Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-12
THE OUTLOOK IN CuBA.

General t1tzhugh Lee is so well In
formed regarding Cuban conditions and
character that what he says respecting
the situation in the island and the out
look must command attention. His view
is distinctly pesslmistic. General Lee be-
lieves that the public school system and
the sanitary system established under
American occupation are destined soon
to perish. He looks for trouble from
the negro soldiers of the revolutionary
army, from the claimants for back pay
and from those who are generally dis
satisfied with the Palma administration,
as well as from discharged laborers who
will lose their positions as a result Of
the commercial stagnation. knowing
the Cubans as 1 do" said General Lee,
land being in touch by correspondence
with many of them, 1 firmly believe
that unless confidence is restored and
some relief afforded in the sale of their
products, there is nothing ahead except
anarchy and annexation" 1t is stated
that American merchants are losing con-
idence in the success of the experiment
Of self-government in Cuba and fearing
domestic troubles there are declining to
| ship merchandise to the island, while
Cuban importers are animated by ex.
actly the same feelings as are American
exporters.
There is no doubt that the industrial
situation in Cuba is unsatisfactory, but
It is certainly very much better than al
the beginning of the American occupa.
ton or at any time during that occupa.
ton and since the Cuban people got
through that period without any great
amount of suffering and without serious
complaint as to conditions, it is not easy
to understand why they should now
less than two months after the institu'
ton of an independent government, Ot
suffering. Testimony given last Jan
uary before the ways and means com
mittee of the house of representatives
showed that at that time there was nc
restitution In Cuba and that labor
was well employed and well paid. How
can the extraordinary change in the
situation saidto have come about within
the last few months be explained? Il
it not probable that there is some ex
aggeration, that conditions are really no
so bad as they are represented to be
We are inclined to think that this mus
be the case, for it seems hardly possible
that the comparative prosperity OF si1
months ago should have given place t.
SO distressing a state of affairs as 1
implied in the remarks of General Lee
As to the political dissension and dis
satisfaction, that was to have been ex
pected. 1t is entirely characteristic o
the people and was plainly foreshad
owed when Palma was elected. No ad
ministration could satisfy all the politi
clans and President Palma appears no
to have shown the most sagacious judg
ment in the treatment Of the negro ele
ment.
The Cuban people are undergoing
test Of their capacity for self-goyern
ment. They need to learn patience al
fortithde and self reliance. Dependin
upon the favor of some other eountr,
for their material progress and pros
perity is not the wisest or best way o
building up the country and placing tn
new republic on a firm foundation. ]
is not improbable that there will b
political troubles of a more or les
serious nature in Cuba, but We do nc
apprehend that there is any great daI
ger at present of anarchy,