Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-13
BRYAN AND CUBA.

Sioux City Journal Having
scratched out his eyes by jumping in
to the government ownership bramble
bush Col. Bryan thought he would
scratch them in again by jumping in
to the Cuban bramble bush. Thereby
the colonel has made two mistakes in
stead of one.
Col Bryan began to take an inter-
est in Cuba about the time 1t became
evident the United States would have
to intervene. At the time there was
much lingo talk about the folly of the
Teller amendment and of the necessity
for letting the flag stay where it had
once been hoisted. Intervention being
assured, Bryan jumped to the conclu-
sion that it must necessarily mean an
nexation. He proceeded to expatiate
upon the ability OF the Cubans to gov
ern themselves, and upon our obliga-
tion to let them do it, In his mind, mol
doubt. the Nebraskan saw visions Of a
real issue upon which the plain people
might be worked up to excitement
while they were forgetting all about
the government ownership faux pas.
Ii the American troops should be so
unfortunate as to have to repeat in
Cuba the job they accomplished in the
Philippines there might be opportun-
ity for the democracy to make capital
of the incident. So Col. Bryan cheer
fully ran up the flag of Cuban libre
and called for recruits to enlist under
the banner.
What they did to Bryan's substitute
for government ownership down in
Washington was real mean What
they should have done, in order to fall
in which the colonel's program was
to order up the stars and stripes in
Cuba and notify the world that Cuba
had become American territory for all
time. Then Uncle Sans boys should
have started shooting any dusky hued
Cuban who might be disposed to in
terfere with the program But
President Roosevelt proved to be I'M
accommodating. Under his direction
the flag of Cuban libre was allowed to
float at the masthead. Instead of
raising the big stick and bringing it
down on the head of little Cuba Pres
ident Roosevelt patted Cuba on the
head AMI began giving the little fellow
good advice. The advice was to the
effect that independence was worth
striving for, and that one failure to
achieve success along that line was no
ground for Encouragement. Little
Cuba was told to try again, and was
given assurance that while making the
effort the strong arm Of Uncle Sam
would be used benevolently to assist
the process. Little Cuba accepted the
situation amiably, took the advice in
the spirit In which it was rendered.
and according to all indications is 60
ing to try once more to stand alone.
What will be the effect of Bryans
politics? 1t should rebound greatly to
the glory Of the administration. Bryan
butted in on the theory that the ad-
ministration would be unmindful of
the rights of Cuba, as we had already
outlined them, and recreant to the OBJ
legations we had voluntarily taken up.
on ourselves. Bryan guessed wrong.
The only effect of his raising the point
will be to direct attention to the fact
that the administration is disposed
scrupulously to regard the promises
we have made and incidentally to go
out Of it's way, without any selfish
motive, to help the needy on this con-
tinent. Our first intervention in the
interest of Cuban independence, I'M
backed by any attempt at exploitation,
was the wonder Of the world. Our
second Intervention along equally I'M
selfish lines will cause even more pro.
found amazement At this time, al
though we did not care to take adyan-
tage Of it. there was excuse for argu-