Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-04

wage earners, who need our consideration
more. The hearts of the Cuban peasantry
are true They are generous, affeetionats.
tact but they cannot be driven and will
not be dictated to. They have ambition
and keener sense of pride than the
sitive to sights. Their cruelty and bar
barism and vices are the consequences of
their ignorance and the example OF the
Spaniards. The Spaniards are very poor
teachers of morals or civilization. For
centuries the common people of Cuba have
had the. worst instruction and the worst
example in the world. They have been
taught dishonesty, duplcity and deception
without encourag cement or even hope Of
better things, and they don't get very
much encouragement now
1.-The secret of the influence of the in
surrectos over them Is due to the promises
they make The liberals promise them
everything and they hope to get some
thing The moderates never promise them
anything and do nothing for them. Inc
Palma government was the perpetuatlon
of the old Spanish tradition. 1t did MOTH
ing for the poor people and, therefore,
could not expect their support. Inc con-
sentative element is thoroughly seihsn ah1
thinks only of the danger Of the loss OF
their property or the interruption OF their
business or fear lest their comfort be dis
turbed They do not consider the interests
of the masses. They count them as SO
many revoluton:sts and treat them &C
ccrdingly If the educated and wealthy
classes would do something for their de-
pendents they would not be exposed 10 SO
much danger.
Cause of Instruction.
"The revolutions in Cuba are due not. SO
much to political as to social causes. The
planters do nothing for their employees ex-
cept in rare cases They do not furnish
them homes or schools amusements or
encourage them to improve their condition,
but treat them like so many animals. Hence
there are no attachments such as used TO
exist in slave times, no confidence or 10y
atty as existed under the feudal system,
and no obligation from one to the other. NJ
the employer recognizes no responsibility
to look out for the interests of his employees,
he cannot expect the emplOye to feel
deep sense of obligation toward his master.
On the contrary. there is usually resent
ment, and a sense of injury very easily de-
velCps into malice. Hence the torch in the
cane fields and the readiness of the Hitter
ate negroes to go on. raid. They recog-
nize that the planters have grown rich from
their labor and have gainSd everything
while they have gained nothing. They feel
sense of injustice and oppression. They
have the same emotions that prompted the
theories of the socialists of Europe. and,
therefore. are always ready raw material
for revolution.
They get small pay-one dollar dol
lar and half day for twelve hours back
breaking work in the cane fields for seven
months in the year. The rest of the year
they are idle with a propensity to gam
bling. mischief and adventure. They love
excitement; they love action they love to
be going somewhere and doing something,
and insurrection gratifies this craving.
Therefore, they are a dangerous class. and
them to think and to learn and induce the
planters to treat them decently, there would
be no Instructions; there would be no need
for the rural guard. Even now among these
nOlettprel cOlOrpl | often fOnn0
intelligent minds, common sense and gen.
uine patriotism.
Have you any suggestions to make as to
the duty of the United States government
in CuDa?"
Duty of America.
Il have not been asked to make any
suggestions, although Secretary Taft was
kind enough to consult me when he was
here. l have no hesitation in saying that
We ought to exercise a paternal control
over Cuba until the people of the island
can be educated for self-governmen l
would maintain American authority indefi-
nitely; introduce American ideas and meth
DDS; organize thorough primary educa-
tonal system with means for training
competent and conscientious teachers. We
can thus prepare the next generation for
the responsibilities of self-government and
at the same time respond to the warnings
of the masses of the people for knowledge
President Palmas assertion that the Gu
bans We're given self-government genera
ton TOO soon is strictly true and it covers
the case. Nothing else need be said to de-
scribe the situation. They have never had
any experience in Self-government: they
don't know what government is; they have
a theoretical appreciation of the value of
liberty and free Institutions. but have never
had any practice. The blind are trying to
DIlnd. he
prised If they fall into the ditch There is
no profession so difficult to practice as pol
itics, and the leaders of the political par
ties here have distorted ideas CT their du-
ties. their privileges and their obligations
They have never been taught anything:
they have never had any experience Their
vices are unrestrained and both the teaching
and the practice of virtue are lacking We
should give them instruction and example
We should teach them integrity OF charac-
ter honesty of purpose; an unselish regard
for the public welfare; sense of self-re-
spect and the duties of patriotism which
are the foundations of all good govern
ment, befare We can expect them to govern
themselves