The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-20
Cuba.

Will md his work cnJ OUT LOT MIN III
Havana. The notion that the Palma
Administration and the insurgents would
manage to arrange a permanent peace
in advance Of the American commits
sion's arrival was obviously chimerical.
The Moderates, as PALMA's supporters
are termed, are clinging desperately to
the posts they occupy, and their Liberal
opponents are no less firmly resolved to
partake Of the official spoils. Neither Of
the so-calied political parties seems :
care q jot about the main props OF Cuba's
prosperity, the sugar and tobacco
crops, which are threatened with imme-
date ruin. Under the circumstances
IL il easy to forecast what decision
Judge TAFT will render after listening
patiently to both sides. He will say
to them all: Get to work first; and
afterward get togetheri Lay down
your arms. Restore peace everywhere
and instantly. Give the sugar and to-
bacco planters a chance to harvest their
crops. Business first, politics after
ward. BY the time the islands chief
products have been garnered you should
be able to come to an agreement that
will not only be fair to both Moderates
and Liberals, but will also be lasting.
The United States has something else
10 do besides intervening in Cuba every
year or two. We have no desire to stay
In your island; but if you don't want u
there don't compel us to visit you too
often"
There is the Cuban problem in
{ nutshell. No far sighted American
wants to annex Cuba, ever IL, in view
of the s~elf-denying declaration made
by Congress in April, 1893, we were at
liberty to do so without offering any ex-
PLANTATION. 1t is certain that the pro-
ducers of our home grown sugar and
tobacco do not wish to see the rival or
superior products Of the island admitted
TO our ports duty free. For strategic
urposes the Federal Government only
needs in Cuba a couple Of naval stations;
and it has got them. II, against the in
terests Of many Of our people and against
the will Of the Roosevelt Administra-
ton, we are driven to n the island,
it should and will be distinctly under
stood by all fair minded onlookers in
Europe and Latin America that our
Government has yielded only to the
irresistible pressure Of public duty
duty TO our own citizens who may hap
pen to reside in the Hsland, and whose
lives and property the United States is
bound to protect; duty to the subjects
of Spain and other European Powers,
whose lives and property we pledged
ourselves by the Treaty Of Paris to
shield from aggression at the hands OF
Cubans; duty, finally, to the funda-
mental and vital industries Of Cuba her
self. Those duties have got to be full
filed, and il fulflment shall be found
impracticable so long as Cuba retains
full Independence we shall most reluc-
tantlv be forced to see what can be done
for her as a Territory or State in the
Union.
The Cuban politicians on both sides,
In their squabbles about offices, seem to
have lost sight entirely OF their country's
welfare, which they profess to have at
heart. They have been acting on the
assumption that the islands agriculture
and commerce can be held up for an in
definite period while they are haggine
over a division Of the proceeds Of taxa
ton. They cannot see that II their work
of molestation and devastation goes or
much longer there will be nothing tc
divide. The only men in Cuba who seem
TO have sense enough to look ahead anc
recognize into what a gulf OF desolatior
and restitution they are being sweep
bv the so-called revolution are the mel
who produce things and do things-tht
land owners, land %tillers, crop movers
manufacturers and merchants. There
ia scarcely one intelligent member OF the
producing mass of the Cuban people WHIT
would not cheerfully see the whole ganC
Of professional politicians, whether they
. label themselves Moderates or Liberals
drowned In the Caribbean. The rea
workers are sick / death Of being OBJ
structed, harassed and robbed by a 10
of drones, parasites and hooters, mask
ing themselves as statesmen, patrioti
and liberators. Peace, order, a chanc'
TO labor unimpeded: that IL all the rea
workers want and al they ask US 10 Civ
them.
Secretary TAFT would find his tasl
extremely difficult, II not utterly imprac
ticable, II he conceived 1t to be his Who'll
duty or his prime duty to bring abou
q reooncilement Of tho political outs
and "ins." As there are not Office
enough TO 60 around, nor salaries ia
enough to slake their appetites, the fel
lows whose sole vocation IL Office holdini
or of1ce seeking cannot easily be ap
peased for q brief period, and by no pos
ability can be kept satisfied long. Som
trouble there viii always be In Cub
until the leeches engendered by genera
tons Of misgovernment are stamped Of
the face Of tho island. They can b
frightened, however, into giving tn
workers breathing space In which to ODE.
the Instinct Of self-preservation by get
ting In their crops. They can be fright
ened by the warning that there h q limi
70 our patience and f~orbearance; tia