The Politics of Intervention

Restoration and Withdrawal 257

thanks for a job well done.^46 The Havana press was equally
laudatory, though no Cuban journal suggested the Army re­
main. La Discusion complimented the Army on being business­
like and mannerly and for not insulting the people by parading
about. Considering the Cubans' excitability and the Americans'
tendency to drink too much, La Discusion marveled at the
lack of incidents. The civil government had been inferior to
Wood's regime, it concluded, but the Army was just as
effective as it had been in the earlier occupation.^47 In April,
as the last soldiers left, El Triunfo echoed the same thought:

The second intervention... has been the object of eulogies and

censure, which it is not necessary to discuss at this moment; but we

readily recognize and declare with sincere loyalty that the part of the

intervention assigned to the American army merits only applause and

congratulations from the Cubans.^48

Magoon worked hard to order the government's affairs,
primarily issuing decrees that made Gomez responsible for
unfinished business in claims and public works. On January
28, the birthday of Jose Marti, Magoon ceremoniously trans­
ferred the Cuban government to the newly inaugurated Gomez
on the balcony of the palace. Inside, Magoon, in a formal
message, asked the new President's assurances that he would
continue the Provisional Government's programs and uphold
the Platt Amendment and the laws passed since 1906.^49
Gomez replied that he would, opened the palace doors, and
shook hands with the crowd until his fingers became swollen.
Cuba's new president, American readers were told, was a
man of the people, not a doctor or lawyer, but "a soldierly
inclined man of the Porfirio Diaz type, beloved by the
country-people... whose mailed fist will command much
more respect than the rather meek and forebearing patriotism
of Estrada Palma."
50

That afternoon, Magoon and his aides rode between

cheering crowds to Caballeria Wharf. There Jose Miguel

G6mez gave the ex-governor a warm dbrazo, and the Amer­

icans went by launch to the battleship "Maine" and the

transport "McClellan." The harbor swarmed with lighters