The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-04
Cubans to Try seIr-GOTernment
Again.

Again.
On Tuesday, October ?, President
ROOSEVELT definitely announced, what
might have been inferred from Secre-'
tary TAFT's proclamation, that the
Cubans are to have n more emporium
fly of proving their capacity for self
rule. 1t follows that as o AZ peace
and order have been reestablished in the
island a new general election for Presi-
dent and Vice. President Of Cuba and
for half of the members of the Cuban
.Congress-the other. half are FOLLOWERS
from the election before the last-will
lake place, and as soon "a the new Gov
eminent shall have been inaugurated the
island will be evacuated by the American
forces.
Many foreign onlookers have advised
a different course. Some of these ad-
visers are doubtless disinterested; others,
it is possible, are not unconscious Of
the, fact that should their counsel be
Followed our chance Of competing with
Europeans for the trade of Latin Amer
lea would be diminished, if not extin-
guished. If we should seize the very
first occasion offered by an outbreak of
civil war in Cuba 10 take for granted
the total unfftness of Cubans for self
government. and to put a summary end
10 the independence of the island, il
might prove difficult, if not impossible,
Ito convince Latin Americans that there
lis a solid lbESis for the assurances
given them by Secretary Roof, assur-
.aAces which otherwise would unQues-
.tlonably have been accepted. There
ia no doubt that Mr.. RoOT's mission to
iSouth America was emlnently successful
in the sense Of instillinG more confidence
in the intentions of the United States
than has been felt by Latin Americans
since the PRONUNCIATION Of the Monroe
Doctrine. 1t was an example of the
irony of fate that Just as o work SO
fraught with wisdom and ~-beneficenoe
was on the point of completion, the in
surrection in Cuba against the Palma
Government, and the resultant necessity
of American Intervention, should have
threatened it with shipwreck.
As a matter offsQpAheEWePt achieYe7
lment wrought by the Secretary Of State
will suffer no Impairment from our inter
position in Cuba, now that the purpose
and duration thereof are defined by
President ROOSEVELT himself. On the
contrary, the Federal Government, by its
upright and unselfsh method Of treating
the Cuban uprising, will have afforded a
convincing proof that Mr.. RooT's decla-
ration of his cOuntry's attitude toward
Latin American republics was absolutely
truthful in the spirit a well as in the
lister. For, as well informed observers
III Santiago, Buenps 4yres and Monte
video well know, we should not lack
plausible grounds for prolonging our
occupation of Cuba for an indefinite
. bestod. They know that there exists in
Cuba a grave racial problem with which
the native whites. If left to themselves,
might find it difficult to cope, and which
they could scarcely hope TO solve with
bit vbloodshed and devastation. They
know that the rights of property are far
from being IN well safeguarded under
the Cuban Constitution as they are under
the Constitution of Chile, but that on
LUE NDElAI dIJ NAC OWItNl VI dN as II
ffths Of the sugar plantations and three
fourths 81 the capital invested in rail-
ways, manufactures and commerce are
Spaniards or other foreigners who are
not permitted TO vote at the Cuban
elections which determine the men who
are to make and administer the avs that
they must obey. ~.
~ ill ..,,al tsnA Al,-,~ Lk-o Ill
Latin Americans will have heard of the
movement, which has been already
started among foreign residents in Cuba
and which is likely 20 acquire great
momentum, for the establishment OF 4
"Good Government League" the purpose
of which is to demand tho right TO be
heard at the ballot box On n preliminary
iHq0iry concerning the future govern,
ment Of Cuba. We are told that the
league, after property owning foreigner
of a years residence shall have beer
qualified to vote, will ask that the thre'
following questions be submitted to the
Cuban people: Flst, shall Cuba continue
under native rule2 Shall it become ar
American dependency, like Porto Rico,
Or Bliul " DE afhneNed 70 the JnlCeC
States? When we remember that tbs
Cuban electors never had a chance Of
voting on the existing Constitution o
Cuba we c~annotfeel sure that the foreign
residents, if Invested with the suffrage
might not exert influence enough to so
cure Pr affirmative answer TO one of the
TWO last named questions, For whether
tuba should assume the status of a Stat
or Of a Territory in the Union, or that o
Porto Rico, il would in any event enjoy
! the invaluable boon Of free trade will
; the United States.
We have run over the specious ground,
on which might be based a resolve I,
/ put an abrupt or a gradual end TO CubaI
independence, in order that our Latin
American friends may see the full scop,
and nature Of the temptation hat will
be steadfastly resisted. The considera-
tons which we have enumerated will
not lose, but gain, weight If the Cubans
once more treated with the utmost for