16 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



REASONS FOR THE FIRST INTERVENTION 



_ Governor Coiquitt nl Texas in a recent 

 signed statement says : 



"The case of Mexico is not on all fours 

 with the case of Cuba. We intervened in 

 the Cuban case on three grounds : 



(1) A condition bordering on anarchy 

 existed in the island, and was due to a sort 

 of absentee landlordism. It was a fight 

 by the natives against an oversea control 

 which oppressed them, exploited them, and 

 kept them back. They were asking for 

 bread, and were receiving a stone. Xo 

 end to the struggle was in sight. 



"(2) One feature of the Spanish war- 

 fare was beyond the pale. The concentra- 

 tion camps were crowded with Cuban 

 women and children, and starvation among 

 them existed. Well authenticated stories 

 about conditions in them shocked not only 

 Americans, but all mankind. The destruc- 

 tion of property lost its force as an issue 

 by comparison with loss of life from this 

 cause. The Spanish authorities denied 

 responsibility, but the inhumanity was past 

 dispute. 



"(3) The destr'uction of the Maine made 

 longer hesitation on our part impossible. 

 It would not be accurate to say that but 

 for that tragedy intervention might not 

 have taken place, but it is a safe assertion 

 that after the Maine was sent to the bot- 

 tom of Havana harbor by agencies popu- 

 larly supposed in this country to be Spanish 

 intervention became a necessity. Had Mr. 

 McKinley stood out and compromised the 

 tragedy — partly on a money basis — pay for 

 the ship, and for the men killed — his ad- 

 ministration would have gone by the board." 



ISLE OF PINES STATUS 



The Isle of Pines Xczi's calls to mind a 

 certain mass meeting in Santa Barljara last 

 spring respecting the political status of the 

 Isle and mentions "the fiery denunciations, 

 the monster petitions and what not, as well 

 as the statements of the Moses that were 

 going to lead us out of this political wilder- 

 ness. What has become of it all ! Will 

 the issue be galvanized into life in the 

 United States Congress this winter or not?" 



CRITICISING THE ADMINISTRATION 



The Havana Post says editorially in a 

 recent issue : 



"President Menocal has been in office six 

 months. Within that time what has the 

 administration accomplished of real benefit 

 to Cuba? Certainly not what was expected 

 of it. 



"The failure of the administration to 

 carry out its policies — the national loan, 

 the reorganization of the army, and others 

 claimed to be for the betterment of the 

 country — shows substantiallj' it is weak 

 and unable to cope with the opposition. 



"The administration has been weighed 

 and found wanting, judging from the past 

 and present condition of affairs. The 

 President made a brave effort in appealing 

 to tlie Cuban people, and a threat that 

 hinted vigorous action if his policies were 

 not supported. They have not been sup- 

 ported and his threats have not been made 

 good." 



The Havana Post is a morning newspaper 

 in Havana and is printed in English. 



View of the Roque Canal in Matanzas Province, which will drain a great area and make the 



land productive. 



