The National tribune., 1897-10-21
THE LIBERAL PROGRAM,

| hosts OF friends.
THE LIBERAL PROGRAM.
The proposition by the new Liberia
Spanish Ministry for the settlement O
the Cuban troubles is too preposterous te
receive any serious consideration. That
is, would not receive any serious consid
Grafton, even if there were any assurance
that it could be carried out, which is i'm
possible. Bitter experience has taught
the Cubans that they can rely on nc
promises from Madrid, no matter by
| whom made, nor how definite and EN-.
phatic their terms. The reason is that
the Government of Cuba and the
Philippines are the only resources
left the rapacious political hangers
on of the royal palace. These men
must fill their own pockets, and
provide for their adherents somehow,
and the colonies afford about the only
opportunities. Everything at home is
worked out or mortgaged, and so they
must GO across the seas for spoils. Every
tradition in Spanish politics and imme-
mortal practice supports this course. One
set of politicians may this year, under a
certain stress, abate a portion of its greed,
but the incurable appetite is there, all
the same, and the next year another set
may be in power, and will find means,
regardless of past promises, to crafty its
greed. This the Cubans we'll know, and
their only security is entire escape from
the power of Spain.
But the program is in itself prepos-
ferrous. 1t contemplates granting au-
tonomy to Cuba on the basis of the
islands assumption Of the "Cuban
Debt" and the continuance Of the
Spanish customs system. This means,
first, that the island is to assume an enor-
nous indebtedness without any power to
pay it, except by direct taxation, which
with the heavy customs dues would
make an intolerable burden Of taxation.
A portion of this debt, at least, Cuba
had no hand at all in making. Spain
arbitrarily assigned a portion of her
National debt to the island, though it
had been incurred in wars in which
Cuba had had no interest, and for pur-
poses in which Cuba had not shared.
Its creation and growth have been more
matter of jugglery in the corrupt
finances than anything else. At the
outbreak of the present war the debt
had been swelled until it had reached
the enormous figure Of s16S,50O,0OO.
How much it has been increased
since no one knows, but it is
generally believed that between
s250,000,0O0 and s3O0,OOO,OoO would
be charged to the island in the event of
carrying out the Liberal program.
Taking even the smaller fgure-$25O,-
O00,000-this is $3.50 per head for
every one of the 100000 people, In
Guiding negroes, coolies, ETC., or $3.50
per family of five. Our own National
debt is only little over IS per head.
Though the island is rich in resources
the Cubans are very poor. Their wealth
per head will not average nearly 80
much as that of our own colored people.
Of course, if Cuba agreed to accept the
debt the Spanish politicians would put
into it every possible accession, and there
would be no help for the unhappy
islanders.
Then, the Spaniards want to retain
control of the customs system, which
would allow the continuance of the
Cubans being fleeced for the benefit of
the Spanish merchants, manufacturers
and farmers.
AS we said at the outset, there is no
possibility of the scheme being seriously
considered. 1t is too obviously pre-
postercus.
A NUMBER of Germans residing ia
England are endeavoring to calm the
rising storm. of ill-will between the Eng
lish and German peoples, without much
success. The trouble is that each is
angered by the others sharp competition