The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-06
THE FUTURE OF CUBA.

Ii will not be long now before Cuba and the Cubans will be in the throes of an election scarcely less vital and important in comparison with the size of the island, than the event of Tues day was with us of the United States Tho election of MT Taft has been hall cd in Havana and in Cuba generally as highly propitious It ia not difficult to understand the importance to Cu- bans of a president in this country, which will ever be Cuba's protector whether Cuba is republic or not. who knows Cuban conditions. Nowhere Is there to be found man of presidential caliber in this country who Is more conversant with current Cuban condl- tions than is MT. Taft As the Diario do h Marina of Havana says: "The new American president (elect) is a man who knows thoroughly the Cuban situation and Cuban politics"
 It may be considered remarkable that tho third of November should have turned the worlds attention to Mir Taft, the man who thoroughly knows conditions in Cuba, and that the fourth of November should have marked the birthday of Governor Magoon and the death of General and ex President Tomas Estrada palma-the two men, who, together with Mir. Taft, have been the most ,vitally concerned with the l Cuba of today. When Governor Ma goon went to Cuba as It's provisional governor he had conditions 10 meet which seemed unsurmountable Yet his mission has been accomplished with ev- cry success. That Cuba today finds it. self on the verge of electng its own president and launching It's own little, independent ship of state Is as much duo to Governor Magoon ss 10 any man. ....
 On the other hand, in General Pal ma, the Cubans will retain the mem. ory of man who was true patriot ! We'll may the mothers of future gener- atlons of Cuhans sing 10 their children of what he did for the Island in the stern days when Spanish rule made life there well-nigh uncomfortable It is good for any country to have heritage of truly patriotic spirits. What better then, that Tomas Palma he granted the high place In Cuban history whicf George washington has been given by
 us-a father of his country? Genera
 Palma's latter-day activities in thc cause of Cuban independence during
 tho recent war are familiar 10 ali. bu
 hls love of Cuba was not matter O
 recent birth, If was hIs patriotic sym
 pathies which led him to take a yer,
 active part in the ten-years' struggle
 for Independence which began in 1868
 He was made a prisoner, taken l.
 Spain at the risk of his life, was aslsec
 to swear his foreign allegiance, ant
 was compelled to have his vast estate
 condscated upon his refusing to do so
 There is theme worthy of being i'm
 mortallzed in Cuban song and story fo
 all time to come,
 The Cuban elections will come nex
 week Saturday, Those who hay,
 studied the conditions there report tha
 there Is every prospect of a success , full election What had been feare, , most was that some one political part, would gain the asrendency. but tha has not been the case, The liberals ant conservatives are today very evenl , matched. The election of president wIl hc held on the electoral college plan | similar to that in this country, ther } being 1O7 electors altogether. The Gu 3 bans are looking forward to grea . things when the little island launche forth as an independent state for th
 second time and there are few, eithe s there or here, who look for anothe , faux pas The date of the inaugura Q ton of the president and vice -presider g about to be elected has not been dt 2 hnitoly selected as yet but if will mar r an important day in Cuban hlstor T whenever it comes The term of ofilc of the successful candidates will ru { until May, 1919