The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-01-23
LIEUTENANT STEUNENBERG
TELLS ALL ABOUT CUBA

who are the .Cubans? What are they
like: Where did they come from?"
The answer is quite simple. When
Columbus came Cuba was inhabited
by American Indians. These quickly
disappeared under the Spanish rule
and then slaves were brought from
Africa. So the Cuban of TODAY NAV
trace his ancestry to sunny Spain or
to the Congo basin--or to both. Some
Cubans are black as coal; others are
mulattoes, while still others are white,
Rather mixed population, the reader
will say, but just pause a minute and
look at our own people. Have we not
millions of native-born Americans as
black as the ace of spades and other
millions who are of vayring shades
of darkness? Cuba is in the same
boat with us. She sowed the wind of
human slavery and is now reaping the
Whirlwind in a race problem. 1t is
a case where the sins of the father are
visited on the child.
Instruction Inciters.
The descendants of the slaves are
the disturbing element in Cuba, for
they are the ones who start the insur-
rections. Just how much damage they
have done since the abolition of sla-
very is perhaus beyond calculation,
for the entire island is dotted with the
ruins of burned sugar mills, the result
of the wars that have ravaged the
country during the last 80 years. One
cannot but reflect on what a paradise
the island must have been in the old
days of slavery, with it's well-tilled
plantations, stately mansions, and
avenues of palms. The Cubans love
to talk of these old days much as our
Georgia colonies love to dwell on the
departed glories of the old south,
"Befo' the wah." They tell of the days
when they all wore 800 Panama
hats, and the children used golden
sGsAEe 'ssuIqlGBId IoJ suooIqnop
winding up with the phrase: "Cuando
Cuba era Cuba"-(when Cuba was
Cuba).
AnimOsity Toward Americans.
The Cubane do not likt Americans;
in fact, 1t would be a pleasant relief
to find country where we are liked.
They have an idea that we stand be-
tween them and their Independence"
and they long to see the last of us.
The spaniards. Germans, and other
foreigners who live here give US the
glad hand; but the Cubans and the
Americans are two. And still, the
more intelligent ones admit that they
are unable to govern their island--the
lawless negro element is too strong,
At the election, held a couple OF
months ago, the whites were COM
pletely showed under. And the me-
groes here are less civilized than our
OWh' 0OAuO vi buOAu dE6 pEdSNlSdAiS
barbarians and still practice the
witchcraft their ancestors brought
from Africa. Only last sum-
mer white child disappeared from
It's home near here. and, after a long
search, IL developed that II had been
stolen by negroes, The little one was
never found for they had killed 1t and
used the blood for medicine. Four OF
the witches" are now In Havana
awaiting death by the garrote.
And this Is the kind OF q people that
must be dealt with in Cuba, Even
now, In time of peace, the owners OF
sugar mills keep armed guards round
their property. One negro can start Q
revolution by simply going to the
canetlelds with a box OF matches.
We sometiems ask the better class
How will 1t all end? VIII the United
States have to annex your island p
The answer is always the same-a
shrug of the shoulders, lift of the
eyebrows, and the two words: "ouier
sabe?" (who knows.)
Foreigners Foremost.
The foreign capitalists here want III
to annex the island-not through love
of us, but as a business proposition
The spanirads own sugar mills, tn,
German own waterworks, the Englist
own railroads, and they all, of course
want stable government. They know
they will never have 1t under Cubar
rule; they also know that the United
States viii never permit any Euro
pean country 10 step In; SO they turr
to us, not because they love US. blu
as the lesser OF two evils.
People in the states ask: what ar,
the chances of an American to MAKE
/ a 1ivinr fheraYp Wall thara nra anna,