New-York tribune., 1901-04-27
CUBAN PRACTICALITY

There is 10 more hopeful news of the Cuban
commissioners now in this country than that
which reports them to be taking more interest
in finance than in politics. That is to say they
are far more concerned with the securing of IA
vorable tariff relations with the United States
than with maintaining any theories of absolute
independence. We should have been reluctant
TO suggest such a course or such view of the
case to them lest some austere critic should
have taken us TO task not for practically, but
for sorddness. 1t is a somewhat amusing phase
Of current consciousness In such things that If
one speaks of abstract principles of duty and
right he is denounced for disregarding business
interests and the material welfare of the people,
while If he gives his attention to these latter he
is condemned for taking a sordid view of hui
manity That is of course, no new thing Ages
ago there were those who would neither dance
when piped to nor mourn when others lamented.
But 1t is particularly conspicuous just at this
time.
This development Of Cuban interest is the
more noticeable because the CubaDs have usu-
ally been regarded n somewhat sentimental
and emotional people, given to the worship Of
theories rather than to practical pursuits A
staff correspondent Of The Tribune who spent
much time among them few years ago came
TO the conclusion and reported, as we remem-
Der, that such was by no means the case, but
that there were among the Cubans many men
as practical and as keen for material profit as
any Yankee ever was. There can be little doubt
that his estimate was correct. The Latin races
are indeed more emotional and more fervid of
temperament than the Anglo-Saxon and Teuton
But they are also intensely practical, and have
as good an eye to 1.-The main chance" as any of
u.s. So these Cuban gentlemen do not devote
|
but rather TO discussing the prospective trade
relations between their island and the United
States. Before the late war, as every one should
remember, one of the chief complaints Of the
Cubans against Spain was that the latter had
oppressed Cuban commerce in the interest of
her own, and that was of the chief causes
OF the war. Nothing could be more natural
then than that the Cubans should now pay
their chief attention to securing that which was
one OF the chief objects Of their insurrection.
| The subject WILL no doubt be well discussed
with them. But they must realize that 1t is not
a matter which the President and his Cabinet
| can now dispose Of upon which the country
can now be positively committed. 1t Is mat
| ter for Congressional legislation with which
/ Congress alone is competent TO deal But it
should not be difficult for the Cubans to trust
Congress for a just disposal of it. If there were
no other motive for treating Cuba fairly, that of
self-interest would be sufficient. The United
States does not want to have a pauper island
at its doors 1t wants Cuba to be prosperous
and TO grow rich, for the reason-if there were
no others. as Of course there are-that a rich
island will be better customer than poor
one. The Cuban market is valuable one to
United States manufacturers and merchants,
but its value Is exactly proportioned to the
prosperity of the island. That is the practical