Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-26
CUBAN RULE A FAILURE
Conservative Element Anxious
for Uncle Sam to Take Hold.
SUSPECT TAFT REPORT
General Opinion is That Neither
Party is Fit to Govern.
DANGER IN ANOTHER TRIAL
Property Owners Declare That if
Country is Not Taken Now War
viii Surely Result.
DANGER IN ANOTHER TRIAL

| HAVANA, Cuba, December 26-Most Gu
bans believe Secretary Tafts account to
Congress OF his recent experience here as
peace commissioner is loaded. 1t is alto
| gether too truthful to suit the liberals, who
| thought they had impressed him with their
| fitness to govern the island, and wonder
how a diplomat can reveal things they
would not expect anybody else to believe.
| Its declaration that nobody in Cuba could
| be found fit to govern puzzles the moder
ates when they read Of the hope expressed
that the Cuban republic may be restored
upon even more permanent basis than
| that which she enjoyed during four years Of
prosperity under President Palma"
Its dominant note OF Cuban pretense and
Cuban incapacity convinces the great con-
| sentative class that own the property and
belong to neither party that both Mr. Taft
and MI Bacon were 30 impressed with the
childishness OF Cuhans as administrators
! that they are certain It would be utter
folly to expect Cubans to succeed in self
government. This, 1t Is claimed, shows out
clearly between the lines OF the report. This
view may be said to be shared by moder-
| ates and liberals as well and explains why
| the report generally is suspected of being
| charged with dynamite. 1t cannot be recon-
| ciled with President Roosevelts statement
| that he desires Ito establish peace and Or
| der in the island without deprtving 1t of its
| independence" The fact that he must al
ready see It is cannot go on an uncon-
| trolled republic is regarded established by the
| information Messrs. Taft and Bacon have
| given him. The conservatives cannot con-
| ceive how under the circumstances another
republic can be insisted upon IN good faith.
| The President warns Cubans that he will
| give them another chance in a published
cablegram to Mr.. Taft, in which he says,
II do not have much hope that with the ex-
l L. Inf1 =.
| surrection the people who grow discomfort
| ed with the new government will refrain
from insurrection and disturbance
| No Hope of Republic.
| No one in Cuba has the slightest hope of
| it. With the certainty Of ultimate American
control in the light of the Presidents knowl-
| edge, warning and fears the property
| owners of Cuba would like to have 1t come
I now to save their property from torch and
| bomb in a hopeless experiment, and the Sc
| rous Cuban people desire it ito establish
| peace and order in the island without de-
priving 1t of its independence" If it comes
later after the acknowledged expectation of
| failure in order to destroy all measure of
| that independence they will be sure the
| Taft report was loaded.
| They are quite ready now to make a bar
gain with the United States in control for
any form Of protectorate at Cuba's expense
| that will serve the common desire. OF
| course there might be some objection raised
| by a few disgruntled politicians who might
take to the woods with few Instruction
/ lists but their opposition would be mob
| fight to Gettysburg If the American troops
| came back to quell revolution against a
new republic. They would be invaders and
| every Cuban now in favor of partial indie
pendence would then fight to preserve its
| entirety.
Now is the time for Uncle Sam to make
| his bargain" said a prominent railroad man
| today. He can keep faith with the Cubans
and get control Of the island without blood
shed and great cost, which must come if he
| breaks faith and later tries to take the
| country because 1t cannot govern itself. We
\ all know 1t cannot. Taft, however. makes
T, it officially clear. This time we propose in
| vested capital shall have a word to say to
the American Congress About 971s per cent
| Of all property in Cuba Is owned by for
eigners. We can prove this. We are going
| to ask Congress If the other 21a per cent
and the irresponsible rabble pointed out by
Mr.. Taft shall conduct affairs to another in
| surrecticn, which both he and the President
conclude will come thereby and which can
| be avoided.
Congress, on the face Of material facts
| and the Taft report. VIII be asked to es-
| tablish protectorate at once and save us
| further loss through United States senti-
| mental nonsense about Cuban republic.
| constitution and all the trimmings for
| which any Cuban with dollar doesn't care
| a rap, but give 1t all to them to satisfy a
| handful Of politicians and the rabble, but
put here an American minister with the
veto power; American supervisors In the
various departments. troops to Jack them,
| If necessary, which it won't be after the
| first year; charge 1t all to Cuba, and the re-
suit will be cheap insurance for property
| owners. contentment for Cubans, and the
| end with honor of a troublesome and other
wise expensive question for the United
| States"
Think Taft Report LOADED"
Here is the view taken of the Taft re-
| port and outlook by La Discussion, a very
| conservative newspaper, which has favored
| a protectorate:
"And what does Roosevelt expect will.
happen in this new trial? Why. he thinks
that with the example Of such success In
one instruction those disconnected with
| the new government will get up another
And then, what will Roosevelt who has
given this victory to the insurgents and
| hand of our government shall be imposed,
| cost what 1t may in lives and property
What dark fate and what terrible pros
for our liberties. Are we, after fifty-six
years, about to be subjected to q war of
conquest and discrimination
The Telegraph has this to say: eff
President Roosevelt, as his dispatches un-
equivocally indicate thinks that the failure
Of the next republic Is all but certain, he
has no right to place the island with its
| other revolution such as that which recent
ly. according to his own testimony. would
have resulted SO seriously had not his
clever commissioners cajoled the insurgents
to lay down their arms. by granting them
things which he had not the slightest moral
right to grant"
Other. newspapers take much amuse-
ment out of the Taft report, particularly
the statement of Mr.. Taft that he found
15 900 insurgents in arms who agreed to
swap their arms for the horses they had
stolen. AS less than half that number OF
arms have been turned in, 1t Is concluded
there must be at least 5000 men still in
arms from whom Gov. Magoon should take
the purloined horses and return them to the
small farmer and ranchman who has been
deprived of them. They fear Mr.. Taft has
put the number OF insurgents he found
hfuh