Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-04
FOURM0NHS IN CUBA
Industrial Conditions Pre-
vailing id the Island.
Mr.. GARTHE'S VIEWS
STABILITY OF THE REPUBLIC
DE1roNsTaArnD.
-ear
Rural Guards squelch "Revolntien"
Very ouickly-Less Annexation
Talk Than Formerly.

Mr.. Louis Garthe Of the washington bu-
reau OF the Baltimore American has just
returned to the city, after a sojourn Of four
months in Cuba. In which he observed the
economic, political and Industrial conditions
prevailing In the island. Mr.. Garthe talked
interestingly upon these subjects to a Star
reporter today.
."There can be no doubt in the world"
said Mr. Garthe, ''of the stability of the
Cuban republic. President Palma has the
government In splendid control, and he Is
ably supported by the president Of the SEN
ate DR.. Domingo Mendez-Capote. Capote
1 regard as the ablest man in all Cuba and
fortunately for President Palma. Capote Is
a strong supporter OF the administra ton:
hence congress, while 1t does not always do
all that President Palma. would like, GER
tainly can never do anything that the pres
ident does not approve.
mr.. Palma Is conservative in the ex-
treme. He Scrutinizes every measure that
is introduced into congress with the most
careful eye. and he approves of nothing
that seems to him the least suspicious. He
Is economical too and / have been told
that some really excellent measures have
been defeated by Mr.. Palma's influence be-
cause he believes the treasury Of the island
is not at this time in a condition to warrant
the expenditures involved.
Sustains Administration.
so far as / could learn from men who
had business with the custom house. the
system of honesty and reasonable business
administration that was inaugurated by the
American government is still kept UP.
There is, Of course, still, and there always
will be- in Cuba a frightful delay In every
thing. You simply cannot hurry a Cuban
official or Cuban business man. and our
1nau Nf ,kSn,.
wasted in Cuba.
The government has had recent oppor-
tunity TO show that it is physically strong
enough to maintain itself, which is after all
patriots who freed Cuba have been clamor-
ing for their wages, and the republic Is now
trying to float loan Of thirty-five million
dollars to pay them. About three weeks ago
some man made very incendiary speech in
Havana, and it is feared that there might
be an uprising of discontinued veterans In
the eastern part Of the sisland there did oc-
cur what was heraidedl in the states. be-
possibly been In the army took to the high
ways. announced that they were going to
revolt and called Upon heir fellow-soldiers
in the army to JOIN them In overthrowing
the government and getting their money.
Cuba has no army. but 1t has an organi-
cation called the 'Rura1 Guards body of
men organized by 1.-THE Americans on the
plan of the old Texas Strangers; men who
u.
Of Rural Guards started out after the rev.
olutionists.' and the pcxt day brought three
Of them into town sde1d-the fourth one
came in that evening AID surrendered. and
Guards have now been< increased to some
$500 men, and every other revolution will
end in the same quick way. There are to
be some municipal eleckions this fall and.
can countries 1t issq4its likeAygthat some OF
the defeated candidates will start little rev.
Olutions' Of their own. With the Rural
Guards increased, as they now are, all these
revolutions will have the same brief history.
Less Annexation Talk.
THE Cubans are very proud of their gov
eminent, and there Isl less annexation talk
now than Fever heard before. The Cuban
people feel that they can govern themselves
and even the few men who admit that an
nexation might be good thing. insist that
| IL they come in at all they will come in as a
free and independent state as Texas did
The Cuban politician Is just as smart as
any other politician, and he realizes the
difference between sovereign state. which
elects all It's own officers and has the say
in the distribution of Its federal patronage
and the condition of territory, where the
President at Washington appoints all the
office holders.
IF the Cubans are to become part OF
the United States, they propose to retain
selves. l don't think any man will get
much of an audience in Havana just now
when he talks of annexattOn.sssss
president Palma has made very good
president and can be reelected. II he wants
to be. II not, Dr. Capote will be the next
president. Capote Is quite a young man,
being only some thirty-five years old, and
IL Palma wants a reelection. Capote will
probably consent to walt four years more.
The only criticism I'heard of Palma was
one that illustrates the difference between
the Cuban and the American character.
President Palma. they said, In Havana,
has lived In the United States SO long that
he has imbibed too much 'Jeffersonian SIM
pHcity. The Cubans are accustomed to the
glitter, pomp and the display Of the old
Spanish regime. and they do not fancy Mr..
Palma's austere simplicity They would
much prefer to see him drive through the
city In a magnificent carriage with out
riders and troop Of rural guards as an
escort On the contrary he hardly puts
on as much style as any one of half
dozen of our officers displayed during the
days of the American occupation.
If Reciprocity Treaty Fails.
What will follow. II the United States
Congress fails at the coming session to
perfect the Cuban reciprocity treaty?'
IF the American Congress chooses to vio-
late the promise. which everybody believes
the late President Mckinley made to the
commissioners of the constitutional con-
vention and in consideration of which the
convention accepted, the Plat amendment,
whereby they practically surrendered their
Independence, the Cuban sugar planters
will simply have to cut down expenses of
administration more and trust to some
providence for an increase In the price OF
sugar. Sugar, thinax;t now, is selling for
two cents. and thee}siE pills which have in
stalled the most, mpdern machinery, are
making some money-the small mills. In
genios.' as they are talled will go to the
wall just as they. Ha9ey been going to the
wall for the last ftweESty-fve years. All
the ruined sugar'festaees that you see in
Cuba are not by an means the wrecks of
the last war. The .po4petttion in the busi-
ness and the Steady decrease of the price
of Cuban sugar. hhss FOR the past twenty
planters, and supnose, IL there Is no rec