The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-28
Mercenary Plan Proposed BY the
Mckinley Administration.
SIX PER CENT PATRIOTISM
PROPOSE TO LOAD CUBA DOWN
WITH DEBT.
Plan Contemplates the
Purchase of Cuban Independence
For Three Hundred Millions,
Cuba to Pay the Bill-Would be
Unsatisfactory to Both Sides.
(specIal correspondence.l

Il
Washington. D. c., Feb. 24-Congress-
man King made the suggestion on his
return from his visit to Cuba that the
United States ought at once to intervene
in the island TO stop the war, prevent the
further killing of men and women and
provide for the support of the starving
reconcentrados. After this was done, he
regarded it as likely to be feasible for
the CubanS TO conduct negotiations for
the purchase of the island He mentioned
the sum of 500 100000 as the possible ng-
ure that might be discussed. using this
sum because it was the amount Sug-
gested by the United States 40 years ago.
when Cuba was vastly more valuable
than she is today. 1t was also the
amount mentioned to him by leading in
surgents. He still believes that If such 4
course were pursued. Spain would, Wheth-
er she refused or accepted the offer. be
compelled to liberate the island. If she
refused. the United States could continue
TO forcibly maintain the peace she had
established. Judge Kings idea was to
give 10 the Cuban insurgents and their
starving families the strong support of
the United States before any possible ne
gotiations-
He is far from pleased with the man
ned in which it appears that the admin
cification of the island. although it bears
some resemblance TO his plan. The adj
ministratiOn seems to contemplate pur-
chase without Intervention, and Con-
first and talk of purchase afterward-
A MERCENARY PROPOSITION.
The fact becomes daily more apparent
that the administration has no policy
relative to the Spanish and Cuban Cues-
ton than the purchase of the island
of mercenary proposition that has been
predicted from the first by many leaders
of the opposition. 1t is claimed by Demo-
cratic leaders that this course is not at
all consistent with the shirt Of rTinf-
ism now aroused throughout the country,
but entirely in keeping with the idea
OF electing president solely to conserve
the so-called business interests OF
which so much was heard during the last
presidential campaign. 1t is asserted here
that the president now has private
agents in Cuba endeavOring to induce the
insurgents to make an offer of money in
demnity for the independence of the
island. The presumptive policy of the ad-
ministration, after such an offer is made,
is to suggest that the United States will
guarantee the payment of the bonds
which the Cuban republic would issue in
the event that Spain would sell the island.
The lowest price that has been Sug-
gested by Republicans for insertion in
Cuba 5 bid for independence is $500, Co.,
900. The cOld-blOoded proposition to do
nothing but try to buy liberty is very dis
tasteful to the leading men in congress,
and sure to be unsatisfactory 10 the peO-
pie of the country.
But the unpopularity of this kind of
proposition in America" said a
leading western Democrat TO The Herald,
would not compare with the fierce hos
tility it would arouse in the long-suffer-
ing island and in Spain itself Both
parties to the desperate war in the island
have expended too much blood and treas
ure in the struggle to accept a pawn
broker and usurer'S plan of settlement of
the long war between Cuban liberty and
Spanish pride. Spain could afford TO be
in a war with the United
States. but she could not sell her last
great colony without being permanently
as a nation. Cuban freedom.
already blOOd-bought, would become dis
tasteful if bond-bought. The Cubans
would be utterly unable to meet the heavy
burdens which the $500. O00. 900 purchase
would impose on the island. The $500. Co.,
200 of debt would then be loaded upon
the people of the United States. They
would be willing TO risk many lives and
much treasure to make way for liberty
in Cuba, but the mOney-changer plan
would be profoundly unsatisfactory"
There is no probability that congress
could be induced TO vote money for any
such purpose. There is one very salts
factory feature of this administration
plan of liberating Cuba If the admiIis-
-ratiop seriously proposes the marketing
If Cuban liberty. the Republican party in
he new congress will be reduced TO a
,Orporals guard of members from New
York, Pennsylvania and New England