12 THECUB A REVIEW 



OPINIONS OF GONZALO DE QUESADA 



[Interview at I'.crlin witli tlic ('ul)an minister to Gerninny reganling tlic neg'-o iiprisiiig] 



Although the negro uprising which kept Cuba in a turmoil for some six or seven 

 weeks has been put down and disturbances are at an end the following interview will 

 be found interesting. 



A representative of tiie I'ossische Zeitiing of Berlin recently interviewed the Cuban 

 minister to Germany, Sefior Gonzalo de Quesada. The representative's questions and 

 the minister's answers were as follows : 



"What is your opinion as to the tinal outcome of the negro revolution?" 



"There can be no doubt regarding the final outcome of this revolution. Cuba can 

 never become a black republic. Out of the two and one quarter million inhabitants, 

 70 per cent belong to the Caucasian race, 12 per cent negroes and 17 per cent mulattoes. 

 The latter class will never join the blacks. If you take the whole situation as a race 

 problem you will find the blacks are in such a minority that it is impossibe that they 

 will be victorious." 



"Do all the blacks favor the revolution?" 



"This seems to be the erroneous supposition in Germany. It is not true that all the 

 blacks take part in the revolution ; on the contrary there are only a few hundred here 

 and there. The total might amount to about 2,000. The rebels are not acknowledged 

 by the well-known leaders of the negro race, besides the papers and a majority of 

 the people have declared themselves as against the revolutionists and have stated that 

 they will do everything in their power to assist the government." 



"Is the revolution over all of Cuba?" 



"Noj the rebels have not spread over more than a small district in the eastern part 

 of the island. The island has an area of about 1,800,000 sq. kilometers and of this 

 only 7,000 are infected by the revolution, and this section is in the moutainous parts 

 of Cuba which are impassable on account of the dense forest growth." 



"What is the reason for the uprising?" 



"The leaders have stated that they were not allowed to form a negro party and that 

 they do not enjoy the same civil rights as the white people, and that a share of the 

 ad. patronage was denied them. But this is not true, as the blacks have always secured 

 official positions whenever they have shown themselves sufficiently capable. Our laws 

 do not recognize any difference in color, religion or position. No race in the island 

 enjoys any special privileges of any kind. As far as the organization of a special 

 negro party is concerned it was a black senator, Morua Delgado, who introduced the 

 law into the Senate that the organization of negro parties should be declared contrary 

 to the constitution. The blacks have the right, and they use it, to join any party in 

 Cuba, and in such cases as they have showed themselves worthy they have quite often 

 been elected to the Senate and the House of Representatives. The organizing of an 

 independent negro organization, however, would necessarily be in contradiction to the 

 equal rights of all Cubans as provided by the Cuban constitution." 



"What part do American interests play in this revolution?" 



"This is an embarassing question. I do not trust the leaders of the rebels very far. 

 Generals Ibonet and Esteiioz have tried very often to organize the negroes. There 

 is a rumor that certain people for private reason desired to create a panic in the Cuban 

 financial market, and that they provided the leaders with the necessary money for the 

 revolution. The same can be said of the American capitalists who have invested their 

 money in Cuba, and who, for private reasons, are looking for the death of the Cuban 

 republic. The United States Senators Page and Nelson have announced that they 

 will consider an investigation into these matters. It would be difficult in fact to find 

 another source for securing money other than that stated, when the rebels have drained 

 the source they now have. It is remarkable also, that so far the rebels have destroyed 

 only foreign property and especially American property." 



"And the reason?" 



"It is a very simple one. By this they hope to force the United States to intervene. 

 They hope that the United States will declare the Cuban republic as incapable of keeping 

 order in the country and of protecting foreign property. This would end the independ- 

 ence of the island. It would mean military possession by the United States and later 

 it would mean Cuba would become an American province." 



"And do you believe that the United States will intervene?" 



"I do not think so. The government of the United States and the people that have 

 helped Cuba to secure her independence will never do anything like that. President 

 Taft and Secretary of State Knox have expressed to the President of Cuba, Mr. Gomez, 

 that they do not think of intervention, but only in case of necessity, and that warship.s 



