New-York tribune., 1902-07-15
CUBANSF0R
SUGAR PLANTERS EXPECTED
TO ORGANIZE TO-DAY.
,,1sHEARTENED BY FAILURE OF reel
WITH THE UNITED STATES.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

washington July 14.-To-norrow July 10 is
she day set for important political develop
,nents in Cuba. That is, the developments will
ba important if the private advces and semi
official statements received in Washington are
correct. The proposition is that the Sugar
Planters Association shall be reorganized on
the basis of an annexation propaganda.
The news as received here is that a meeting
of the sugar planters is to be held on the 10Th
for the purpose Of reorganization and the plant
ers who have been hopeless since the failure
Of reciprocity legislation in the United States
are discussing the adyisability of turning their
organization into a political party If the time
for the meeting has been changed or if the
plans have been modified, no word of it has been
received in Washington. 1t is possible, how
ever, that at the first meeting the planters may
not go quite so far as has been intended Local
sentiment in Cuba may have something to do
with their course.
II is denied that this proposed action has any
connection with the scheme of Senator EIkins
and those who were working with him with
the sinister purpose of forcing the early
nexation of Cuba. by pIunging the island into
Industrial distress, from which outlet can be
seen except by becoming a part of the United
States. Yet it is admitted to be true that some
of the planters who still have credit and who
ruin are active in the present plans. The plant
ers having neither credit nor money form the
large majority, and with them It is simply a
final effort TO save themselves. Satisfied tha-
they can gain no concessions for their sugar in
the markets of the United States, they face
ruin in whatever direction they turn, and they
feel that they can take the chance of openly
advocating annexation without making their
condition worse. They see the more reason for
ths since the Havana bankers have given an
unfaVora ble opinion of tn" proposed government
loan of 81 000000 to aid the sugar industry, ard
since the Cuban Congress also has shown
disposition not to accept the plan as formulated
by President Palma and his Cabinet
NOT A SURPRISING MOVE.
Former military officials in Cuba who are now
In Washington say there is nothing surprising
in this last move of the planters. Since the
power of Spain was ended the majority of them
have favored annexation, and a few have sup
ported it openly. 1t is all to their interest TO
secure free market for cane sugar. and they
know that annexation under any form would
give this assurance. The planters association
at times has been charged with being merely
an annexation annex. It has not SHOWN mucn
conference, and it's influence has not been great
One Of the planters who is in the movement
In a recent letter says that the proposed reor-
sanization of the association is intended in the
first place to educate the ignorant classes on
the advantages of annexation, and with that
object il is proposed to establish a newspaper
which shall champion annexation the only
means Of remedying economic Ills. The lnten-
tion is that at the meeting which was set for
the 18th the general board Of the association
shall elect a new executive committee COM
posed of new elements. That is, it is proposed
10 put new blood in the Sugar Planters Asso-
citation, whose vitality now is at low ebb
Once reorganized, it will be possible to deter
mine how much influence can be exerted by the
planters for annexation.
General James H. Wilson, when he in
command of Matanzas and Santa Clara prov
inces. told the Senate committee that nobody
except the planters then wanted Cuba annexed
TO the United States. AT that time they were
not openly and actively supporting their own
views. but rather relied the American au-
thorities TO secure the ends they sought. Now
that Cuba is a independent country, they Will
have TO rely on their own eXertions for their an
nexation propaganda Those of them who are
engaged in the movement say that it is in no
way hostile TO President Palmas administra-
ton, and viii not be allowed to embarrass the
government. Their explanation is that
they merely propose that the Cuban people shall
recognize actual economic conditions and make
sure Of their own future.
RECIPROCITY AT NEXT SESSION.
While much sympathy is felt for the Cuban
planters by officials in Washington who know
fully how their distress has been increased by
the failure of Congress to provide for reci-
procity, nevertheless these officials do not give
over great Importance 10 the movement. They
say IL is based the assumption that the de-
NAL Of reciprocity was final and that Cuban
sugar and other products obtain preference
IN the markets of the United States only through
annexation Against this view IT is pointed out
that President Roosevelt's appeal TO the people
already is bearing fruit, and that some OF the
Senators who were in the conspiracy which pre-
vented action on the Presidents recommenda-
tions at the late session now admit that Gu
ban reciprocity will be accomplished in Novem-
Der or December. With reciprocity a fact, the
military officials who have been in Cuba think
that the annexation movement of the planters
VIII lose much Of its force.