The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-26
The Armistice In Cuba.

The armistice drawn up by Secretary
TAFT and signed by Cuban Government
officials on the one hand and by most Of
the insurgent chiefs on the other prom
ises to assure tranquility pending the at
tainment OF a definite agreement, which
ts unlikely to be long delayed.
The terms Of the compromise are
understood to be that Mr.. PALMA shall
remain President OF the republic and
that Mr.. STERLING shall retain the head
ship Of the Treasury Department, but
that the other members Of the existing
Cabinet shall resign and that new cleo
tons for Congress and municipal coun-
ellis shall be held forthwith. By the re-
tentiOn of President PALMA and Secre-
tary STERLING in Office the continuity Of
the Cuban Government is maintained
In the eyes of foreign nations and the
foreign holders of Cuban Government
bonds are treasured with regard to the
safety Of their investments! Otherwise
the compromise must be looked upon as
u victory for the insurgents, who con-
stitute the militant element Of the Liberal
party. No VEL informed person doubts
that the Liberal candidates will be
overwhelmingly successful in the new
parliamentary and municipal elections.
The report, indeed, is current that the
Moderate party will be dissolved and
viii not even attempt a contest at the
ballot box. In that event it will bear
witness to the soundness Of the claim
made by its Liberal opponents that the
Moderates have formed only a small
fraction OF the Cuban people and have
consequently had no moral right to the
Offices which they have occupied.
It did not take Secretary TAFT long
after his arrival in Havana to ascertain
that even in the seat of the insular gov
eminent the members Of the Palma
Cabinet had but few friends. But al
though he soon learned that the Liberals
had a much stronger hold on the masses
of, the people, he also discovered that
their accession TO political power would
not be viewed with unmixed satisfaction
BIZ the representatives Of the sugar and
tobacco interests, Of capital, Of industry
Hnu VI tOAlilCINCs Inc ulCu WIN udNO
most at stake in the island would like to
see Cuba annexed to the United States,
and predict that any native government
will prove short lived. Such men are
open to conviction, however, and Secre-
tary TAFT has doubtless been able to
convince them that our country cannot,
with any show Of honor, seize the first
pFetext for repudiatiDg vi proclaimed
determination to give Cuba indepen-
dence. The failure Of the Moderates to
maintain peace and order cannot fairly
be construed as a conclusive proof OF the
nnfitness of Cubans for self-rule. The
Liberals on their part should be suffered
TO make an experiment in the way of
self government. II they also prove in
competent to repress disorder and COM
gel obedience 10 law we shall be justified,
by our national conscience and by the
verdict OF the onls oking world, in res
auing tie island from anarchy and in
dEetrial prOstratiOh and in "a ,,ertaking
permanently the task Of administration.
Whether in that event the status of
Cuba should be that Of Porto Rico, or OF
aTerritory or Of a State in our Union is
8question which at this time It would