Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-06-24
To BUY CUBA.
A Story Current That the Sugar
Trust Wants the Island.
COL. M'CCOK ORIGINATES The IDEA.
The Scheme Outlined-The Advantage to
the Spaniards, tine Gain to Cuba and
the Immense Profits to the
Managers.

WASHINGTON, June GA story Is
current that the sugar trust has evolved
or accepted an ambitious suggestion
that Cuba is substantially for sale, and
might as well become sugar planta-
ton for gigantic corporation, sup
ported by the sympathy and the inter
est Of our country. In other words
that we might have West India
company, as England had an
East India company and a Hud.
son 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
decline to interfere by force and also
to support Cuban autonomy, and that
this cable prevented the recall
of Weyler when a change 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 man credit
ed with the imagination to conceive
the capture of Cuba with cash as a
means of peace. This, as Col. McCook
understands it. is merely matter of
business
The idea runs this way: Spain has
already charged to Cuba a debt of
$500, 100000 and under Spanish domin-
ion the island can never yield reve-
nue. amounting to one-half the inter-
est, Cuba, without port, or town, or
ship, has a national debt, and yet there
are many who think the credit of the
Cuban government Should be as good,
If not better, than that Of Spain.
Suppose there was company COM
handing money to take up the whole
Cuban debt, with the war debt Of
Spain charged to Cuba, at its market
value, say $5O,OOO,OO and s5O,OOO,OOO
more for the Spanish rights in Cuba,
and the Cuban rights in the forests
and mines, and in settling Ameri-
can and Cuban claims against
Spain, and the United States
would guarantee bonds to the amount
Of S1OO, 1000, 900 at three per cent. and
and administer the customs
of the ports Of Cuba for the payment
Of the interest, the government hold
ing the bonds as security, would not
liberty and peace and prosperity for
the island be accomplished at a cost of
81, OO0, 900 year taken out of the Cuban
customs houses? Incidentally 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 would have a large sum Of money
in hand, instead of Cuba of blood
and ashes on her hands. The gain to
Cuba would be government by cor
limited, instead of a 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
and there would be, as ne
cessity Of internal administration, such
Of self-government as would
maintain order through police force,
with American and Cuban volunteers
to deal with brigandage. The municipal
problems could be dealt with by the mu-
and adjustments made for