Arizona republican., 1901-05-19
BEST AID FOR CUBA
Give Sugar Planters Easier Access to
 Markets.

I
 statement concerning conditions il | Cuba is made by E. L. Connant of Ha- vana, who Is in Washington. Mir. Con-
 nant went from New York to Havana just after the war with Spain as q member of the government commission authorized to investigate the laws oi | Cuba, and since completing his. work he has been practicing law in Havana
 "The questions which are uppermost
 In the minds of ,the practical men oi Cuba" he says, "are commercial and not political ones. The vital and press ing issue is not what the island will
 have to do with the American govern
 ment. but what it will have to do with American markets. There is no reason to suspect that the political relations of the island with the United States government will cause any serious trouble. Vexatious differences will arise. but they will be adjusted. II may be interesting, for those who have time. to theorize about the future po- litical state of the island. but the man of business who is acquainted with the needs of the island is confronted with more important and pressing commer- cial problems.
 Tn the order of importance the question which comes first for consid- eration by the Washington government is the treatment of the farm mortgages. During the war the plantations of Cuba were mortgaged heavily It was clear ly impossible for the planters to pay those debts when due after the war had been ended. They were given an extension of time until May by execu- tive order: that is to say, there could be no foreclosures before that time. An appeal was made for further ex- tension of one month; that is to June |. That order did not afford much relief to the planters. and it may be assumed that it was made to give General Wood time for proper consideration of the question. It is likely that there will be either long extension. denial of fur ther indulgence for the planter debtors. or possibly a compromise of a few months.
 Looking at the question broadly. and considering the interests of the whole island. it would seem to be a mistake to be too indulgent. Many of the plant CTS under the present conditions will not be any better off one or two years from now than at present. Their mort gagged lands will not be any better able to bear the burdens of the additional debts that are necessary to replace de- stroyed sugar machinery. TO procras- tinate adds to the present debt and really helps but nttle. Of course. a few are pulling out. Generally speaking the creditors are not disposed to make unnecessarily harsh arrangements. But they ought to be in position to force settlements.
 If the creditor and debtor faced the necessity of doing something compro- nises would be effected. Planters would let go part of their holdings in order to rehabllitate the remainder of their plantation. Some cases would be settled in this way and others by other compromises. The main difficulty is to raise money on the ruined or half de- stroyed plantations.
 That brings us to the kernel of the situation. The present condition of the sugar growing business of the island is not particularly attractive to capital, and it would not be improved by an or der permitting the foreclosure of the mortgages at a certain time. The debt ors who could make arrangements with their creditors would still have dIffi- culty in getting money to replace the machinery ruined in the war The debtors who would take over the land would have the same difficulty In get ting money to replace the plantations in a productive condition and sustain them long enough to get returns.
 "The problem. therefore, which Is vital to the commercial prosperity of the island. is how to make the sugar business attractive to capital. The answer is simple. Give the Cuban a better chance in the American market. That is the only way to give immediate and certain relief. Easier acaess to American markets for Cuban sugar would restore the prosperity of the Cuban planters. If the tariff be low cred American money will flood the island seeking remunerative invest ment.' This is not q theory. The plant CTS know exactly where they could get the money if they can get tariff re- ductions.
 'If 1t is question of doing the best thing possible for the island the Amer ican people will think about markets for Cuba before they theorize about the measure of independence. The kind of government is of great importance. but easier acness to Cuba's natural market is more pressing and of im- mensely greater importance"
 The man who never made a success