The Washington herald., 1912-06-09

New York. June LII any one OF the
spo-a-month privates in the ranks Of ma
r,nes that are being sent down to hang
around Cuba's front door and see that
the racket inside doesn't get too violent
should be able TO leave the warship ne
is on and get a civilians JOB IN havana
he would become a millionaire lnsioe Oh
thirteen years-maybe. ,,,-
n he aid, he would only be duplicating
the feat OF Frank NJ. Steinhart. once
,TrIvate soldier now vice president OF
the Havana Electric Company who went
10 Cuba In 1880 without cent and who
has been called of late the man who
owns Cuba"
Nr steinhart is now a guest at the
Hotel Netherland, having come to New
YORK TO attend the annual directors
meeting OF the Havana Electric Com
pany. ,.,-.
There isn't any necessity for inter
vention by the United States IN the pres
ent dIHculty in Cuba said Mr.. Ste n
hart intervention isn't desired either
bv our swn or the Cuban government
Gen. Gomez is a most active and ener'
| getIe man and soldier, and feel sure
| he will be able to restore peace ano
| tranquility within a very short time.
EstenoA Playing Politics.
The whole insurrect:on there is mere
ly an insignificant uprising on the part
Of the blacks. There has never before
been a race question in Cuba, but II
| was hound to come sooner or later
| Estenoz, who Is leading the rebels. was
A candidate for the Presidency OF Cuba
| last time, and having failed in his am
bltion Is seeking TO gain the post by
! force OF arms. But the Cuban govern
| ment is perfectly able 70 handle him and
his yaRabond troops. The disturbance ii
confined to Santiago. where President
| Gomez had perhaps 500 soldiers stationed
| and whom he has REINFORCED by per
= haps 20O more. 1t has not been neces
| sary to divert any forces from theil
regular stations in other parts Of th'
island as recruits in addition to tbs
! regulars will be able to defeat Estenoz
men. The blacks have already beer
| driven into the mountain, and can do n
! harm by their ra!ding expeditions. a.
neither sugar nor tobacco is in the field
! at this time OF the year.
Credit Is Good.
What Cuba really needs is the closes
Of commercial relations with the UniteC
States and, OF course. protection FOL
life and property in Cuba. We mus
not forget that. our sister republic 4
very Young and consequently likely 4
err at times But whenever incl,
sam calls attention to her errors. the!
are gladly corrected. Business IS good
the soil the richest in the world. an
American capital has not been wanting
See what improvements have been mad
in sugar estates The great Chaparr'
estate Of 5000 acres, one Of the larges
in the world. Is an example. II Is ownet
and millions Of good American dollar
have been invested there at Puert
Padre, in the northern part OF Santiago
for the investors are fully confident
the ability Of the Cuban people to main
tain a good government OF course, sucl
a government is necessary II the faitI
Of capitalists is not to be shaken
Nothing is so coWardly as money. Tn
credit OF Cuba to-day IS excellent an
the Cuban people will hy no act Of thei
own destroy this great and necessary as
set The Cuban citizen is patriotic an
consequently will not by his own act
bring about an Intervention which wouI
mean the loss Of liberty for which h
has prayed suffered, and fought for 5
many years.
president Tafrs reply to Gen. Come
Gas the right kind to make. and re
peat that Gen. Gomez can handle tn
situation"
Was Private Soldier.
Mr.. Stcinhart referred invariably t
Gomez as general" and as President.
The succession Of events which en-
ahled Mr. Steinhart to speak with sue
lapparent confidence and familiarity wit
Cuban conditions can be ChTOniCled briet
", but they show in outline how Stein
hart. once private soldier. became het
OF one Of the most valuable propertie
in the island OF Cuba. and one Of tn
wealthiest OF the foreigners who hav
entered Cuba since Spanish rule wa
withdrawn.
How did he do it? The answer seem
| TO lie in his extraordinary ability neve
| to miss a trick''-to seize every avail
able opportunity.
I went to Cuba in 1899" said NJ
Steinhart. "as chief clerk with Ger
Brooke, whom had accompanied :
Porto Rico the year before, as chic
clerk in the First Army Corps. Their
was plenty OF work for me. but. as 20
, know. an army chief clerk isn't paid yer
much. I had been in the army for
long time-enlisted as a private in lSS
seventeen years before. I was bern
. Munich Germany. on May l., 1854, an
after I finished public school and hig
! school courses / studied law and foreig
! languages Then I came to the Unite
= States and enlisted when I vas onl
eighteen years old. I served for seve
years and became a sergeant Then,
= 1889. they transferred me to Chicago a
clerk in the headquarters Of the div
sion of the Missouri. The next year
married Miss Alice Florence Ledden, {
Racine. WIS We've four children. Tc
DAY we're celebrating here at the Hot'
Netherland the twenty-frst birthday
Our oldest son. Walter My oldest dauEt
; ter is nineteen. and about to gradual
= from finishing school.
? We'll. l stuck out there in Chicag
; for nine years as clerk and assistar
chief clerk under a long line Of ger
eraLs-Schofeld. Crook. Terry, Mile
= Ruger. Merritt. and Brooke. When tn
Spanish war broke out I went as chic
; clerk to Porto Rico with Gen. Brooke.
Then we went TO Cuba, and when I'll