Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-04-14
The CUBA PROGRAM.

THE CUBA PROGRAM.
Secretary Tafts confidence in the
ability OF the people of Cuba to prop.
erly govern themselves when Janu.
airy l. 1909, shall have arrived, and
to maintain peace and order thcreaf.
ter throughout the island, is not gen
orally shared here In the United
States. On the contrary, there is
very general conviction that It will
take whole generation or two of
educational, political and Industrial
development to bring Cuba into
condition "ft" for self.government.
The semi-official announcement
from Havana is that our governments
plans there, in general way, com.
prehend tho taking OF n complete
census Of the island-a work of prob.
ably six months or more; then, the
ordering of municipal elections for
next November; II these arc conduct
ed in an orderly way and result sat.
islactorily us far as submitting to
the Will OF the majority OF the pro.
toctorato goes, then the election of a
president of the republic will be or.
dered for some time in the summer
of 1908, and finally, II this election
turns out well and the country set.
ties down to a peaceful condition or
self.government, the United States
will withdraw its military and naval
forces on January 1, 1909.
There are good many Ifs" in the
way of smooth carrying out of this
program. Still the Latin.American
nature hath fair outside" and
is easy to believe that any set OF
political intriguers in Cuba might I'm.
press our government with it's staDil-
lily MS an organized party and it's good
intentions as constituting n duly-elecr.
ed government and then, within year
have tho Queen of the Antilles in
turmoil of revolution again.
The former president of Cornell I'm
iversity and more recently our Amer.
lean ambassador to Germany, Doctor
Andrew D. White. has just returned
from CUBA and expresses himself as
more than ever impressed, with the
utter incapacity of the mixed races
In the equatorial Spanish regions 70
govern themselves. He has no doubt
noted n prevalent feeling here in the
United States that. if Cuba were TO
be given another trial at selfgovern.
ment and should again fail, then the
| annexation of the island to this coun.
try would be the only logical step to
follow. He meets this suggestion
conservatively and forcihly 81 am
In favor" he says of setting up the
Cuban government not only this time
but again and again, seventy times II
necessary, soner than making 1t n
partner OF our national system. Ana
for this reason must confess
great dread Of seeing what would
really be great negro state, utterly
Incapable of self-government, mace
| part of our system, with at least
two senator's and several representa-
tives at Washington 10 take part In
4
electing President and in govern
ing the American nation Everything
saw in Cuba strengthens my com
yiction that Cuba as a state would be
curse to us; simply a vast rotten
borough, with small number OF
wealthy capitalists, in the midst OF
an expansive negro population utterly
incompetent to government themseiy-
es, to say nothing of aiding to gov.
ern the United States"
| A greater political curse cannot be
imagined On tho other hand, no.
body can contemplate with serenity
long series Of American interven-
tions in Cuba with alternating triai,
Mt self.government by her people. Bet
ter continue the presen; American
occupation for two years longer. or
for twenty II necessary, than to in
vite another failure at self-goyern-
ment to be followed by another inter-
vention. What is needed for the In.
dustrial, commercial and political de.
velopment OF Cuba is certainty as 10
the f'iture. American occupation
holds out certainty of peace, order,
good government American evacua.
ton now or ton years hence could