The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-18
THE WOES OF CUBA
Every Cuban Seems to Think a Re-
public Should Mean a Good
l. Job for Him.
About $4,000 Men Are Now With.
= out Work at Santiago and
Trouble Is Feared.

Fror. Tne .1o~rreE Bssreau. Issons HS. Post
WASHINGTON. Oct. 1S-Recent advices
from the Island Of Cuba declaring that
distress exists there, were verified to-day
by Major George M. Barbour, for four
months after the American occupation san
itary commissioner in charge Of Santiago
and netghboring towns. He said he had
recently received a letter from a Santiago
merchant saying that $4,000 men were
out Of work in that city. In the course
of conversation the major was firm in
his belief that annexation was the only
remedy for the gloomy conditions now
prevalent In the island. AS builders of
q republic the major entertains very
poor opinion of tho Cubans. saying they
are at present in the condition of kin
dergarten without teacher. AS an ex-
ample Of the dsaffection among the Ia
boring people he showed a letter written
in September by J. X. Elwel. president
Of one Of the largest mercantile COM
panies in Cuba, in which that gentleman
said:
IA large number Of men employed by
the municipality have not been paid for
several months and they want to know
why 1t is that the Cuban government
Is without funds when the Yankees had
money to burn"
In discussing sanitary conditions Major
Barbour said the Cuban authorities were
every day and he could not but forsee a
return to the deplorable state existing
under the Spanish regime. Senior Meana
q prominent planter Of Santiago province.
wrote to the major short time ago as
sorting that since the municipality Of
Santiago had charge Of sanitary condi-
tions the work had been steadily on the
decline and from the writer's view it
would only be a short time when the
work would cease altogether.
How soon it was,'' adds the senior
pathetically, when we started to miss
the Americans"
THE Cubans are most impracticable
lot of people," remarked Major Barbour,
land every one Of them has a different
idea of what constitutes a republic, each
man believing himself right and his fell
lows wrong. They are a unit on one
point however, they think the basic prin-
ciple Of a republic is to provide every cit
teen with job at large salary with
very little work. There is no doubt in
my mind, however, he continued, that
the land conditions In Cuba are RESPONSE
BILE for the unsettled conditions there.
Most Of the land is controlled by absentee
Spanish landlords, and if this property
was divided up into small holdings It
would work a wonderful change in the
Cuban people. In this direction I favor
the suggestion made by Representative
we would have the same happy result
that was obtained in Ireland when the
English government instituted such a pro-
cedure, granting holdings to the Irish
tenants on long time at q low rate Of in
terest."
Major Barbour said when Representa-
tive Newlands introduced his resolution
Cuba to become a. part of the United
States it resulted in division of senti-
ment in the island. ION one side" ex.
planned the major. I'VE had the politicians
and large negro following bitterly
against annexation, while the men Of
property, the real business element Of the
island, heartily favored 1t, for they are
absolutely without faith in the stability
of the Cuban republic. AS for the negroes
ignorant and superstitious as they are,
the politicians preyed on their credulity
In telling them that annexation to this
country meant nothing but slavery for
them, terrorizing them with stories OF
negro lynchings in the United States u
That the present administration Of Cuba
with few exceptions Is collection OF
hungry politicians is Major Barbour's be-
lief. He considers President Palma an
honest man but dreamer unable to cope
with the serious problems confronting
him. He means WELL" observed the
major, but you must remember that he
WtS away from CuDd lOT twenty. SIX years
and the conditions that prevailed q quar-
ter of a century ago are not the one:
that prevail to-day. You can form some
idea of the character Of the Cuban con.
gress when I tell you that only sever
members of the lower house pay taxes"
Major Barbour was very severe on Mr.
Bryan and Senator Mason for the roseatt
oratory they INDUCED in when visiting
Havana.
bryan and Mason" said the major
Ngnve the Cubans whole lot Of spreat
eagle eloquence In telling them how the,
were the best equipped people on eartl
for a republican form Of government
something the Cubans knew in thei
hearts was not true, for the averag
Cuban not only disbelieves his fellowma,
but he has no belief in himself and thi
sort Of an Individual does not constitute
the stuff of which successful republic
are made. The Cuban's idea can b.
summed up in a few words so far as tn
Cuban's attitude towards republic 1
concerned. He desires a fat position
without work and insists that his individ
uality shall prevail over that of al
Others"
w. w. Jermane.