The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-12

killed and wounded In the futile assaults
upon the armored train IL not definitely
known. Nevertheless, the force with
drawn by GUERRA into the hills must have
been considerable, for II quickly regained
confidence. and on Monday a part Of It
attacked another armored train, which
again had to rely on machine guns for
protection.
To defeat GUERRA In the field and shut
him oIt OF the large towns In PIMA del
Rio, however, is one thing; to follow him
through the mountainous parts Of tho
province and compel him to leave I'M
scathed the tobacco plantations Is an
other. The experience Of the Spaniards
from 1858 to 1893 has shown the imprac-
ticability Of putting down q widespread
instruction under Cuba's typographical
conditions and Of shielding the insular
industries from molestation. Yet while
General WExLER had at one time some
100000 disciplined soldiers at his dis
pOsal, the Palma Administration has not
as yet one-twentieth as many.
Il would be an impossible task, even
for q very large army, to protect planta-
tons from sudden raids In ar island $50
miles long, the backbone Of which is q
chain Of rugged mountains, girt with no
fewer than a dozen million acres Of UNI
cleared forest. A knowledge Of these
physical conditions should have i'm
PEELED the Havana Government TO stiie
at any cost an instruction in the germ
and should avail to deter IN from any
attempt at a permanent occupation OF the
island against the will Of a considerable
fraction Of its inhabitants. We have
learned how hard it Is TO deal with rebels
in Mindanao; there r parts Of Cuba
in which 1t would prove no less difficult
to find and capture a body Of insurgents
against our authority.
Although, as we have said, the real
reason for the uncompromising position
taken on Monday evening by the Palma
| Government was the elatiOn caused by
the victories achieved on Saturday by
| Colonel TABAREs and Colonel AvALos,
the pretext was the inadmissibility OF
the demand made by the Liberals as
a condition OF peace, that President
PALMA, Vice-President MKNDEZ CAPoTE
and all the Ministers should resign, pend
ing the outcome Of a new general cleo
ton to be held under the supervision
of a temporary board, on which both
parties should be equally represented.
It appears that both the Liberals, the
insurgent commanders in the field and
the veterans OF the late war, who thus
far have pursued a mediatory course,
would have agreed gladly that the head
Of the provisional executive board should
be an American citizen appointed by Pres
ident ROOSEVELT. As for the resignation
of President PALMA and his Cabinet, this
would be, after all, no greater concession
in principle than many Senators and Rep
resentatives in the Cuban Congress, be-
longing 10 the Moderate as well as the
Liberal party, have declared themselves
willing to make.
It is one, however, to which President
PALMA and his associates could scarcely
be expected to assent on the heels Of a
victory. II they " assent 1t will be
at the last extremity, when they see the
agriculture and the m Of the
island threatened with extinction. OBJ
duracy seems imposed upon them by
the knowledge that in the present state
Of insular feeling they would be defeated
overwhelmingly in any fair election.
We assume that no definite answer
will be returned by u State Depart
ment to the increasingly earnest appeals
Of Cuban landowners and merchants for
the incorporation OF the United States
until the return to Washington Of Sec
rotary Roof, who has arrived at Lima,
and who therefore should be able to
reach home in about a fortnight. What
should be u attitude toward Cuba In
the existing and prospective circum-
stances is one Of the most important
questions which have arisen during Mr.,
ROOTS tenancy Of his present Office
That it should be answered without any
reference to the opinions OF the Score
tary Of State is scarcely conceivable, in
view Of the esteem and confidence with
which he is believed to be regarded by
u Chief Magistrate. We do not look
therefore, for any immediate and IRE
versible declaration Of the Administers
tons policy with reference to the Cubar
question, pressing as it Is. The islands
industries and commerce will probably
have to go on suffering for some time
longer.