New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-12
mist leaders were regarded with suspicion and


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mist leaders were regarded with suspicion and
Incredibly The United States Government will
never consent to it," the comment generally
heard; and the newspapers were charged with
making much ado about nothing. That there was
some foundation for the story evident. An
agent Of the English bankers was in Havana
during the summer, and he approached the Liberal
leaders with proposal that they should sup
port the general scheme of funding the Spanish
debt and making financial advances to both the
Madrid and Cuban Governments in return for
the concession of home rule for the island They
listened politely. but declined to commit them
selves to the scheme unless they were authorl-
tatvely summoned by the Madrid Government.
The syndicate was reported 10 be willing TO adj
vance $500, 600, 600 for various purposes, and to
extricate the Spanish Government from its finan-
cal extrcmities provided it could be empowered
70 collect the revenues of Cuba and Porto RIco
az security. The details of the scheme were
received here with shoulder shrug and cynical
smile Cuba confidently expects the United States
Government TO veto all these syndicate deals.
The landowners, whether Spanish Cuban by
birth know where their interests lie. They have
been struggling laboriously, and until the Reel
procity policy was adopted. almost hopeleSsy
against the ruinous conditions of administrative
corruption and economic folly. They are conscious
of their own hepessness in dealing with Spain
They know that their patriot war ended in
collapse because the United States Government
was Indifferent to its success They con-
WINGED that the economic revolution. which will
restore the industrial fortunes of the island,
be brought about only with the cooperation of
the United States They have welcomed the
Reciprocity policy as the first sign of de
termined purpose the part of the United
States TO bring the moral force Of its diplomacy
TO bear upon the future of the island. They
will regard the premature abandonment of that
policy as highly disastrous to Cuban interests.
That il will be so does not admit of any
sonable doubt Here is Cuba. a country nearly
as large as the State of New-York. with un-
limited natural resources and with great
market at its doors for all that it produces. 1t
only reeds honest and enlightened administra-
ton in order to become rich and prosper
Gus State Its present administration is utterly
incapable and corrupt. The financial condition
of Spain is so deplorabIe that no relief be
expected from that quarter The Madrid Gov
ernnent IN reduced to such straits that it
stands ready to hand over the island to any
European syndicate: Spanish. French or English,
which will pay literally for concessions. Not
satisfied with farming out the match and dl-
rect taxes, and with Increasing the taxes on
production for the next year, that Government
is now negotiating for new loans from bankers
in Paris and London on the best terms II can
get ard stands ready TO hand over the entire
customs revenues of the island as security. ms
is the Cuban situation, and the only quarter
firm which succor can come is Washington. With
90 per cent Of the exports of the island market
able only in the United States, and with It's
American
troll bv the provisions of the Reciprocity treaty. the
Government at Washington is i'll position 10
exert it's influence with commanding force so as
to protect the interests of its own citizens ana
to rescue Cuba from impending ruin.
In these circumstances | do not marvel that
intelligent Cubans lack the patience to discuss
| the chances of an abandonment of the Reciprocity
| policy by the incoming Democratic Admlnstra-
| ton They do not know very much about the
! lines of American political discussion bnt they
| have a vague impression that the Democratic
party favors the removal of restrictions upon
| international trade in the interest of consumers
and that it also is hostile to protected industries
" If those are Democratic principles they have
| said to me- "why should the sugar duties be
| restored for the benefit Of the Louisiana planter
at the expense OF the great body of consumers !?
| Or why shouid restrictions upon international
| trade be restored by the repeal OF the treaties
If the Democratic Administration desires free wool
why does il not make Reciprocity treaties with
| the Plate countries, and with Australia on the
same lines as the sugar and coffee treaties? why
does it not enlarge and develop the Reciprocity
| policy instead of abandoning it, and thereby
| bringing ruin upon Cuba?' ] found these ques-
! tons hard nuts TO crack Possibly the Incom-
| ing Democratic statesmen will find a softer smell
on them. l. y. l.