The evening times., 1898-05-03
Activity Among Those Who
WOuldtEnSlaye the Island.
BONDS is. THE PASSWORD
The Promoters Advocate the Issue
of Two Hundred Million Dollars i'm
Bonds by the Syndicate, to BE Sc
cured by the Revenues of the Re-
public and Sweeping Concessions.


Of activity among the men who have
been scheming TO promote" the future
| financial interests of Cuba. The various
projects for the purchase of the Island
| OF Cuba from Spain by bonds issued
either by the United States or the new
! government of Cuba-either or both OF
which are TO be guaranteed by the United
I Sta .es-have been revived, as well as the
/ plan of New York syndicate to start
the new government with ample funds,
in return for valuable concessions which
| il MAY have to confer.
/ The activity Of the promoters. whose
/ operations may yet disclose a scandal.
| suggests that the whole plan of action
/ by the United States. even to the con-
quest of the Philippines. was anticipated
| by the persons most active in the tinan-
| cial future of Cuba.
There has been deep-rooted impress
sion in Washington ever since the incep-
| tion Of the war movement by the Gov
/ ernment that behind the broad spirit OF
! patriotism. which is undoubtedly sin
| cere on the part of the people, there
| has lurked a sordid interest, intent on
| preying on Cuba through that same
| spirit of patriotism.
The men who have been most conspic-
! uous in furnishing the plans for the fu-
/ ture development of Cuba. as a sequence
| to the patriotic and humane act of the
| United States. have operated most sur
| reptitiously. and only the most vague and
intangible information concerning their
purposes have been revealed by their
guarded interviews with the high Off
cials OF the Government into whose
hands was intrusted the conduct OF hos
tilities against the Spanish in Cuba. Ru-
mors Of the organization and operations
! of syndicate 10 finance Cuba" were
openly talked of. and the names of GER
tain senator's and members of the House
OF Representatives. whose influence was
supposed to he of value in promoting the
scheme Of the financial promoters, were
continuously mentioned. one report was
that a syndicate. Of which John j. Me-
Cook. the New York lawyer. was pro-
moter. awaited only the forcibIe inter-
vention Of the United States 10 open a
way for it TO control the financial future
OF Cuba.
This syndicate according 10 report. had
started a subscription fund Of 500. go 010.
Of which nearly S30.O00 0n0 had been sub
scribed, and which was to be used in
placing Cuba on its feet - The syndi-
cate was credited with having issued con-
ditional bonds for twice the amount Of
the entire fund and with having dis
tributed them where they would DO the
most good. No actual information of
the distribution Of the bonds could be OBJ
tanned. and no man in Washington has as
Yet admitted that he has seen. much less
received one Of them. The leading mem
bers Of the syndicate are said to be John
J. MUCook former Vice President Levi +.
Morton. Russell Sage. r T. Wilson and
r. a. c. Smith, the latter OF whom Is
the managing director Of the Ward
Steamship Line operating between New
York and Cuba.
Since the original formation Of the syn
dicate a number Of the men who were
originally interested have withdra an and
their places taken By men whose names
are not familiar TO the public. The plans
Of the syndicate as they were originally
mapped out have also been changed. but
the main purpose Of il has been retained.
The affairs Of the syndicate have as
sumed greater degree of prosperity dur
ing the last four days-or since, in fact.
il was certain that Admiral Dewey would
begin operations in the Philippines-than
previously characterized their manifesto
ton. The original subscriptions have been
increased TO nearly if not quite One-fOUTth
Of the amount Of the whole $500 900 600.
and the most conspicuous members of
the syndicate have redoubled their mys-
terious efforts.
The newly framed plan Of operations
of the syndicate cOntemplates:
J. The ultimate establishment of the
republic of Cuba.
. (a) The issue and purchase of $500.
GO0 O00 of bonds by the syndicate, the
same to be guaranteed by the revenues
of the island. customs and direct tax:
tbl or the granting of concessions to es-
tablish banking, railway. telegraph and
steamship systems in the island in re-
turn for the proposed loan.
This double-headed proposition is the |
new feature of the plans of the syndi- |
cate The proposition to buy outright
the concessions which the new republic |
will have to grant appears to be the more |
popular with members of the syndicate.
Such an arrangement would give the syn
dicate almost absolute control of the ISL |
and its immense sugar and tobacco |
trade and would insure it large per- |
centage of the profits that would natu- |
rally accrue from the development of the |
revenues of the island which would be |
possible under the new condition of af- |
fairs that the establishment of a Cuban |
republic would encourage.
Here in Washington. it is the opinion /
Of men who look forward and anticipate |
the result of the conditions that prevail |
today that the end of the war with
financial scheme, which. unless now
choked by the United States will grip |
cuba and the Cubans within the tentacles |
Of a financial trust. promoted by Ameri- |
-ans. that will benefit the Cubans no |
more than has the brutal and aggressive
rule of Spain.
The news of the American victory i'm |
he Philippines had scarcely been re-
,eived before the financial trust and its |
operations began to be discussed The |
agents of the trust, which is to fatten |
lpon American patriotism, keep them
selves we'll under cover. and those who |
ire credited with a great personal inter
.st in its success deny any connection
With il.
The man who is believed TO be more
leeply interested in the financial trust
han any other who has been in Wash
ngton is John j. MeCook. Mr.. McCook
vas a the Executive Mansion yesterday,
,ut did not see the President. Mr. Me-
cook is looked to by officials and MEM
,ers of Co gress TO disclose the plan by
which Cuba is TO be "finaneiered" He
vas formerly a close personal friend OF
he President, but his activity during the
light over Cuba in Congress incurred the
lispleasure of the President and he has
lot enjoyed the favor of Mr.. Mckinley
nce then. But Mr.. McCook has been
'ery active in Washington cOnferring
With many senators and high officials.
md he has frequently expressed his
leasure at the trend of the Governments