New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-14
PRICE THREE CENTS.
INVESTING MONEY IN CUBA.
FOREIGN CAPITALISTS TRUSTING TO
AMERICAN INTERVENTION.
ENGLrsHMEN BUYING TOBACCO FACTORIES AND
RAIIRoAps-FRENcH AND GEPMAN IN
TERESTS ALSO -- CONFIDENCE IN
THE FUTURE OF THE ISL
LAND SHOWN
LAND SHOWN.
rpY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuNE.1

LAND SHOWN
rBY TELEGRAPH THE rRIBuNE.I
Havana March l.. via Tampa, March 10
Events in the United States indicate that the
tests laid down In President McKinley's Message
for solving the Cuban question are soon 70 ne
applied Testimony to the justice OF these tests
is furnished from an impOrtan, source IL
comes from the investment Of European capital
English capitalists have shown more confidence
In the certainty OF American Intervention than
have some OF the American people. For months
they have been making extensive investments
Now it IS understood that English syndicates
control most Of the tobacco factories The con-
so!idation Of the railroad system IL under tneir
guidance. Other enterprises have their direc-
ton. All this has been going on during period
when the shadow OF Spanish sovereignty over
Cuba was disappearing.
RELYING on AMERICAN INTERVENTION.
No single circumstance would have justl1ed
the risk OF a dollar II It had rested on autonomy
bringing peace Or the hope Of Spain being able
to guarantee a stable government nor has there
been anything TO encourage the belief tnat peace
would come in the wake Of the cOnquering arms
Of the Peninsula or that the insurgents would
be able to drive the Spaniards from the island.
The English investors have taken no wiidcat
chances Of that kid. They have gone forward
in the face OF what might have proved tenn
porary period Of anarchy or even a sixty Gays
war. Their business judgment has been based
on the deliberate conviction that either 'ne
mediation or the Intervention of the United
States was inevitable. 1t was their belief that
Spain would 10 unable TO meet the conditions
on which the President would be supported by
the facts in eaying that the cause ~ interVen-
ton had been removed. I'm less pronounced
way representatives Of the French capitalists
who have recently been IN cuba have reacneo
the same conclusion This has been in the race
OF the French holdings of Spanish bonds Inc
German commercial interests. long ago strongly
intrenched have looked forward with COM
plaisance. mingled with impatencc, to the time
when the United States should end the strug-
gle
Doubtless the representatives OF these Euro
pean countries have reported the situation 70
their respective Governments. Most OF them
have made careful study of the economic pros
rects as well Of the political and military OUT
look. All observers agree on ore point Which
goes far In determining the whole question OF IN
tervention. Il is four months since the regime
o- autonomy. which was to bring peace. was
esta ablshed and yet the United States Is to-day
irving TO feed one-third OF the inhabitants OF
I
Gated SO as to enable the resumption OF peacefui
pursuits there would have been no need OF this
succor II the wretched survivors OF Weylers
concentration policy had been put back in their
homes in the country and the zones OF cultiva.
ton extended as promised. by this time they
would have been able to support themselves from
the fruits Of the soil. Instead. American reliefO
now the sole hope Of a large proportion OF the
population without it they would die or starv-
alton as they have been dying for fifteen months
past
RELIEF FOR THE STARVING.
The relief has been systematized. and at last
is distributed with some degree OF fairness. And
in placing it on a systematic basis the extent to
which food medicine and clothing required
Is for the first time fully appreciated In all
cases it passes through the hands Of the consuls
and is by them delivered TO the committees usu-
ally hired by the Alcaldes or Mayors. These
municipal authorities are all bankrupt. They
receive no aid from the Central Government In
Havana They have no recourse TO save their
people from starving except this aid from the
United States Many of them took office under
the Autonomlst Government on the promise that
they would be enabled to supply food for the
Cubans and put the recOncentrados back in the
country
Their failure to do 50 has destroyed any infu-
ence they might have had in winning the peo-
pie to the support Of Autonomy. and no prospect
is held out that the conditions Will improve.
The United States must continue to feed the
inhabitants Of Cuba for an indefinite period
unless the course of starvation is stopped BY
means Of Intervention.
Large enterprises welcome peace or forcible
Intervention ns the means OF freeing them from
burdens. TIE Government owes everybody. In
the cities the gas companies and the electric
light companies can collect nothing. II they
press for payment their plants are threatened
with confiscation. The railroad company re-
ce.ves promises Of future payments for the
transportation OF supplies. When they press
for compensation they are met with the point
that the Government may take the roads. Other
important creditors held off in similar
way.