The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-19
CUBA's RED LETTER DAY

Tomorrow will be thegbirthday Of the
government officials wifi take Office and
the congress, which has for ten days past
been preparing to announce officially the
result of the elections, will begin its
career as legislative body.
The United States.@as trustee for the
past three years and: a. half, has reason
to contemplate the course of events in
the new republic with some anxiety. Since
the proclamation Of war against Spain in
April 1898, this\ nation has poured out
blood and treasure to a formidable extent
to wrest Cuba from the grip of Spain and
to meet the entailnaent Of further military
operations through the seffectuation OF the
ability of the 'Cubans to- maintain sue
cessfully republican form of government
will soon be decided. After introduction
to the governmental methods Of the
United States and tutelage as to the
economies of government under the Mill
citizen the protection of the bill of rights,
the Cubans ought to be prepared for the
new regime, which is ushered in with a
constitution framed after the temper and
spirit of our own to q preponderating ex-
tent. They are not at all likely to per-
NIT the great and valuable sanitary. work
performed by our government to fall into
desuetude for it is too essential to the
insular prosperity that it be continued
with the same thoroughness which marked
it under American control. In all the work
of esta blishing the machinery Of revenue
collections, road Improvement, the postal
system, educational facilities, ETC., the
Cubans have persuasive examples of true
progress, which they will hardly permit to
degenerate. Besides, they are obliged by
the Plat amendment to maintain the
sanitary Improvement of the island. This
alone would be sufficient test of their
appreciation of the benefits received from
our government.
It is evident that President Palma in
tends to use the powers conferred upon
him up to the extreme point. The outline
of his message to the Cuban congress
furnished the press few days ago, shows
that he does not intend to be a mere fig
ure-head. He has lived for twenty years
in the United States, and is Americanizec
enough to see the necessity of retaining
and adding to the American methods al
ready received and appreciated under tn.
military regime. He showed, moreover
disposition to resent the limitations o
the Platt amendment to some extent. Fl,
has already succeeded in impressing Gov
ernor General Wood with the advisabilit,
Of resembling his order, declaring. his ap
pointees to the supreme bench of Cub,
irremovable. This order prevented I'M
from appointing the Ave judges and, bein
appointed for life, he could not, excep
for cause remove them. There is ever,
reason to believe that Palma has no ide
of being dictated to and will be president
not only in name. but in actual officia
acts. lie has already selected his cahine1
but contrary to expectation, he appointe
to 1t not single one of the Cubans VIII
were active in the field of battle durin
the fighting for independence. The presi
dent, however, doubtless thought it best t
select the ablest men he could find 70
such important positions. those who b