Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-23
|CUbA IN NEED OF REST
Rafael Montoro Discusses Con-
ditions in the Island.
DESIRE OF CONSERVATIVES
Oppose Premature Withdrawal of the
Americans.
MISTAKE WAS MADE IN 1902
Favors Relations With This Country
Similar to Those Between Egypt
and England.
DESIRE OF CONSERVATIVES
MISTAKE WAS MADE IN 1902
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.

WILLIAM Clh1lS.
Special Correspondence The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
HAVANA. March 1s, 1907.
| There Is no ADLER man in all Latin Amer
| lea than Rafael Montoro. and in learning,
ability, oratory and mannerisms he will
| remind you Of Roscoe Conkling. He is
| one Of the most highly respected and emf
| nent men of Cuba. He represented the
| island in the cortes at Madrid during Span
| ish domination, is now envoy extraordinary
| of the Cuban republic to Great Britain, and
| was a delegate to the third international
American conference at Rio de Janeiro
| in 1905. Mr.. Montoro speaks from mature
experience. a thorough knowledge Of the
situation. and complete understanding of
the character and intentions of his fellow
countrymen when he says that the gov
| eminent of the United States will make
| a great mistake If 1t withdraws the army
and the provisional officials too soon. as 1t
did in 1902
What Cuba needs most" said Mr.. Monto-
70, is the rest cure. What she needs
most is quiet and an opportunity to recover
! from the nervous excitement caused by
! the recent revolution. The best way to
secure that is to continue the present gov
| eminent Indefinitely. That will give the
/ people chance to settle down, to resume
| their former occupations. get many excited
| people in the habit of earning living out
side of party politics, and teach them the
advantage Of peace and good govern
| ment.
Widespread Apprehension.
There is a widespread apprehension lest
| the Americans withdraw before the proper
time, as they did before, leaving the coun-
| try to the mercy of the extremists, who
frequently indulge in menaces and threats.
They have thus frightened the planters
and business men in the country. particu-
| larly foreigners and Cuban land owners
| In Havana they are not SO easily fright
ened; the people are not so much exposed
to the disorderly elements and can be more
| easily protected"
DO you think there Is any dangerT'
Perhaps SO, If the United States with
draws too soon. When you were down
| here some years ago I told you that the
! Americans were Withdrawing before We
were prepared to govern ourselves, and
| I fear they will repeat the mistake. 1t
| is better that the Intervention should con-
| tinue too long than not long enough, and
it should last long enough for the country
to recover its tranquility. and to enable
the several political parties to organize
themselves thoroughly, SO as to bring out
the actual public sentiment when an cleo
ton is held Public sentiment in Cuba Is,
of course, for peace and order and will so
express itself If it is permitted to do SO,
but many people are afraid to speak their
minds. A very small portion Of the pop
fairs. Politics here is limited to small
| number of men. and only small part of
them are revolutionists. The great masses
of the people OF all parties and all classes
are in favor of law and order 1t is only
| the agtators and their immediate followers
! who get up revolutions. and they are now
| making much more noise than they are
entitled to for their numbers
Agitators Have Little at Stake.
Are the men who organize these revolu-
| tionary movements taxpayers and property
| owners?"
Few Of them. A small proportion Of the
| masses of the liberal party are taxpayers
and very small proportion Of that party
are revolutionists at heart, but they are
! dragged into inSurrectionary attitudes by
| certain leaders. If the statu quo should re-
| main for a time these deluded citizens
| would soon get tired Of politics and return
| to their private circle and settle down. In
| 1902 the thinking men of the island warned
| Gen. Wood and other Americans that they
| were leaving us to ourselves too soon. and
we hope that the President will listen to
| their advice this time and not repeat that
mistake. Surely your people in the United
States have nothing at stake, but we have
everything at stake.
"Have you taken any measures to express
| your views to President Roosevelt?'
The Conservative Elements.
Not yet, but in due time the conservative
elements will endeavor to convince him
that hasty action is dangerous. We are now
organizing into a party the men who favor
a dependence upon the American govern
| ment for the protection Of lives and prop
erty. We already have a very strong
| nucleus of men of property and influence.
They are business and professional men,
planters and men Of large affairs. We have
no foreigners in our organization, although
we count on their support. They are more
deeply interested in the continuance of
peace and good order than any other por-
ton of the community, but are reluctant to
take an active part for fear of the resent
ment of the politicians. The opinion OF
business men is unanimous, and We will
try to get a complete and candid expression.
The reason business men do not take more
active part in Cuban politics is because they
are not used to 1t. In Spanish times they
had very little opportunity to do so; 1t was
usually advisable for them to keep In the
background. The government was every
thing and did everything and the people
had, except in few instances, little to
say And since independence they have
continued in the same habits and have left
the political affairs Of the island to those
who have a taste for such things and not
much else to do. 1t would doubtless be
much better for If the business element
would assume their proper share of the re-
sponsbilities and the activities of politics,
and it is one of the aspirations Of our party
to interest them and bring them in to such
activity"
Present Government satisfactory.
rs the present provisional government
satisfactory
Yes. 1t is giving satisfaction to every
one who is not a candidate for office, or is
not misinformed to every one who desires
the peace and tranquility of the island; to
all of the business interests; to the property
owners. and the taxpayers. Governor Ma
COON has great many critics and 1t is i'm
possible for him, as 1t would be impossible
for any other man, however able and wise,
to please everybody. His duties are very
difficult and delicate, but he has shown re-
markable tact, patience and sympathy, and
is beginning to understand the people. He
is trying to be impartial and although we
may think he leans too much toward the
other side, am sure the other side thinks
1t quite as certain that he leans too much
toward US. We must give him credit for
judicial attitude and a conciliatory DISPOSE
ton. The opinion is general. also. that the
other Americans acting as supervisors in
our executive departments are making a
very satisfactory administration l come
more in contact with Col. Crowder than
with the rest see great deal of him.
He is a very able lawyer and conscien-
tious man."