The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-11
PRESIDENT. WATCHES
SITUATION: IN CUBA
Plat Amendment Safe, but Time
Is Not Ripe for Inter-
vention.
By W. W. yermane.

BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, Sept. l1:-Many newspa-
per writers pretend to be greatly exer-
is likely to happen to the Plat amend
ment unless the president quickly, un-
der it's terms, intervenes to bring the
Cuban rebellion to a close. This ankle
ty,. however, is untimely, according to
relia bic advices - received here. The
president has the Plat amendment in
mind, and gives it his. hearty support.
He favored it at the time it was an
issue in congress, and with the lapse
of years he finds himself more strongly
convinced than ever Of its wisdom. -
dent doesn't intend to engage in any
g hair trigger'' performance. j.. When
the, time is ripe for intervention, he
will act, not before, and, so far as can
now be discovered, the time IS not only
not ripe, but there is, nothing definite
in the way of assurances that it ever
will be. "'': -
Cuba is having some local trouble,
pat It is s tar e. yet s e% hMNy MFRS
while, the president is keeping close
watch of all that is going on. He is
receiving daily, cipher cable dispatches
from the Americans legation at Havana.
The war and the navy department are
likewise watching thes situation closely,
but more for precauti Qnary reasons than
for any others. Should intervention be
deemed necessary, the president, hav-
ing complete information regarding the
case, will be able to act promptly and
effectively. But he, doesn't intend to
Of his uninfofh4Sd Saavisefg just what
the true situation Isl. and it, is not
that hisa N oFmationr does not
in all particulars square with that of
these advisers: ~ e >>'"'NA :"as.'~
Which Is in Right7 ~. =,
= Intervention in Cuba would be for
! the purpose of restoring peace in the
e s Of ali its people, and nd SO the presi
dent. before acting, would have to
know. which side is in the right the
Palma government OF the insurgents.
The reports he already has received
have not thrown much light on this
phase of the case:, He must, also wait
until the situationShas: reacheds:a stage
amply justifying Interference. Any ex-
ercise< Of the, powers granted by the
must obRiousT Weak sxe CHA senge Of
independence, and SO the Roosevelt ad-
is anxious that it may
keep full faith with. Cuba and over
come some Of the prejudices still ex-
listing in the minds Of South American
statesmen generally against the United
States-to move slowly.
Secretary Root is now midway on the
most important mission ever sent by
this government to South America. His
visits and addresses in the south are
for the purpose Of convincing the gov
ernments there that the United States
is not land hungry, and that it intends
to act in spirit of perfect fairness
toward all it's sister republics on this
side the ocean. 81.
The Plat amendment originally was
regarded with suspicion by the South
American governments generally, just
as it. was by many Cubans themselves,
and when we undertook, to police Santo
Domingo and act as debt collector f1: for or
suspicion was intensified. Now, if, on
the heels of the Santos Domingo affair,
we were to rush headlong nto inter-
vention in Cuba, the South American
statesmen would be quick to say 81
told you so,' and Secretary Root g
trip would better never have been
taken. l.. -
Might Estrange All.
It will thus be seen that there is
much besides Cuba to be considered in
this Intervention question, and that the
president is amply justified in acting
cautiously and in insisting upon having
the details of the situation reported to
him daily by cable. A false move in
Cuba would, perhaps, estrange for, gen
erations the entire South American
continent, and hinder our work of Sc
curing closer cooperation between it
q n arr Iy1oc-o ~ or6rofinn r1ThIo h fh a
president and his official advisers deem
Of the highest Importance to American
interests generally, north as well as
south Of the equator. ,s ''..-
So the "big stick - is not to be used,
and the president is not to act hastily.
His conservatism in this case, his
friends predict, will equal that which he
has shown on other critical occasions,
and he will come out of the difficulty
with increased reputation for enlight-
ened and broadminded craftsmanship.
The reports that have reached Wash
ington' do not indicate that the Cuban
insurrection is, OF. will be, serious. The
rebels know Of the IPlatt amendment,
and that it will not be possible for them
to pile rebellion upon rebellion in that
country, as was formerly the case. They
know that in order to win, their cause
must be just, and the evidence in their
favor of character to convince the
world at large. And SO it. happens that
the revolutionary leaders have not been
able to attract. to their banners the
large crowds which formerly followed
them. .ss s; 4. $5.a
. Rebels Not Best Men. s.a
These leaders themselves are not Of
as high type as those Of the old days,
scribed asa weakling. There are sew
eral scattered bands Of rebels, but for
the most part they are small in size.
One ID said to contain about two hum