10 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



GENERAL COMMENT ON CUBAN AFFAIRS 



PRESIDENT MENOCAL'S FIRST YEAR 



Much there was that needed doing and 

 much lias been done by the painstaking, 

 upright, sincere, hard-working chief magis- 

 trate of the Cuban nation, since he assumed 

 the office, and there is no doubt in the minds 

 of those famihar with Cuban affairs that the 

 President's efforts for good government will 

 long be an influence for betterment in Cuban 

 politics. 



The first year of President Menocal's 

 administration and its results has been ably 

 summarized by the New York Sun's editor 

 in a recent issue. 



The Sun's editorial says in part, as 

 follows : 



"In no other year in the last twenty since 

 1894, has there been presented to American 

 readers less news from Cuba, less comment on 

 Cuban affans and conditions. This does not, 

 however, indicate 'Official Activity,' for much 

 has been done but in a quiet and tactful way, 

 without spectacular displays of power or 

 policy." 



The efforts of President Menocal have been 

 directed toward the conduct of an honest and 

 efficient administration in the island. 



"The notable features of his administration 

 have been honesty and broad patriotism. 

 His policies and his acts have been national 

 and not partisan and there is ground for 

 hope, if not for belief, that his conduct and 

 his high principles will exert a wholesome and 

 enduring influence. 



"Until the official accounts have been 

 presented it is impossible to say how far 

 General Menocal has succeeded in his efforts 

 to conduct an economical government a 

 ]3roceeding perhaps even more difficult in 

 Cuba than in this country. Should it appear 

 that he has failed in his purposes in that 

 direction, no one in the United States can, 

 with grace or propriety' point any finger of 

 score at him. The indications are that he 

 has attained some measure of success." 



The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch is moved 

 to say that "Better than any of his predeces- 

 sors. President Menocal has held the j^eople 

 of the island-republic to a harmonious co- 

 operation with the United States. There 

 have been no outbursts of anti-American 

 spirit and the island generally has borne 

 itself as a peaceful and desirable neighbor. 



It is a happy situation and the Cuban 

 people and their president are alike to be 

 congratulated." 



Good wishes come also from Baltimore and 

 The Sun of that great city has the following 

 editorial: "Yesterday was the fourteenth 

 aniversary of Cuba's independence. Our 

 best wishes go out to Cuba Libre. May she 

 remain happy, free and independent; And 

 may her people continue 'strong in bonds of 

 love and friendship with the great American 

 people'." 



Encouraging and stimulating comment 

 comes from a Tro}' (New York) publication. 



For the first time in twelve years, Cuba has 

 at the head of the government a man who is 

 qualified in every way to assume heavy 

 responsibilities. President Menocal has been 

 at the head of the Havana Government for 

 a year. During that period he has conducted 

 his administration in a manner to create high 

 hojjes for the future of the young republic. 

 The system of graft which prevailed under 

 the two previous administrations has not 

 been in evidence. While the national legis- 

 lators have shown a disposition to perpetuate 

 old conditions, the chief magistrate has in- 

 sisted upon the enforcement of representative 

 government without a leaning toward the 

 spoils of office. The conditions which the 

 United States established in Cuba are being 

 maintained by President ^Menocal. — Tro}- 

 (New York), Record. 



THE REPUBLIC PERMANENT 



The Cuban Republic appears to be per- 

 manent and the government of the island is 

 being perfected each year until it now offers 

 little ground for criticism on the part of 

 older and more strongly established nations. 



Tampa, with its large proportion of Cuban- 

 born citizens, naturally feels a deep interest 

 in the affairs of the Republic. — -Tampa (Fla.), 

 Tribmie. 



THE ARMY'S BIGGER WORK 



In Cuba, the wonderful work of Dr. Walter 

 Reed and his associates, in connection with 

 yellow fever, is too well known to require 

 more than a reference. The result of their 

 work has been not only to wipe out yellow 

 fever as a tropical disease in all communities 

 were ordinary precaution is taken, but it has 

 resulted in making the tropics, so far as this 

 dread disease is concerned, a white man's 

 country for all time. 



Excellent work was also done in controlling 

 malaria in the island. 



The civil problem was found peculiarlv 

 difficult. It was an island with 1,800,000 

 inhabitants, long tried by bloody wars fought 

 to the bitter end with all the relentlessness 

 which characterizes wars among people of 

 the same blood. The people were exhausted; 

 bitter animosities still existed ; Spaniard and 

 Cuban stood apart, each filled with the 

 enmities of the late struggle. The Army's 

 duty was to reconcile these elements; to 

 suppress brigandage that was a result of 

 bands of armed irresponsible soldiery; to 

 combat yellow fever and widespread sickness 

 due to various tropical diseases; to build up 

 a form of government which could be tm-ned 

 over to the Cuban people to be carried on as a 



