Evening star., 1899-04-18
Secretary Alger Tells the Cabinet of
His Recent Trip.
HIS HIS PLAN FOR EXTENDING CREDITS
Representations of the Cuban
Planters on the Subject.
SOME OTHER MATTERS

The cabinet devoted nearly all of two
hours today to listening to a talk from
Secretary Alger as to his recent visit to
Cuba and Porto Rico. together with his
views as to the best plan Of extending the
time for the payment of credits in Cuba.
Secretary .Aiger has drawn plan. based
upon his own observations, as to the ques-
ton of credits the island. His PROPOSE
ton briefly. is to extend the time for the
payment of all the mortgages based on
lands for period of one year, and at the
same time to establish a commission which
shall have the power to consider all cases
supposed to have sufficient merit to war
rant further extension. If in the Judgment
of this commission a land owner should
require more time for the payment of his
obligations, or the interest thereon, the
commission will have authority to grant
such extension Secretary Alger, comment
ing upon this. said there were doubtless
many meritorious cases where there should
be an extension of more than a year. but
that II his opinion that both creditor
and debtor should be protected in what
ever plan should finally be decided upon.
The Attorney General was not present
at the cabinet meeting but has already
given the matter much consideration, from
which he concludes that a year is suffi-
cient time for the extension of credits based
realty
The cabinet found the talk of the Secre-
tary very interesting. and INDUCED in con-
siderable discussion of the subject, with
out. however. arriving at any definite con-
cluIsion. The President requested Secretary
Alger to again look over his plan. and, if
pCssible, to eliminate the proposed commits
sion and extend the time for a period
lcrger than year This conclusion of the
President is based largely upon the petition
which has been submitted to the President
and members of the cabinet by the Cuban
Planters and Farmers Association. The
representatives of this association have
been in Washington for some time, and
have submitted printed petitions to all the
members of the cabinet. This petition
shows that Cuban farmer cannot reap a
penny from sugar crop within year
and half after planting, consequently
the extension of time for year would not
benefit him ma aterially. The Cubans state
that II requires eighteen months for crop
OF sugar cane TO grow, and that the first
prontS from its production begin within
eighteen months; after that the profits are
rapid and the expense inconsiderable. COM
pared with the first costs. The crop is
planted at this time of the year and from
now till November. That the farmers may
know what To expect. they are anxious to
nave the matter settled that they may
begin this planting. II is further said in
behalf of the longer extension than a year
that II thu capitalist understands that the
fist mortgages will not he forecIosed in
the fer
thGugh money on a second mort gage to be-
gin the operation on his farm. He will not
do so now because he SAYS that the first
mortgage would descend upon the crop
and plantation and deprive him Of his
claims.
Immediate Solution Urged
The Cuban representatives urge that an
immediate solution of the problem is of the
greatest necessity. They say that for many
years the Cuban farmer has been placed in
most difficult position. He suffered dur
ing the ten years war and at the outbreak
of the last revolution in Cuba was strug-
shng under these obstacles. In the year
before the outbreak of the last revolution
the farmers considered themselves in a
much better condition because they had
produced a million tons of sugar and would
nave produced the year following. when
the war broke out. 2DD 900 tons more The
petition enumerates the various extensions
of credit under the Spanish regime and
says that if foreclosure should be permitted
at any time soon not only the large plant
ers. but JI.OS small farmers would lose
their land. Not only the land owner would
be affected but the holder of second and
subsequent mortgages. and all lienors and
other creditors. including employees, mer-
chants and iaborers. would lose the amounts
due them. This would mean the general
bankruptcy of the people OF Cuba all of
whom are dependent directly or Indirectly
upon the agriculture of the country.
Annexation NOt Mentioned.
1t Is positively stated that the cabinet
has at no time even mentioned in their dis
cussions the possible annexation of Cuba
to the United States. In this connection
however. the question was today asked how
the United States would enforce the ex-
tension of credits for two years if it ex-
poets to depart from the island in less than
that time In to this a member of
the cabinet aid today that il the United
states should cease its connection with
Cuba in less than two years il would exact
from the Cuban government a promise that
its program should be carried out in full.
Mr.. Tripp Makes Call.
Bartlett Tripp. the American commission
er to Samoa, who arrived here last night
paid a brief visit of courtesy to the Pres
ident this morning. prior to the assembling
OF The cabinet He was accompanied by
Secretary Hay. The President and Mr.
Trip attended the Albany (N.Y) Law
School together just after the civil war
and have been friends for over thirty years
West Virginia will Furnish Troops
Senat tor ". &. Scott of West Virginia
called upon the President today accom-
panied by Maj c. ID. Elliott of the % West
Virginia Volunteers. to inform him that
West Virginia was prepared to furnish her
share of troops for service in the Philip
Ptnes. in case it was decided to call for vol
hlattrto 10 II ptdCf InOSt VINO are being
tered out He told the President that West
Virginia would furnish a regiment in ten
days whenever called for. and "a regiment
that would stick" Mr. Mckinley thanked
Senator Scott and expressed his gratifica-
ton. but said that as yet nothing had been
definitely decided concerning u call for ad-
ditional volunteers
4 Souvenir From the Kaiser
President Mckinley has received the fol-
lowing from Emperor William of Germany:
Great and Good Friend
In coTnmemoration OF the conservation
81 the Church of the Savior at Jerusalem
which took place on the Slst of October
iast which was 50 important an event for
the evangelical portion of Chrstendorn
ana in which. TO my joy. d representative
Of the Evangelical Synod of North Amer
lea took part, | have caused a humber of
copies of the artistically executed memo
rial 10 be prepared and take the liberty
herewith TO send You a copy o. this memo
rial. with the request that you will kindly
accept it.