The Detroit times., 1910-07-22
~ aoBrRr wIcKLlFFE wooLLEY

III II I0n = " U WNON&hh -
Cuba faces financial crisis. but II
Is stIll possible for the United States
10 steer her safely over the shoals and
breakers and. after ali, keep the
pledge so solemnly given ~ years ago.
WIN she do It?
No one in Havana who has observed
the course OF recent events believes
she will. No one in Washington who
IS at all familiar with the intentions
OF President Taft and his advisers
doubts for an instant that within a
year the Stars and Stripes viii be I'M
fnrled over MORO and Cabannas cas-
lies never to be hauled down again.
True, President Gomez has succeed
ed for the time being in quelling race
tr0ubles, but the blacks are reported
TO be organizing with greater dlh'
gence than eyer before.
II is generally agreed that when the
time to strike does arrive there Will
be plenty OF funds to finance the
revolution and that these will come
fro mthe United States. There are
men In Cuba in position TO know
whereof they speak who will tell you
the names OF certain capitalists and OF
certain interests that are ready TO
furnish them on short notice.
Corruption is rampant. In Cuba the
goat is the symbol of graft. The Span
isTf word for goat is 'chivo," which
word Is also the Cuban slang for cor
rupt scheme For months the papers
OF Havana have teemed with cartoons,
the principal figure of which is the
"rhivo.D
Misgovernment has been the rule
and tnsurrection has been in the air
from the day that Gomez was inaugur-
ated Why. when the ships bearing
the American troops sailed out OF Ha-
yana harbor, Immediately following
that event bets were freely made in
the leading hotels and cafes that they
would be called back by wireless be
fore arriving in New York.
Prior to the Intervention of 1898
comparatively few citizens of this
country owned any property whatever
In Cuba. Today they lead the Span
iards.
From the date Of the Spanish evacu.
alton to the present, Cuba has been
doing business largely ON borrowed
lIYttht. .EE2CAACdtiy HI Tie railways
are owned by British and Canadians,
none of whom reside on the islands.
In addition to her great bonded indebt-
Sedness, ell OF which is controlled by
Speyer q Co., Of New York, Cuba
owes this country $6,102.956 for the
second Intervention.
Probably no better summary OF the
situation In Cuba today could be given
than that delivered by Senator San
gully. alta Lanquet rendered him last
February, Just after he had become
secretary OF state. In part he said:
Impoverished by wars and corpora
tions, losing each day the fertile lands
which. for lack OF association and
through necessity they have not been
able to keep. surrounded by very pow
erful foreigners who owe their eco
monte prominence TO an accumula-
ton OF fortuious circumstances, slowly
Invaded by irresistible capitalistic
companies and audacious syndicates,
which daily Increase production, yes,
but contribute chiefly to the wealth
that goes out of the countryside ma.
tive population is being dislodged
from its possessions, many with final
ruin. until now there remain to the
Cubans only the public Offices ard
their heroic banner. outward and pal.
pable signs Of their national existence
and sovereignty"