The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-03-28
MAY END IN PROTECTORATE
Dark Picture of the Condition in
Cuba.

Washington Especially THAT the
regime of the United States in Cuba
will continue for many months:
That at the municipal elections.
to be held probably in June. the
propertyholders will refuse to vote:
That the low and vicious elements
of the population will thus secure
the Offices:
That diplomatic representations
will then be made TO the United
State by England, France, Germany
and Spain; that they will look to
this country for damages in case OF
destruction of their property In the
| island:
That the situation will compel the
| United States to announce protec'
torate over Cuba.
Such is the tenor of private ad-
vices received here from the Pearl
of the Antilles; and It can be stated
that they are largely corroborated by
information from official sources now
in possession of the Washington ad-
ministration.
1t is pointed out that in Cuba the
conservative propertyholding class
is in a helpless minority. Fully 80
per cent. of the vote population own
little more than the clothes they walk
in-perhaps machete, less frequent
ly horse or a mule. They are the
kind that for SO to s5 are ready to
take to the woods and start "revo-
luton"
This is the element which will
win when the elections are held, and
1t is said to be quite possible that a
negro may be elected mayor of Ha-
wanna.
The propertyholders purpose to
take no part in the elections, for the
purpose of affording the United
States an object-lesson as to the
character of the men who will get
the Offices in case the program is fol-
lowed of giving the Cuban people
another opportunity under present
laws of establishing a Republican
government of their own. They feel
reasonably safe in doing this, know
ing that Governor M.agoon has the
right and power to remove any NUM-
cipal officer who misbehaves.
But they expect the most effective
result of the election of the low
element of the island to the muni-
cipal offices will be the creation of
uneasineEs and alarm in the minds
of foreigners who have large invest
ments In the island as to what will
be the result II the elections are con-
tinued and the Congress and presi-
decy should fall into the hands of
the same class.
Citizens of Great Britain have, it
is said, at least 100000 invest
ed in Cuba. OF this about S50,000,-
600 is in the Cuban railways, $30,-
100000 In sugar and $20,000,000 in
tobacco.
German citizens have about $40,-
100000 invested in sugar and tobac-
CO, and Frenchmen have about $10,-
0e0, 900 in the same industries.
Spain owns practically two-thirds
of the landed interests of the island,
more than half of the city of Ha-
vana and still retains the largest part
of the commercial and trading inter-
ests. American citizens have in
vestments OF all kinds running up
to at least 1925, 100000.
These figures are declared to be
well within the mark, and it is
claimed that all of these investments,
which are the backbone of Cuban
trade and prosperity, will be inn
periled by the access to power of
those agitators and radical leaders
who rely upon the riff-raff class to
elect them to office.
1t is regarded as certain, therefore,
that the foreign government named,
in behalf of their citizens will ap-
peal to the United States to prevent
the threatened calamity, accompany
ing that appeal with the suggestion
that, as the responsibility will rest
on this country, they will look to the
United States to recoup them for
such losses as they may have sus-
tanned.