The National tribune., 1906-10-04
THE CUBAN ETs,..

THE CVIAN CRISIS.
Things hs:ve hustled along "alies
samee Mclean man" in Cuba during
tie past week. They have taken a
move quite unexpected to the Cubans.
end their swiftness has much startled
the 'manana" Spanish mind. The dis
position of the windy, superficially-
educated politicians of the island has
been to talk on forever in their sound
ing mellihuous. grandiose Spanish
Secretary Taft had prompt, decisive
American ways. and understands Span
ish as well as the best of them, so that
he has constantly interrupted the bonn
bastic speakers with cool demand for
more facts and less oratory. Under in
structions from Oyster Bay he moved
the previous question on them early IN
the week. announcing that the hearings
must end by Friday. This was abso-
lutely necessary. Not only is the busi-
ness of Cuba threatened with ruin on
account of the prolonged agitation. but
! it is costing this country a great deal
in the military and naval preparations
for any contingency. We cannot go on
| holding the army and navy in readi-
ness for action without great expense.
and there is no reason for It except the
propensity of the leaders on both sides
to talk endlessly. Secretary Taft kept
both sides as hear to the question as
was possible ard got all the facts out
/. of them that they were ready to pre-
sent. Then he made sharp uitimatum
to them to do something. and President
4 Palma tried to eau his hand by resign
ing. This was exceedingly weak and
| inopportuae and much disgusted the
Secretary. who at once called the Coz
gress together to elect new President.
1 Probably Palma would have liked to
4 recall his bluff but it was too late. The
| members of Congress refused to meet
! to make the election and so there was
nothing left to do but to carry out the
4 Plat Amendment and intervene for
/ the preservation of peace and order,
! Secretary Taft immediately proclaimed
4 himself Provisional Governor in a very
i sensible and fitting proclamation which
I assured the people that their indepen-
: dence would be continued for further
] trial and il depended upon them whetf-
j er their autonomy would be maintained
or they would have to be annexed TO
81 the United States All the machinery
5 of the old Government was retained
with the Assistant Secretaries taking
the places of the Secretaries who had
| resigned and minor officers holding their
Il places. In the meanwhile American
!, troops, Marines and Regulars. were
= landed in anticipation of any trouble.
4 Enough men, thoroly equipped with
? war material, are either on the island
or can be at once sent there to quell
any uprising and control those who
have predatory Instincts.
There will be absolutely nothing Of
: the old Spanish trouble in maintaining
peace in the island. The Spanish war
was simply gigantic piece Of graft.
with every man, from the Captain-Gen-
> eral down, going to Cuba with the idea
of filing his pockets, and having no
desire to end the struggle until he had
,, made his pile" The battles and ex-
r petitions were opera bouffe affairs in
4 which even the cartridges expended were
made to help swell the Illicit gains Of
the men and officers engaged. There
/ will be absolutely none of this nonsense
about the American occupation, and the
! guerrillas and banditti. who are robbers
I pure and simple. will be followed to
Y their remotest haunts with the same
unrelenting rigor that our army pur-
sued the Indians thousands of miles
} over the most terrific country. An ex-
i pedition or two of this kind will speed
lily convince the gentry who have here
: tofore made profitable living out Of
8 raiding towns, that the business is ex-
:, ceedingly dangerous and should be
q dropt. We anticipate nothing more
: serious in the occupation than one or
: two sharply punitive expeditions to
= convince the banditti leaders that the
e Americans are in dead earnest and will
|, stand none of the oldfashioned SPAN
l ish methods.