Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-03-13
What Will Cleveland Do?

Senorr1oel Pierra, chairman of the
Cuban revolutionary committee in
the United States. has furn ished the
press with some important informa-
tod in regard to the relation of the
revolution in Cuba to American in
terests. He places the amount of
American capital invested in Cuban
properties at $25,000,OOO, and the
amount advanced on the sugar and
tobacco crops and merchandise sold
on credit to Cuba at $50,000,000 more,
making $75,OO0,O0O, the security of
which is involved in the present
struggle. A large part of these actual
investments, advances and credits are
understood to represent New Eng
land capital, which may in part ex-
plain why the opposition from the
northern states to recognizing the
belligerency of the Cubans comes
mainly from the New England states.
In the house six republican members
from Massachusetts voted against the
Cuban resolutions. In the senate,
Hale of Maine, Morrill, of Vermont,
and Wetmore of Rhode Island gave
three OF the six votes cast against the
resolutions The ordinary belligerent
Boutelle of Maine led the fight
against those resolutions in the house,
as Hale of Maine does in the senate.
The state of Maine has many vessels
anG lumbermen engaged in the Cuba
trade, and Massachusetts, also, has
ships, merchants, and sugar refiners
largely engaged in the same trade.
Much doubt seems to prevail as to
whether Mr.. Cleveland will act in &C.
cordance with the concurrent reeolu-
lions adopted by congress. 1t is gen.
orally agreed that he is not compelled
to do SO unless he chooses. His sec
rotary of state, by whom he is sup
posed to be much influenced, has
shown himself sufficiently belIigerent
in the Venezuela case, but he is u
Boston man, and it remains to be
seen whether he will have the back
bone to withstand the New England
money influence in the case of Cuba.
In addition to the possibly adverse
influence of Mr.. Oluey in this case, a
number of the presidents wealthy
New York friends are against recog-
milton of Cuban belligerncy. Some
of them have money invested in the
island, and still more of them think
such recognition would seriously in
terfere with stock jobbing operations,
and with trade generally. The opin-
ION is widely entertained that the
president has heretofore been infiuen-
ced by those rich New Workers to the
discredit Of his administration.
The great body of the American
people are influenced by the most un-
selfish, exalted motives in demanding
suitable recognition by this govern
ment of the rights of the Cuban pat
riots and congress has simply given
formal expressing to that demand.
Mr.. Cleveland is generally under
stood to bs exceptionally Indifferent
to public opinion, but it is not believ-
ed that, if inclined to do so. he would
venture to ignore this demand, at
the instigation of few, mercenary
special interests. He must know that
the people are in no temper to have
their will thwarted in this matter. A
joint resolution recognizing the Gu
bans as belligerants would be passed
by congress, over his veto, if neces-
sary, and became a law to which the
president would have to give effect,
or subject himself to impeachment.
The president is not foolish man
and therefore will never permit mat
tiers to assume this sort of comp lex
ion.-Des Moines News.