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Show The Cuban Situation. Secretary Taft has returned from Cuba, leaving leav-ing Provisional Governor Magoon in charge and General Bell, chief of staff of the United States army, in command of the American military and naval forces at the island. Governor Magoon has made a great name at Panama for his organizing and administrative ability, and as one who is a natural commander of men. He was slated for the Philippines, but was transferred to Cuba, having the perfect confidence con-fidence of the President and Secretary Taft. It is hoped that he will swiftly not only establish estab-lish perfect order there, but will so adjust matters mat-ters that an election can soon be called, new native na-tive officials be installed and have the island turned back to the rule of the Cubans. This is the more to be hoped because there are certain disquieting features of tLe situation, both in Cuba and in the United States. The Cubans are a treacherous, envious, jealous and foolishly proudrace. They lack cool judgment, and then their affected patriotism is in eight cases out of ten very much of a humbug. That is, they would prefer to see the island kept in confusion than to see the leaders of some other faction of their own people put in charge, while in most part the rank and file are half bandits ban-dits and half tramps. It will be seen at a glance how difficult a task it is going to be to reduce such elements to order and on a basis to give reasonable assurances of a stable government. It seems to us that the true business woufftfbo to establish a native government, with "every civil position filled by Cubans, but to leave a- sufficient suf-ficient force of United States soldiers under a capable officer to give notice that the peace must bo preserved until the new civil government should be firmly established and accepted by the people. Meanwhile the harvests must be gath ered and marketed or there will be great loss and. l H suffering, and that in Itself will lead to violence. ' rr H The danger at home is that Cuba is a marvel- l mm ously rich island, which Is coveted by the rich, f! mL or some at least of the rich, men of the United 'Ifll States. Then, tens of millions of American '191 money is invested there. Then just beyond Cuba -ifll is the Isle of Pines, which was not included in V ffU the promise of Congress to restore Cuba to its ; ' Igjfla own people. There heavy investments of Ameri- ' f rill "can money were made on the supposition that it jijN would continue to be held by the United States r;H as Porto Rico is held. ' '$m There have been serious clashings between those investors and the Cuban government under t m Palma, and the heartburnings still continue. Then the spirit of the grafter, that spirit which . 1 first makes him covet the property of another "t man, which points out the way by which he can . 9 steal it and then prompts him to invont reasons ll why the steal was justifiable, sometimes extends V m to nations. Already some distinguished men and M newspapers are finding excuses for the United ? I States to assume permanent sovereignty over ;i fl Cuba. The argument in brief is this: "True, ' fl Congress agreed when war was declared against fl Spain to restore the island to its own people as U 9 soon as practicable, but Spain ceded the Island M fl to the United States, gave a perfect title to the j fl island, and that is paramount to any mere reso- j fl lutlon of Congress. .' fl Of course the reasoning is absolutely dis- fl honest, for the resolution anticipated the ceding W of the island and was put out as a notice that ,J fl even then the United States would accept it . fl merely in trust, and would restore it to its own jfl people. But dishonest as it is, it is being advo- jj. cated in some high quarters, and there Is danger m in it, for "reasons of state" have been made to cover a multitude of national steals. Could it tj I be accomplished it would be a great misfortune 'kmm to our country. ' Cuba is but 41,560 square miles in area less 'vl than half the size of Utah and were our country jjfffl to absorb it, it would turn all Spanish-America j;fl against us. The people of thosojgtates would ; JB never again believe us or trust usf; and South Jlfl America is the country where the Hext few gen- !fjfl eratlons of our people will want to make homes, imm fortunes and high names. . , f Then with Cuba acquired it would have to be I made a sovereign state. Then how would order ;' be maintained there? We are there now by vir- tuo of a treaty with the government of the Is- .j I!K'i'')B land. Suppose it were a state in the Union and jjllljflHB the revolutionists there proceeded to raise hades; PlliiSHI Tll one tlling wo ear most is that the re- 'i 'B sponsible men of the island wL petition our gov- !i'!ilfflHHH eminent to annex the island. We fear it would |