The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-18

report practically all the correspondence
on the American Intervention in Cuba
from the time he and Assistant Secretary
of State Bacon went TO Havana as the
American peace commissioners until their
return to Washington. following the
establishment Of the provisional govern
ment Of Cuba. first with Mr.. Taft as gov
ernor. and then with Charles r Magoon
ia that position. Besides the report of
Mr.. Taft and Mr. Bacon TO the President,
all the kilograms and letters between
Havana and oyster BAY, with the excep-
ton Of a few sentences, in which ex-
preston of opinion as TO persons and
things was given in such way as 10
make it Unwise and imprudent to publish
them at this time in view Of the delicacy
of the position Of this government in
Cuba, are made public in the report. and
they form most complete chronological
history of events in Cuba.
The attitude Of every one, from Presi-
dent Roosevelt and his peace commission
ers down to unimportaut members of the
political factions, appear somewhere in
The correspondence, and Mr.. Taft unre-
servedly makes public all OF his impress
SONS and opinions of the Cuban situation
as it developed while lie was in HAVANA
The facts as set forth make II apparent
that the peace commission had thank
less task on its hands.
Some of the kilograms which were sent
back and forth between Havana and
oyster Bay are rather picturesque
One of First Cables to President.
In one dispatch, after telling Of the
failure TO effect a compromise. and evil
IDENTIFY with his patience and good humor
about exhausted. Mr. Taft cabled the
President at oyster Bay:
IN characteristic way however.
Palma and the Moderates viii now take
away their dolls and not play"
Secretary Tafts efforts in Cuba to
bring about an end to an impossible sit
uation eliminated on September Is. when
he cabled the President thar IL was hope
less to continue the negotiations and that
a provisional government should be at
once established. He vigorously urged
this course upon President Roosevelt, who
at first was averse to il, coming. as il
did, from Palma, who tried 70 force the
situation upon the United States. and
finally the President, who was then off
Provineetown with the Atlantic feet
watching the target practice, sent this
message:
All right; land forces and issue proc
lamation as suggested. in my name, but
If possible emphasize tine fact that you
are landing only at Palma's request and
because there is no government left. SO
that il is imperative to establish one, and
10 land forces to protect life and prop
erty.
Also tell them that the government
you form is only provisional and tempo
rary until the Cubans can form one for
themselves.
Il suppose you viii get the insurgents
TO dispense by telling them YOU viii carry
out substantially the agreement to which
they once before assented CThe agree
ment TO which the President refers was
made by Zayas. leader of the Liberals,
who said if provisional government
were established the insurgents would lay
down their arms)
Shivered at Consequences.
: In one of his messages TO Secretary
Taft the President said that. in his opin-
ion. it seemed at least doubtful. under tire
Plat amendment. whether the resignation
of the regular government would not
amount to substituting the insurrectionary
party as the government de f8cto. To this
Secretary Taft replied:
''rhe even remote possibility suggested
in your telegram of last night, that un-
der any possible hypothesis the Platt /
amendment may require the present in /
Surrectionary force to be treated as /
government de facto. makes NE shiver 1
at the consequences Then follows 4
Of
rectos as a force: 1T is not a govern /
meEt with any of its characteristics. but /
only an undisciplinsd horde Of men un- /
der partisan leaders
One Of President Roosevelt's first di- /
reCuOns 10 Secretary Taft was TO in !
stltute Investigations to see what Amer /
leans, If any, were furnishing funds 10 4
the rev0iutionists. Secretary Taft made
this investigation and found there were
practically TO contributions from Ame-i- /
cans except ia small sums from the /
Isle of Pines where there is large
American colony.
Taft and Bacon Found Chaos.
when Secretary Taft and Mr. Bacon
arrived in Havana they found most
chaotic state OF affairs The revoiu-
tionary forces had surrounded Havana
ana the city was at their mercy. Presi-
dent Palma had announced his irrevoca-
BILE determination TO resign. and the
government had practically already
fallen. The situation was made worse bv
the temD0rizing and selhshness. of the
various party leaders, both Moderate
ana Liberal and one after another sug-
gestions of compromises, coming not
only from Americans. but from the on
posed political factions themselves. failed
and the establishment Of the provisional
government was the only recourse.
Secretary Tafts investigator showed
very clearly that the elections were iue-
sal, and that the registration of voters
Wnlch began IN the first days OF October
under control Of the MOderates resulted
In total of 432, COO voters in the island
whereas by no possibility could the total
number Of voters exceed S00,000 and as
many OF the Liberals realizing that their
candidates had no chance, did not regis
ter the fraud involved amounted to an
Increase Of 10000 names.
Clean Elections Impossible.
unique explanation of this immense
fraud was given to Secretary Taft nv
Gen. Freyre Andrade, who said that If
was impossible 10 hold an election in Cuha
without fraud. and that the officers Of
registration. when they heard that the
Liberals were not going to register or
vote. merely out of a spirit Of mischief
had increased the registration list in this
generous manner"
The President repeatedly urged upon
Secretary Taft to avoid the use of the !
word Intervention" and 10 impress upon
the Cubans that the American occupation