Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-12-07
REVIEW.

1append to this message, for convenient
refereuce, synopsis OF the administrative
events and OF all tue recommendations to Con-
sress made by me curing the last seven yeras.
mends,ions not to have been wisely
conceived, but l believe the larger part
will do no disoreiit to the administration.
Que OF these recommendations met with the
united opposition OF one political party in the
Sen tie. and with stror opposition from the
other, namely: TO: the annexation Of Sauto
Domingo to the United States, which Il shall
especially refer to maintain, AZ do, that If
nv views had bsen cOncur1ed in the country
would I've in more prosper condition to.
day, both politically and financially. Santo
Domingo Is fertile, aud upon ,tssoil may be
grown just those tropical products OF which
we use SO much, aud which are produced or
prepared tor ma,ket now 6y slave labor almost
exclusively, namely: Sugar.. coffee, dye
woods, mahogany, tropical fruits, tobacco, etc.
AbHut ~ per ceut Of tie expors OF Cuba ara
cous"med in the United States. . A large per-
centage Of the exports OF Brazil also 6ndt
same market. These are paid Tor almost ex-
eiusively in coin, legislation. particularly in
CG9a, being 1nisv on to mutual exchange
II ON the Mississippi Valley to Havana can
pass by The very entrance to the city on its
way to portion Of Spain which then pays a
dutv fixed upon the articles to be re-exportsd,
transferred to Spanish vessel and brought
back almost to the point OF starting, paying :
would he received by direct shipment. All
that is produced in Cuba could be produ ed
l.. Santa Domingo, and being part Of tile United
States, commerce between tie island and
mainland would he free. 3here would he no
export duties III her shipments. no
import duties On her productions coming
there. There would be n" import duties upon
III as,li atn five,
States The effect that would have b7eu pro-
duced upon Cuban commerce with these adj
vantages to rival is observable at q glance.
The Cubau QUESTION would have l,een settled
loug ago in ,svor OF free Cuba Hundreds OF
Am-ric III vessels would Low be advan eeous.
ly used in transporting valuable wood and
Other products Of the SOL Of the island to .
grants to it. The island is but srarsely set
tied, while it has an area sufficient for the
p.of'ab empl .ymeDt of several mill ons of
people. The soil would have scon fallen into
the hands OF 0ittd States capitalists The pro.
ducts are so valuable to commerce that emf
ss,r t'cn there would have been encouraged:
The emancipated race of the south would
have found there congenal home, where
their civil rights would not be disputed, and
where th-ir labor would lie much sought = ter.
But the poorest among them co Iii have found
the means to 50 there in case Of great oppres-
sion and cruelty, such as has been prac iced
upon them i, naDy pt ces within the last
! ele:en years. Whole communities would
have sough: refuge in Santo Domingo.
II do not suppose the whole
race would have zone, nor. Is
it de:irable they sheuli 60. Their labor is
desirat lie, indispensable almost. where they
n " are. but the possession of q territory
would have ieft the negro master Of the situa-
tion, by enabling him to demand his rights at
home on pain Of seeking them elsewhere.
I do not press Mt these views as rec mmen I.
dation Of the r. newal Of the suliert Of ann IA
too, but refer to it to vindicste my previous
action il that regard.
U. 8. GRANT.