Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-16


ticfans. There is more or less politics mixed
up with every raid The banditti rob and
blackmail their political opponents, tne
Spaniards, the conservative Cubans ana
others who do not contribute to the treas
ury of their party. When they get into
trouble they expect the head men OF their
party to protect them, and 1t Is done on the
same basis that the Tammany politicians
protect the criminal classes In New YORK
Sympathy With the Masses
The provisional government has shown
itself to be in sympathy with the masses
The laboring element say that they have
never enjoyed any particular benefits from
independence. and that secretary IaIl sat re
them their first recognition. The moderate
party and the late Palma government. rep
resent the native aristocracy. the landown.
ers, who, as a rule, took good care OF
themselves, but did nothing for the. COM
mon people. although they promised much
They declare that the Palma government
was q selfish oligarchy. The man with the
hoe had no place with it, and that treat
ment drove him into the ranks of the M
erals He complains that independence to
him Is no different from Spanish desDotism
and that he did not improve his conditlon
by fighting for freedom. The republic OF
GTbs 50 far as so ne IS 8, snain
The leaders of the liberal party nave
cultivated the rustlers. hoodlums and other
turbulent classes. and have made friends
them.
f1uence to keep them quiet for fear OF 1ur-
nishing an excuse for prolonging the pro-
visional government, and that IS announcer
reason, in addition to those have aiready
mentioned. for the tranquility OF the nsia anu
The liberal leaders realize that they can
not secure control of the government with
out an election, and that they cannot nave
an election unless the island is at peace.
Cultivating Good Will.
Tn the meantime, Gov Magoon is sending
ont missionaries and emissaries to the
local CHIEF ,ains to cultivate their good will,
to assure them Of just and generous treat
ment. to convince them Of the advantages
of peace, and to make them UNDERSTAND
that the day of banditti in Cuba Is passed.
Lieut.. Col. Billiard OF the sth many s,1ar s
has been, travelling continuously from place
to place through the island since the MD
die of October. making the acquaintance
of the local leaders to whom l nave re,
ferred, and cultivating the good VIII OF All
classes of people, white and black farmers
merchants, capitalists. mechanics. laborers,
idlers and all concerned. He has explained
to them the attitude and the purposes U
the United States. and has got their views
and ideas and desires with regard TO their
government. Col. Billiard says:
1.-The earnest longing of the great puik OF
the people, perhaps three-fourths OF them.
Is for the preservation OF the repuOhc as
It was before the revolution of 1903, with
added Safeguards against the abuse of
power by officials They look to the Unlteo
States to restore the republic for them.
The republic thus restored. they desire tne
United States to withdraw. Not"iths.an,u
ing the failure of last year, the majority
of the Cuban people have not given up
the idea that Cuba can govern Itself. Al
the same time, / feel equally sure VI inc
peaceable acceptance by the CUBAN peo-
ple of almost any course that may De
considered polite or necessary by the. Unit
ed States This readiness to leave Things
to American Judgment Is just no" oe.Ls
greatly strengthened in the minds OF the
neople by their seeing that under the pres
emit government the great sugar harvest Is
proceeding in peace and quiet ana oroei
which three months ago nobody would
have thought possible.
Sentiments of the Banditti.
Since the provisional government was es-
tablfshed Gov Magoon has seen a
number of the former banditti personally.
One Of the most notorious of those gentle
men called on him not long ago and ad-
mitted frankly that he had been lin the
field" but realized that his profession was
obsolete. He SAID that he had always had
band of his own. or knew where the band OF
some other leader could be found until re-
Gently, but today he did not know OF a SIN
gle band Of guerrillas in existence in Cuba,
and did not believe that anybody could get
I'D one. There was no chance for them 10
resume business, and he had sought an In
terview with Gov. Magoon IN order TO
reach an amicable understanding. He said
he would abandon the bush and become a
good citizen If the governor would give him
an assurance that he would not be prose-
cuted for past offenses. Magoon gave MIN
a friendly hand and talked to him In a
kindly manner, promising that he would not
be interefered with as long as he behaved
himself, and expressing the hope that he
would use his influence among other men,
Iar . h fo n rnhhtn0
burning plantations and to take up some
honest business. The man left the palace
shaking hands with everybody and declar-
ing that he was no longer an ''insurrecto."
but an amigo" He has since been closely
watched, and there is every reason to be-
lieve that he will keep his promise.
Another case has occurred within few
weeks which is entirely different, but Illus
trates In an even more striking manner the
confidence this important class of people feel
In the provisional government. Some years
ago young man of good family In one OF
the interior provinces was accused OF muir
der and fed to Mexico and afterward to
the United States to avoid prosecution Sup
posing that his crime would be forgotten in
the change of government, and that an In
dictment found by the Spaniards would no
longer hold under the republic, he returned
to his home three years ago. AS soon as his
presence was known the prosecuting OFF,
Gals got after him and he fled to the bush,
where. until recently, he has been the leader
of a gang Of bandits. The rural guards have
tried in vain to get him. A few weeks after
the provisional government was established
he sent friends to Gov. Magoon saying
that he was innocent and asking for a par
don. This was refused. He then asked for a
trial by an American judge and jury be-
cause he was convinced that he would not
have a fair trial before a native court. Ma
COON replied that he must take his chances.
His friends came a third time and asked a
change of venue to Havana, where there