Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-29

acres of public nd, the heritage of future
generations. The leaders of the liberal
party, to increase their popularity and their
influence now propose to divide these lands
among the soldiers of the army of liberia
ton, and supply every man with yoke of
oxen and carts, a complete outfit of agri-
cultural implements and machinery, and
the necessary seeds to start a farm at gov
eminent expense. This, they say will make
the heroes of liberation a soldier of peace
and defender of the stability of the re-
public, but it Is only another scheme for
graft. OF course 1t would be a great thing
for the country If 1t could be honestly ham
died: If the men would settle down and
work the farms given them: but very few
of them would do that, and in short time
the spectators would have the largest part
of the land
Most Of the men who were in the revolu-
ton last summer fought in the war for in
dependence" continued my friend. They
have become habitual revolutionists. The
instruction habit results from certain char
acteristics of mind peculiar to these people.
They believe it is the business of the gov
eminent to support them. The principal
function of a government is to provide Of
fees and pay salaries to everybody who
wants them. and as the resources of Cuba
are not sufficient to support all the patriots
on the island large element must neces-
sarily be left out. That will be the revo-
lutionary element and although the per-
sonnet may change it will be permanent.
Men who have acquired the insurrection
habit and who have been supported by the
government will never be contented to set
tie down and earn an honest living. Have
you ever known revolution in a Spanish
country over anything but the control of
the offices? Revolutions are always aimed
at the custom houses, and the party which
captures them controls the situation. The
idea of government of the Cuban politi-
clans consists of an office for everybody"
Have you any hope for Cuba ?"
Hope for Cuba.
Yes. Fortunately, Cuba is a white
mans country-a country where a white
man can live and work and rear white
family. 1t is a far better country than
most of our southern states, and 1t is prac-
tically vacant. Not one-fifth of the soil
has ever been scratched, and as soon
a stable government is assured the white
people of the United States Will come here
in large numbers to settle. The white peo-
pie from Spain and the white Cubans will
coalesce with American immigrants, and
when that combination amounts numerical
ly to one-third of the population of the
island it will control affairs. Until then
we shall have chaos recurring in the island
every time the United States leaves the
native government to its own resources.
That experiment has been tried once and
resulted in signal failure. We are threat
ened with repetition of the experience,
although every thinking man in Cuba
KNOWS tHat II Will result even more dlSaS
trously. The failure will be repeated as
often the experiment is tried. Confusion
unrest and uncertainty will prevail here as
long as the whims and caprices of the
Washington government, the ignorance of
conditions and the stress of our domestic
politics in the United States require Cuba
to be the subject of experiment in self
government. Finally, there must come per-
manent occupation and a substitution of
American authority for Cuban authority to
greater or lesser extent. When that
happens streams of immgra ton from the
United States will begin to pour into the
island"
American Capital Invested.
How much American capital is invested
in Cuba now"
Pretty nearly 100000. 900, and 30 per
cent of it has come in since independence.
The American population, however, has
not increased in the same proportion, be-
cause none of these immigrants are la