwise.
Here l have heard very little talk OF the
Plat amendment casting any shadow over
the Cuban republic Almost all of the peo-
pie in the country and the smaller villages
and the majority of them in the larger
towns. seem to think that the republic
which is coming is the one for which they
suffered and hoped, and for which NUMBER
OF them fought
The feeling that exists can be described
by saying that the people are both glad
and sorry They are glad to have their
own government. but they are sorry. and
genuinely sorry. to have the American off,
Gals leave. In this personal feeling is some
regret, for the officials themselves. This
sentiment is due as much as anything else
to the policy that has been followed for
nearly three years past. Captain w. b.
Barker, whose duties have been of the
kind which look to the upbuiding of dis
tressed communities, has had much to do
with it's development Experience as
United States consul in the district during
the period of insurrection and reconcentra-
ton gave him an insight into local condl-
lions which has been of great value. In
him Is personified the general idea of the
American control as it exists in beneficent
form. 1t shows the advantage of admins
IToIl d SlduupolHl
But now that the United States, as an
intervening and governing authority, is go
ing, question arises as to what will come
afterward. / do not know. Nobody knows
exactly. But this much is plain, the people
of this province are ready for the taking
over of government into their own hands
as ready they would be at the end Of
ten years of military control They have
been given about all that Is possible in the
way of precept and practical example in
administration. Their preparation has been
such that the change can come without
compulsion or disturbance and that in
itself is the vindication of American au-
thority as 1t has been exercised.
To say that the change Is viewed with
out uncertainty or even without misgivngs
would not be true. Yet since it had to come
it Is coming peacefully, and this in spite of
the industrial depression which is felt so
severely. That is the one drawback. Santa
would look brighter II there was more Of
the activity which comes from prosperous
agriculture, for the province is almost en-
tireiy agricultural. But in political sense
there is no hindrance to the experiment of
Cuban self-government.
Some Bad Spots.
do not mean to say that the good feel
ing toward the United States is universal
There are bad spots. Santa Clara has been
the seat Of very intense and very radical
politics. The embers shoulder little
times is able to stir them up. Yet the blaze
cannot be famed into more than glow
There is nothing to feed the flames.
An incident showed me how true this is
1t was the experience of an American here
who is in no way connected with military
affairs. He is one of the pioneers who is
engaged in industrial development. He had
dropped into a barber shop and was wait
ing his turn when Cuban patron began a
TRADE against Americans. BY his own
confession this Americans impulse was ito
get up and hit him." but he restrained
himself.
The sequel came after a few minutes
ranting by the Cuban. Then the barber
told him to quit talking, or if he wanted to
talk that way to go out in the street, and
In the end fired the talker into the streets.
The other patrons applauded him. The
American casually asked who he was and
was told that he was employed In one Of
the local offices. After President Estrada
Palma comes in and cuts down the salary
his administration within it's decreased rev.
enues. this Cuban office holder will think
better of the American control which en-
abled him to draw higher pay. The incident
In itself was not momentous, but it shows
the trend. AS told by some disappointed
American promoter or Spectator it would
conclude with the Office holders anti-Amer-
lean tax. The real significance was in the
cold reception which this talk received
This existing conservatism has been more
impressed on me after seeing some of the
men who Will be identified with the new ad-
ministratiOn and who have not heretofore
been prominent in Cuban politics That is
almpst to say that they have not been agi-
tators.
Within a few days I have talked with
the majority Of the members of congress
from the province. In every instance their
leading thought was Of agricultural and
Industrial subjects. 1t would not be right
| to class any Of them as pro-American, but
all Of them were thinking ahead and were
thinking of the relations between Cuba and
| the United States Intense politics has ex-
listed in the province and intense politics
will exist In the future, because already
| there is party of the outs" who were
only kept out after sharp struggle.
This struggle and future struggles prom
ise to relate mainly to domestic politics.
Some OF it Is directly against Havana That
Is natural. They are trying to build up
a TammaDy Hall in Havana one local
leader told me, but we won't have it.
! Havana shan't run the rest of the island"
Havana Is sure to be influential in the
new government. but 1t will be good for
| the politicians there to know that the poll
| ticians out through the island, even at
| this early stage, are restless under its at
tempted bossism. AS Havana is the brew
| ing pot for vapory radicalism, and as the
| efforts to stir i'll feeling against the United
States IrSualIy start there II will he a most