The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-02-25
LAST CHANCE FOR
CUBA TO Be FREE
UNLESS TROUBLE ENDS AT THE
ELECTION THE Y. s. WILL
INTERVENE.
PLOT TO ANNEX AFOOT
Among Business Men Who Want Re-
public to Come Into the Union
as a Full Pledged State at
the start.

Chicago, Feb, PA special dis
patch to the Tribune from Washing
ton follows:
Before congress NETS again Cubs
viii have an independent Representa-
tive government This policy hai
been positively de-, ided upon by the
administration-at least so far as tn,
foim of government is concerned
The question Of time rests with the
Cpbans themselves. All efforts to in
dncc President Roosevelt to agree tc
any form of compromise by the es
tablshment of protectorate or any
other intermediate form Of govern
ment have proved failures.
When Secretary Taft went to Cuba
last fall he bore a message from
president Roosevelt It was in the
form of an assurance to all Cubana
that the intervention by the United
States at tlat time was in no sense
10 be construed as even the first ster
toward annexation. Secretary Taft
pledged the United States govern,
ment, acting by the authority OF
President Roosevelt, to give the Gu
bans an independent government of
their own, free from the domination
of outside influences and responsible
TO the United States only to the ex-
tent of the pledge contained in the
Plat amendment as ii was written
into the constitution Of the republic
Of Cuba.
United States Pledge TO Be Kept.
That pledge is to be kept sacredly
by the American government. No
protectorate will be established under
any consideration. An Independent
republican form Of government will
he set up just as soon as the neces-
sa5y laws can be passed to insure the
Fl eedom of the ballot. every soldier
Of the United States will be with
drawn, and the Chbaas will be given
a fair chance TO go 1t alone"
American mine owners, sugar plant
ers. and others having interests in the
island have been opposing the with
drawal OF the American troops Some
OF these interests have gone so far
create trouble. with the idea that
President Roosevelt will be forced to
keep his troops in the island 10 pre-
serve order. All of these plots are
merely deferrng the establishment
Of an independent government and
deferring. as well. the final annexa-
tion Of Cuba by the United States If
that must come.
SO far as the policy of President
Roosevelt is concerned, as | am ia-
formed on the highest authority, II is
unalterable. The pledge sent TO the
Cubans through Secretary Taft will
be fulfilled in letter and in spirit. The
independent Cuban government must
come first. Not until the government
has proved a failure will the United
States even consider the prospect OF
annexation.
cubans Must Behave Themselves.
The Cubans have been promised an
ather chance. If they behave them
selves, the United States will keep it,
hands off and will keep other nations
hands off as we'll If they fail to be
have. If for the second time Cuban
government falls to the
ground the United States will not in
tervcne temporarily. The next time
American troops 20 TO Cuba they will
go to stay.
Practically the only obstacle in the |
way of the establishment Of a new
Cuban republic IL the spirit of fer
ment and distru among the Cubans |
themselves. \ number of them al |
ready have begun to call upon the |
American authorities TO leave the |
island They have made threats of |
revolution. ana the present conditions
in some of the provinces are far from |
on this account.
Until the island is completely paci. |
fed 1t will be impossible for the |
TO take the frEt steps to-
ward the establishment of me-
government As the foundation Of
in the election Of a presi-
lent and cong ess. there must neces-
sarily be an election which the peo-
pie themselves will admit 10 be fair.
It would not do for American cleo
ion Officers or American soldiers to
.BpeTvise the election. Every par
icle Of the machinery must be run
by Cuban ci izens.
Elections TO Be ssfeeUarded.
The regulations prescribing the
method Of holding the election will be
ormUlsted by the provisional govern
nent established by Secretary Taft.
The execution of these regulations
must be intrusfe ed into the hands OF
The Cubans. The problem which is
row before the secretary fow ar is to
zee that the regulations are so framed
hat the win be executed almost su-
under Cuban supervision.