New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-26
SELECTIONS FROM THE NAIL
CUBA AND THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
a CORRESPONDENT WHO THINKS MANIFEST
DESTINY WILL SETTLE THEIR RELA.

CUBA AND THE NICARAGUA CANAL
a CORRESPONDENT WHO THINKS MANIFEST
DESTINY WILL SETTLE THEIR RELA.
uoNs TO THE UNITED states.
Tothe Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: have read with great interest the recent
articles Cuba from your stall correspondents.
J. n. F.. the third OF which appears In The Tribune
this morning. l have also read with similar Interest
your editorial OF this date concerning the Island OF
Cuba and its relations to country and our con-
troll OF the Nicaragua Canal. VIII you kindly allow
me space I'm your columns for few words nron the
same subject There would not seem TO be any way
by which the United States could at once secure the
possession OF Cuba except by force or purchase 10
take It by force without prOvocation TO us would VI
this enlightened age be little less than crime 10
buy II would Involve large outlay, which would. IT
seems to me. be unnecessary. and to attempt which
would probably fail OF result, and again put OIL
for generation all efforts for selfproecton ard self
assertion In the West Indies and Central America
That Cuba as we'll rs Carada will ultimately be-
long to the United States must appear to every one
to be manifest destiny OF course we can buy them.
One can buy "a great deal with money enough. But
there Is need of buying what can get for moth
Ing. We have Just applied business principles In our
dealings with Canada. and as result her people are
oil dancing up and down II they had fallen into
hornets nest Part OF them are crying for political
union and hurrahng for the American flag: part are
mercial union and the remainder cursng us right
and left with british flag In hand and with the
other hand rubbing their hornet bites. But leave
them alone little longer and every mothers son OF
them will be found rushing to the polls to vote for
annexation. And Great Britain will let them go.
Cuba Is IN q similar situation. She makes her
livelihood from sugar. She has lost the European
market through the development OF the beet-suGar
Industry. The United States is her only market
She is obliged to sell to us. and II continue to
apply business principles TO her she will be obliged
to buy from Practically that is commercial union
already. But the greed Of Spain In draining the re-
Of the people by increased taxation. on the
one hand, together with tho present cordial com
mcrcial relations between the people Of Cuba and the
United States the other. will rapidly develop In
the Cubans resolve to break loose from Spanish con-
troll and rapidly create among them n sentiment
In favor OF annexation to this county, When that
point is reached 1t will not be section OF the pOpu
lation attempting n revolution which Spain can put
down BY force as In the past. 1t will be the whole
island in revolt and with the United States ready to
receive IT, Spain will lot 1t go without dollar OF
payment or the firing OF gun
II our country should permit Spain to place Cuba
under any European financial control we could make
It very poor bargain indeed for the syndicate. IL
We did not buy Cuba's sugar where would be the
prosperity Of the island and where would the syndi
cate get its taxes BY continuing the development
Of tho beet sugar industry in the United States we
could beggar the syndicate, bring spain herself to
terms II she not willing to abandon Cuba TO us
as desired to get her On the other
hand II should attempt to purchase Cuba for $780,,
600 900 5000 900 600. II would raise opposition
In Congress and among the people that would be al
most certain to defeat the scheme ami put the whole
Central American question in the background for a
long time to come.
Greatly TO be desired the Nicaragua Canal is
the extraordinary advantages 1t will bring to Our
country are not yet appreciated by the people gen
orally to the extent that they by those who have
lind the leisure give thoughtful attention to the sub
feet. A dozen OF largest American capitalists
could build the Nicaragua Canal I'm few years and
derive more profit from the investment than from any
enterprise In which they could possibly day Invest
their money. Yet not n Dozen hundred or thousand
Of them have The requisite foresight and pluck to build
the canal except with governmental financial
guaranty II they SO faint-hearted upon the ques
ton how expect greater foresight ana interest
among the plain voters Again, II we made our
first move into the West Indian arena on such
large scale. should excite Jealousy all about us
Nicaragua and the other Central American States
would he afraid that had designs on their terri
tory, and England and the rest OF Europe would
never cease to create and develop antagonism to
In all Central America. From the hour that the
Nicaragua Canal is open to commerce under American
control there will develop In Central America and in
Mexico sentiment In favor OF union with the United
and American enterprise within them will foster
that sentiment that It will not then long before
1t will be evident to all That the absorption Of
Mexico and Central America. with much OF the West
Indies. by the United States is also a matter OF mani
fest destiny.
But In all dealings with other nations governmental
policy and diplomacy play such large part that one
false move may check existing development for
haf century. 1t is very essential. therefore, IN
Central American matters that every step take Is
first we'll considered that II Is polite one. that 1t is
soon enough taken, but not too soon soon But we DO
says that the political considerations which urge
such an acquisition are too numerous and too serious
three at least stand boldly out. We need such a
l. For coalins station for our naval vessels sail
ing between this country and Central south America.
ii. For a rendezvous for Navy to afford
protection 10 and defense OF our Southern coast
so as always to be e to keep It
control. and in case of war with foreign nation
We need such property at Further con-
alteration Of the subject IS not necessary. We have
the ior aare er OF on
be too short. Now that the Nicaragua Canal Is ut
h should at once treaty. with
for the purchase OF St. Thomas. purchase we nearly
yor yeSor and st. has the
the West Indies ora It is opposite to the entrance Of
1 nc Srns IN sSS p to poa or
tax gathcrcr. and therefore should he able to
erect purchase OF 1t ut price tsa IT., would not meet
DELAY the ratification OF the treaty Of purchase be-
s d Then we can run up the American nag from
Ksy Yves, and hc Virgin Isand together WITH
European acquisitions Of territory the American
whe@ Europe t, sscS S Sar sT noaGg
know how to read the signs Of TIE times viii
Lastly. we can pnt word In The ear of Spain
dispose Of other political financial control Of Cub,