THE CUBA REVIEW 



UNITED STATES NEWSPAPER COMMENT. 



North, East, South and West Opinions on the Elections. 



Little more than two years ago Gen. 

 Jose Miguel Gomez was in a Cuban jail 

 accused of being a conspirator against the 

 Government of President Palma. To-day 

 he is the President-elect of Cuba, having 

 been swept into office by the votes of the 

 Liberal party on Nov. 14. Such vicissi- 

 tudes are possible in the course of life in a 

 tropical republic. 



In the choice of Gen. Gomez the people 

 have upheld the revolutionists of 1906. The 

 campaign has been one of enthusiasm but 

 not of disorder. Of present promise for 

 the new Government is the declaration of 

 Gen. Mario Menocal, Conservative candi- 

 date for President, that in the event of a 

 Liberal victory his party would start no 

 revolution. "On the contrary," said he, 

 "they will aid the Liberals to carry on the 

 Government." But how long will this sec- 

 ond undertakin successfully continue? — ■ 

 N. Y. World. 



The election having been held under laws 

 devised by American authority and carried 

 out under the exercise of that authority, 

 there may be ground for feeling that the 

 Cuban capacity for self-government after 

 such short tutelage is yet to be demon- 

 strated. 



We cannot feel that the experiment is suc- 

 cessfully completed yet, and that the with- 

 drawal of all authority of the United States 

 before the first of February is altogether 

 safe for the Cubans and their interests. It 

 may prove premature, but we shall see, 

 hoping that there will be no need of re- 

 newed intervention. — Journal of Commerce 

 and Commercial Bulletin. 



We believe that Gen. Gomez will make 

 an excellent executive. He stands for the 

 interests of his country as he should, and it 

 has pleased various narrow-minded observ- 

 ers to mistake his pro-Cubanism for anti- 

 Americanism. 



He speaks no English. Gen. James Wil- 

 son officially called him a "vigorous and in- 

 telligent man of affairs." Measuring by the 

 past, we predict his success in the future. 



<jen. Menocal and the Conservative party, 

 though defeated, have scored a notable tri- 

 umph. They conducted an honorable cam- 

 paign, and have shown that the opposition 

 is a force that cannot be lightly regarded. — 

 N. Y. Sun. 



The winners, it is unnecessary to add, 

 will have a big job on their hands — bigger 

 even than the Palma people had in launch- 

 ing the first Cuban government. — Washing- 

 ton (D. C) Star. 



The real experiment of self-government 

 was not closed, but reopened, by the elec- 

 tions in Cuba on Saturday. The elections 

 were the first step in that experiment, and 

 the step was taken with success that justly 

 gratifies the party that won and the Ameri- 

 can officials who have thus far been in 

 charge. The prize that lies open to good 

 government in Cuba is of the richest. In 

 the pursuit of it the people of the island 

 will have the cordial sym.pathy of our own 

 people and the indirect aid of our Govern- 

 ment. If, however, direct intervention 

 should again become necessary, the Cubans 

 cannot count on it being temporary. — N. Y. 

 Times. 



A great responsibility rests with the Cu- 

 ban people to maintain the results of inter- 

 vention and rehabilitation. A no less re- 

 sponsibility rests upon Americans to keep 

 mischievous hands off and to have no rela- 

 tions with Cuba save those which will be 

 of freindly assistance and will make for 

 the maintenance of the constiuttional order 

 which has been re-established. — N. Y. Tri- 

 bune. 



It is to be hoped our good friends the 

 people of Cuba will begin to take their elec- 

 tions seriously. It is a great thing when 

 the whole body of citizenship firmly realizes 

 that whatever the result on election day, 

 that settles it. It helps to intelligent voting, 

 for one thing, and to a staying put of what 

 is accomplished. — Brooklyn (N. Y.) Stand- 

 ard-Union. 



Every American will join in the hope 

 that the Cubans will prove entirely capable 

 of administering their affairs without fur- 

 ther interference, for the desire of the 

 people of this country is that Cuba shall be 

 both a prosperous and an independent re- 

 public, solving its own problems and grow- 

 ing in wealth and strength from year to 

 year. — Denver (Colo.) Republican. 



The best wishes of Americans go with 

 the island nation. — Buffalo (N. Y.) News. 



The peaceful and orderly manner in 

 which the elections in Cuba were conducted 

 reflects the highest credit on Governor jNIa- 

 goon and affords another proof of the re- 

 markable success of his administration. — 

 N. Y. Herald. 



Apparently Cuba's second start on the 

 road to constitutional government and in- 

 dependence has been made under promising 

 conditions. America, interested in her 

 neighbor as no other nation can be, hopes 

 the promise will be fulfilled in terms of 

 solid progress and prosperity. — N. Y. Her- 

 ald. 



