Show TAFT TAKES OVER CUBAN REPUBLIC i Secretary of War Issues Proclamation Proc-lamation Declaring Himself Head of Government President Palma Expresses Relief at Shifting the Burden of Guiding the Tempestuous Republic While the Masses are Utterly Indifferent Havana With far less ostentation than accompanies tho accession of a government of Cuba was formally taken over on Saturday by William II Taft secretary of war of tho United States who in a proclamation clothed cloth-ed in a kindly and diplomatic tonb Indicative of tho policy ho would pursue pur-sue declared himself provisional governor of the Island Promptly at noon Governor Tnft Assistant Secretary Secre-tary of Stato Bacon and Captain Me Cook Governor Tafts aidedecamp called officially at tho palaco and paid their respects to tho retiring president presi-dent Ignoring President Palmas I message to congress on Friday in which ho wrongly Interprotatcd tho I mission of the American mediators Governor Taft spoke kindly to Senor Palma to whom ho said the people of Cuba owed an unquestionable debt of gratitude President Palmas brief reply was devoted entirely to an expression ex-pression of relief for the opportunity of shifting tho burden of guiding tho tempestuous republic to tho representatives represen-tatives of a nation strong enough to enforce control over It Tho fact that tho government has changed hands from a position of absolute ab-solute Independence to tho restraint of a temporary protector etc was Deceived De-ceived by the masses with utter Indlf forenco Most of tho refined and thoughtful Cubans while they feel a certain sonsatlveness over tho loss of the Islands soverlgnty are inclined to hope that tho United States protectorate pro-tectorate will bo brief A Cuban returning to Havana on Saturday after a brief absence would not have recognized from tho general atltude of the peoplo that tho form of government had been altered Business Busi-ness continued the same except for tho vigor exhibited by tho wholesale merchants manufacturers and railroads rail-roads to regain their former trado throughout tho Island which has beon at a standstill since the beginning of tho revolution six weeks ago |