Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-10-05
PROVISIONAL
GOVERNMENT
TAFT HAS TAKEN CHARGE OF
CUBAN AFFAIRS.
AGREE TO LAY DOWN ARMS
General Satisfaction all Over the Is
land is Felt Though it is Hoped
Full Sovereignty of the Republic
Will be Restored.

Havana American provisiona
government assumed possession of Gu
Ia when Secretary Of War Taft IS pro-
,lamation declaring himself provision
al governor of the island was formally
issued. The proclamation was pub
lished in the official Gazette, and thou
sands of printed copies of the docu-
ment were distributed in Havana and
elsewhere.
The erms Of The proclamation caus-
ad general satisfaction.
The city is quiet, and the only
American forces now here consist Of
those guarding the treasury.
With far less ostentation than ac-
companies the birth of a municipal ad-
ministration, the government was
formally taken over by William H.
Taft, secretary of war of the United
States, who, in kindly and diplomat
ic tone indicative of the policy he
would pursue, declared himself pro-
visional governor Of the island.
Promptly at noon Governor Taft,
Assistant Secretary Of State Bacon
and Captain Mccoy, Governor Taft's
aide de camp, called officially at the
palace and paid their respects to the
retiring president.
Ignoring President Palma s message
to congress on Friday, in which he
wrongly interpreted the mission Of the
American mediators, Governor Taft
spoke kindly to Senor Palma, to whom
ne said the people of Cuba owed an
lnquestionable debt of gratitude.
President Palma's brief reply was
devoted entirely to an expression of
'ehef for the opportunity of shifting
he burden of guiding the tempestu-
ous republic to the efforts of a nation
strong enough to en- 1,rce the control
IF it.
The fact that the government chang
ID hands from a position of absolute
independence to the restraint Of a
temporary protectorate was received
oy the masses with utter Indifference.
Nest of the refined and thoughtful
Cnbans, While they feel a certain SEN
,itiyeness over the loss Of the island s
sovereignty, gre inclined 10 hope that
The United States protectorate will
De brief.
Governor Taft, with true apprecia-
ion Of the sensitiveness of the Cuban
people, was careful in taking up his
new duties and abstained from any
act that might have been construed
by them as humiliating His decision
aot to lower the flag of the republic
was taken on his own responsibility,
Is Friday night he was unable to get
into communication with President
Roosevelt because of a defect in the
wireless apparatus Of the vessel on
which the prosedinet was proceeding
to Provincetown, Mass. He felt GER
tain, however, that President Roose-
velt's friendship for Cuba would
prompt him to approve this act of
courtesy to the broken republic.
Cool breezes and clear blue skies
were the weather conditions, harmo-
monious to the general aspect, ac-
companying the turning over Of the
government Of Cuba. The bright at
mospheric conditions after a week Of
drenching rain was in consonance with
the relief everywhere manifest over
what is regarded as the end of the
strife in Cuba. Cuban government
politicians are not as much In evidence
today but even among them express
Sions Of satisfaction were common over
the fact. All express implicit faith
and confidence in the good faith of the
United States and while none venture
to predict the length of time it will
continue, this class has more or less
hope that the full sovereignty of the
republic eventually will be restored.
1t is different with the business ele-
ments. Mrchants, bankers and plan
ters of all nationalities are enthu-
siastically glad to welcome American
government; but all are asking the
same question, namely, "whether it
will be permanent. "
Secretary Taft went in an automo-
bile to the palace at noon. His going
was practically unnoticed, no crowd
gathered and the incident passed
quietly. On his arrival Mr.. Taft was
greeted by Mr.. Bell, the president s
SECRETARY, and was ushered into the
president private Office. Formal
greetings were exchanged. Mr.. Taft
highly complimented Senior Palma on
The progress in Cuba's development
under mis- administration. He said
to Senor Palma that his course in re-
OiI pvrI0doJ