The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-18
4 BUSINESS PROPOSITION.
War in Cuba Is Seriously Gripping
American Commerce.
GOVERNMENT URGED To INTERFERE
Many Firms mud individuals Whose
Interests Are Suffering Memorial
ire Secretary sherman.

| Now York. May l7.-Firms and ndiyid-
uals in this country who are interested In
trade with Cuba and who desire peace IN
the island as soon as possible have sent a
memorial to the secretary OF state setting
forth how their business interests are suf-
fering and giving facts about the struggle
IN Cuba in the hope that measures may be
! devised to terminate the war in the island.
Tha memorial IS as follows:
The subscribers 10 this memorial. citizens
OF the uuited States. doing business as
bankers. merchants. manufacturers,
steamship owners aud agents IN Tue c!u,s
vi Boston, New York. Philadelphia Dalu-
more, St Louis Savannah. Charleston,
Jacksonville. New orleans and other places
and aiso other citizens of the United States,
| who have been for many years engaged IN
the export and import trade with the
island Of cuba. finding their several inter
ests are suffering severely from the long
! continuance OF the struggle now going on
| In Tho island Of cuba. desire to present tor
| your careful consideration the following
facts IN tho hope that YOU may find IN
| them a sufficient justification of this me-
moral aud may be able TO devise measures
whereby the termination OF the struggle
between the armed forces In the island OF
cuba may be FASTENED and the suterinss
aud losses OF your subscribers may be re-
licve1 and commerce may be re-cstablished
between the United States and the island
OF cuba
The magnitude of the American COM
,nerce with the island OF Cuba is readily
shown by citing the volume OF our trade
with that island for the Wears ls93. 1884
aud 1879. in each of which years the value
Of our imports from Cuoa exceeded 500
600 GOO our exports to Cuba ranged in
value from s25 600 400 to $40 900 600 year
during these years and had been even
greater In previous years during the recip-
| 1ocity treaty OF the United States with
Spain.
| The struggle has continued for more
than two years. 10 the serious arrangement
OF our commerce with the island our i'm
ports from Cuba shrinking in value to
somc $50 000 600 In 1896 and our exports 10
! cuba in 1896 amounting TO only $1,000 Gao.
so far as asccrtainablc
| Many nj your subscribers. moreover. have
! large interests in Cuba. either as property
holders or as holders Of MORTGAGES, or in
! the shape Of business credit advances, and
Your subscribers see these interests al
READY seriously injured nov threatened
with nnnihilation 10y the continuance OF a
| state ~ affairs under which VIC can noith>i
| operate any business in the island OF Cuba
/
/ bio In order TO protect our interests.
Tho third rain season since the com
menccmenr Of the insurrectiOn Is now at
! hand in Cuba, and as military operations
| Of any magnitude are made virtually i'm
possible for the noxt five months by raa-
son OF the tropical climate and rains, :ho
relative position Of the two contenling par
ties can not be greatly altered during the
summer months.
II appears to your subscribers that for
the reasons above cited they may venture
70 lay thpsc facts before You most appro-
priatcly at this time aud they sincerely
hops that you may be Inclined in view Of
the magnitude and importance OF the
American commercial interests that are in
volHod, 10 give careful consideration TO
the serious blow inflicted upon our COM
mcrco and trade by thc present disturbance
in Cuh1 an honorable reconciliation be-
tween the Conteuding parties The rcstora =
ton 81 peace I'm Cuba now or within the
present rainy reason would probably not
only r srue from destruction the large in
forests Of the Americans there nj stake
and servo To re-cstahlish nm important
branch OF cur Nations commerce, hut
would prevent further loss OF life DE-
struction Of property, widespread distress.
hunger and suffering that are inevitable
accomplishments Of an armed conflict such
as has existed for over two years now in
Cuba. Your subscribers especially solicit
your speedy consideration Of this matter
desiring relief for their own large inter
ests involved and desiring also to aid in
securing the nesiimablo blessings of peace
for one and half millions Of residents in
the island Of cuba. now enduring un-
speekehlo dietress and suffering,
The great cuse OF true humanity will
b. furthcrod. jointly with that of Ameri-
can commerce by such measures as YOUR
, subscribers trust you may deem oxpcdent
at this juncture.