West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-10-11
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
The CUbanS Soon Tired Of Peace
and Have Been Kicking Up
Another Row.
semO OF the Workings OF the New
Railroad Rate Law,

before the rebels have been disarmed
and satisfactory government shall
be established. The selection Of
new Governor, namely Governor
Magoon recently from Panama, is
practically assured, and there will
be some sort OF temporary organi-
cation at Havana on which the
present regime in Cuba may limp
along for while. IL would be
bad politics for the government to
admit its desire 10 gobble the island
just at this stage of the game, but
there is very little question that it
will ultimSsely come TO this and
that long course of bandit hunt
ing through the hills will give suffici-
ent excuse for the ultimate annex
alton of the island on the plea of
necessity for its permanent pacif-
cation The situation at Guam.
tanamo, according to all accounts,
is very precarious. This is the
point of all others in Southeastern
Cuba where the United States has
large coaling station and presuma.
bly, agood fighting organization.
1t will be recalled that Guantanamo
was the first spot on the island
where the American flag was raised
during the Spanish American war.
1t was here that the United States
marines, from the transport Panther
marched inland and fought the
battle of Cusco Mountain for which
they have never been given due
credit in history, and which marked
the first serious clash of American
and Spanish authority in Cuba.
After the Guantanamo Bay was
leased to the United States as a
coaling station and is one of the
very valuable assets which the
United States acquired in Cuba as
a result OF the war. That the most
| serious trouble In disarming the
rebels should break out particularly
IN this region is a rather sad com
mentarv on the diplomatic work of
the peace commissioners who have
been sent to Havana.
In all probability only a portion
of the rebels now IN arms will take
to the hills, but to any one who
knows the topography of Cuba,
there are all sorts of possibilities in
a bandit war which has the island
as theatre. Every one realized
what the Ladrone campaign cost in
the PHILIPPINES and how long the
natives were able to keep it up
almost unaided from the outside.
The probabilities are that the United
States will be against just such a
game in Cuba, and the ultimate re-
suit is likely to be that the island
Will pass into American hands on
the tolerably reasonable plea that
permanent American occupancy is
the only thing to keek it pacifed.
Just how much the railroads rel
ish the new rate law is indicated by
the stand that they have taken on
the subject of return trip tickets for
government employees who want TO
go home to vote. There are over
$4,000 such employees in Washing.
ton alone, and the majority Of them
are men. They also belong 10
the party in power, and In
spite of the fact that one or two
votes IN a county seems very
small number about which TO be
anxious, there is feyerish efforts
every year to send the voters home
at the smallest possible expense so
that their ballets may help to keep
the administration in place. The
railroads this year have been by no
m ans complscent. Heretofore
| they have agreed 20 qend ,,o,a,-