The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-21
The Sugar Trust Has a Scheme
For Becoming
The Ruling Power in the Island
of Cuba.
EVOLVED BYJ.J.M'COOK
Plan for "West India Com
pany" on English Model,
United States to Guarantee the
Necessary Bonds.

Washington, June PA story IS cur
rent that the sugar trust has evolved or
accepted an ambitious suggestion that
Cuba is substantially for sale, and
might as well become a sugar planta-
ton for gigantic corporation support
ed by the sympathy and the interest OF
our country. In other words that we
might have a West India company as
England has an East India company
and a Hudson Bay company, each OF
which aided vastly in the extension OF
the British empire. 1t is said that the
Spanish minister to the United States
cabled recently to Madrid reports of the
disposition OF our government to de-
cline to interfere by force and also to
support autonomy and that this cable
prevented the recall of Weyler which
from changes in the Spanish ministry
was in the air, to send to Cuba Campos'
who closed the ten years war with cash
in hand and might do the same job
now by the same means, much cheaper
than Spain can keep 100000 soldiers in
the field. Col John J. McCOOk is the
gentleman credited with the imagina-
tiOn to conceive the capture OF Cuba
with cash as measure of peace. This
as Col. McCOok understands it is mere
ly a matter of business.
The idea runs this way: Spain has
$400, COO, 600 and under Spanish dominion
the island can never yield a revenue
amounting to One-haf the interest
Cuba, without a port, or town, or ship,
has a national debt and yet there are
many who think the credit of the Gu
ban government should be as good If
not better than that of Spain.
Suppose there was company com
manding money to take up the whole
Cuban debt, with the war debt of Spain
charged to Cuba, a it's market value
say $50,0O000O and $4,000 900 for the
Sps nish rights in Cuba, and the Cuban
rights in the forests and mines, and in
settling American and Cuban claims
agzinSt Spatn-and the United States
would guarantee bonds to the amount
of $100, 100000 at 3 per cent and super
wise and administer the customs of the
ports Of Cuba for the payment Of the
interest, the. government holding the
I bonds as security, would not liberty and
peace and prosperity for the island be
accomplished a cost of SO 000. 600 "a
year taken out of the Cuban custom
| houses 2Incidentally it would seem that
there must be an immense profit to the
managers of what might be called the
Cuban trust.
The advantage to the spaniards
would be peace and the extinction Of
some hundred millions of hopeless debt
for the creditors of Spain would be glad
to scale her obligations and she could
have large sum of money in hand in
stead of a Cuba of blood and ashes on
her hands.
The gain to Cuba would be govern
ment by corporation limited, instead
of 81 crown absolute and there could be
a contract guaranteeing civil liberty to
the people on United States models.
| There would be money for roads and
schools and sanitary measures, and
there would be as a necessity of inter
national administration, such measure
of elf-gOvernment as would maintain
order through a police force with
Americen n and Cuban volunteers to deal
with brigandage. The mJalicipal prob
lens could be dealt with by the muai-
ciDalities and adjustments made for the
administration Of justice and pavment
of worthy pensioners. With the intro
duction of American energies and the
security of capital, made plain by the
visible presence of securities. Cuba
would yield wealth beyond the dream
| of avarice."
The revenue in the days of reciprocity
with US was in excess of $50, 900 900 and
! it would rise far beyond that figure
! with a few years of this magnificent
| business management.