250 THE POLITICS OF INTERVENTION
get them to do it, is a question I have vainly attempted to answer for
the past year.
Magoon recognized the dilemma American policy faced:
the Cuban economy was controlled by people divorced from
the country's political life. Survival in Cuba thus pitted what
were two "nations" against each other with the United States
often protecting the economically privileged. He urged that
the United States restore some impartiality to its attitude.
First, it must "make known, in no uncertain way," that it
supported the next legitimate government. "If abuses exist
or arise," they must be corrected at the polls under law. If
foreign lives and property were lost through violence, the
United States "will call for indemnity from the Cuban Treasury
instead of taking over the administration. ... " Only by with
drawing the protection of the Platt Amendment would the
"non-politicos" be assimilated into Cuba's political life. Other
wise the present "perilous" situation would continue. "The
authority granted by the Platt Amendment should not be
perverted into a menace to the object it was intended
to conserve."
If Magoon's April 16 letter revealed the Governor's economic
naivete, it also was a forceful protest against the effect
of American intervention on Cuba's internal development.
Although Magoon believed his occupation government had
made lasting reform, he was clearly worried that the 1906
occupation had done even more to increase the likelihood
of future interventions. He wanted Cuba to be free again
to cope with its internal problems. It was Magoon's views
which prevailed, at least in the waning days of the
Roosevelt administration.
Roosevelt's immediate reaction to Magoon's lengthy analysis
of Cuba's problems and the United States responsibility for
assisting Cuba to conquer them was to consider leaving
Magoon as minister to Cuba and Crowder as military adviser.
He also accepted the Provisional Governor's advice not to
leave troops or press beyond requesting that the Provisional
Government's work be continued.^23 Two months later, Roose