Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-03-25
CUBAN PEACE SAVED
BY AMERICAS ACT.
BY William r. Curtis. Correspondent,
OF Chicago Record-Herald.


BY william p. Curtis. Correspondent
Of Chicago Record-Herald.
Havana, Mar. Son the 29th OF
September, 1905. q provisional govern
meat was established In Cuba by the
Unitsd States under authority con-
ferred By what IL known as the Platt
amendment to the resolutions of con-
gress recognizing the Independence OF
the island. and confirmed by treaty.
This amendment gives the United
States the right to intervene at any
time to preserve peace.
On the Sth OF September preceding
the secretary OF state received a cable
gram from Mr.. Steinhart. who has
been consul general for the United
States at Havana since independence,
and was there prior during the mill
tary occupation. saying that President
Palma urgently requested President
Roosevelt to send naval force to
Cuba because his government was not
able to Quell a rebellion that had
broken out, and could not protect life
and property.
In Mr.. Roots absence Assistant Sec
rotary Bacon replied that president
Palma should be informed that In pub
lie opinion here It would have most
damaging effect for Intervention to
be undertaken until the Cuban gov
eminent has exhausted every effort
In q serious attempt to put down the
insurrection and made that fact evi
dent to the world"
Mr.. Steinhart replied that this mat
ter had already been considered. and
that President Palma asked the shipf
to givo security to foreigners In the
island while he was doing as much as
he could to put. down the insurrection
This correspondence continued fol
several days, Mr.. Bacon endeavorine
to convince the Cuban government
that "it 10 better for them to ant
some other way to settle their Difficult
ties, Irrespective OF personalities, tt
cease their contentious and live ir
peace" Finally, on the 18th of tht
month. Mr.. Seinhart telegraphed tha
the revolution could not be overcome
and that President Palma had IRE
vocalby resolved to resign and to de
liver the government over to the rep
resentatives of the United States ir
order to save his country from com
plets anarchy.
On the 14th Of September President
Roosevelt addressed a letter to Mr.
Quesada, the Cuban minister in Wash
inkton, which was intended for the
Cuban people. In 1t he described the
dreadful disaster imminent in Cuba
and pointed out the only way in which
Cuban independence could be endan
Bered was for the people OF that Is
land to show their inability to con
Time in the path OF peaceful and or
dinary progresses. He solemnly adjured
all patriotic Cubans to band together
to sink tho personal differences and
ambitions and rescue the island from
tho dangers OF civil war. He called
attention to the fact that the treaty
made II the duty of the United States
to intervene whenever property and
individual life and liberty were not
considered safe. "That treaty" he
said, "is the law Of the land. and !
viii execute 1t. most earnestly hope
that there will be no necessity for In
tervention, and I have profound faith
that you will be able to settle things
for I think that the Cubans of both
sides have been a good deal impress
Cd by the notice Of what will come
to them II they do not quit quarrel
Ing"
In response to this appeal, President
Palma renewed his request for inter.
vention. and two days later Secretary
Taft and Assistant Secretary Bacon
started for Havana to look into the
situation. They arrived there Sep.
tsmber 10, and Immediately proceeded
to have daily conferences with Presi-
dent Palma, with Senior Mendez Ca.
pote. the head OF the moderate party
and Alfredo zayas. the head of the
liberal party. and other leaders on
both sides. They caused 1t to be
known through the newspapers and
otherwise that they were anxious to
consult prominent men of all national.
tiles and political opinions in order
fntelligently to recommend to the
president what ought to be done.
These conferences continued for
several days. while $4,000 rebels, un-
der the leaders OF the liberal party,
organized for the overthrow of the
moderate administration, were en-
camped around Havana prepared to
attack that city. President Palma's
government was helpless. 1t was thor
oughly demolalized and without moral
support or sympathy outside of the
city. And indeed. 1t had very little
support In Havana or elsewhere. The
government forces were limited to 600
artillery and 5000 rural guards. scat