The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-04
A Suggestion Well Received.

The suggestion which the MORNING NEWS
made several weeks ago, that this country
should buy Cuba, in order to introduce
sanitary reforms in Havana and stamp out
yellow fever in thai city, has been very
favorably received by T. e press of the north,
| as well as of the south. The trade relations
between the different sections OF the coun~
try are so close, that when the business of
one is temporarily paralyZed, the others are
| injured TO greater or less extent. The
north, therefore, is almost as much
! interested as the south in preventing yellow
| fever epidemics in southern cities: and, be-
! sides the northern cities are not altogether
free from danger of such epidenllcs Bos-
ton, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltl-
more have all suffered severely from yellow
fever, and they may again. They maintain
expensive guarantees to prevent its intro
duction. and, doubtless, to their quarantine
regulations alone are they indebted for the
immunity from the fever which they have
enjoyed in later years.
Spain cares nothing for the people of
Cuba, and is not likely ever to introduce
sanitary reforms into Havana. Her sole
object is to get larger revenue from the
island, and she does not get anywhere near
as much as she would like to, although the
burden of taxation which she imposes upon
the people is gradually sinking them into
poverty. The Cubans themselves would
hail with joy annexation to the United
States, and doubtless would willingly CO
operate to enforce any sanitary reforms
which might be proposed.
Havana is a perpetual menace to the
health of this country. The yellow fever is
present there pretty much all the time, and
it is about impossible to successfully pro-
tect this country against it. Even if its in
PRODUCTION by the regular lines of commu-
nication could be prevented there would
still be danger Of its being brought to our
shores by smugglers. Indeed, it is posi-
lively asserted that the fever from which
Florida towns are now suffering
gained a Judgment in that state by means
of smuggling vessel. The suggestion has
been made that all communication with
Cuba for at least nine months in the year
SHOULD cease, but that is clearly impracti
cable. Tho commercial interests between
the two countries are too great for any
thing of that kind Although the value to
us of our annual trade with Cuba is not as
great as the cost of one epidemic such as is
now affecting Florida, still it would be
extremely difficult to get public sentiment
to sanction non-intercourse with the island,
and if it did sanction it, to enforce it would
b. next to impossible
The day is not very distant when Spain
will lose her hold upon Cuba. The Cubans
are growing more and more restless, and
SPANS power is on the wane. France anu
Germany are both watching the island with
covetous eyes, and neither will hesitate TO
take possession of it if favorable oppor-
tunity presents itself. 1t is of much greater
value to this country than to any other,
mainly for the reason already stated.
Would it not be wise for this country to
approach Spain on the subject of purchas-
ing the islands One hundred millions of
dollars for it would be money well and
profitably invested.