Evening star., 1902-03-17
Thought Better When He Understood.

The delegation came back to Havana and
reported the result of it's visit. including
full account of the economic prospects.
Two powerful factions still fought the ac-
ceptance Of the Platt amendment and pro-
posed a year Of unrest and turmoil for
Cuba, but in the end wiser counsels pre-
vailed. the Piatt amendment was accepted
| in the trust that when Congress met tarlH
concessions would be granted. and the
preparations for the Cuban republic under
the terms of the Platt amendment have
gone forward steadily that General
Wood will be ready to turn over the new
government to the Cubans by May 1. All
these matters are fresher in mind in Cuba
than In the United States. because here
they have only the one thing to think
about.
After | had recalled the proceedings Of
the constitutional convention for the bene-
fit of the American business man. who
confessed he had forgotten them. and had
stated that there was nothing more than
the conscience of the American people to
insure the reciprocity which the Cuban
people expect he whistled a little swore
under his breath and said he thought better
of the Cuban politician with whom he had
been talking for saying hard things about
the United States.
That is view that some Of the Cubans
themselves take The editor of one of the
newspapers which is most aggressive in
charging bad faith and in urging the Gu
| bans to stand up for their rights and de-
mand, instead Of to ask, tariff concessions,
told me that his course was dictated by
policy
Il have lived in the United States, he
said, land know that Americans have no
use for people who beg favors. We are
not pauperS or beggars here, and we pro-
pose to maintain decent amount of self
respect You are going to give limit
ed republic, which we have to accept. but
if you don't want our trade we can get
along without your markets. That Is why
] am saying to our people not to beg favors
from the United States
German Goods Will Be Bought.
This editor is wrong there. Cuba can
"get along in a way, perhaps. If 1t does
not have fayors in the United States mar
ket; but this can only be for time. What
is true Is that 1t Is able to reciprocate these
favors by buying more goods II some such
arrangement Is not made there is no doubt
tha. Germany is going to sell more of her
products in Cuba For almost a hundred
years select and very rich German colony
in Havana did very profitable business.
partly In tobacco and partly in general
commerce. 1t had one great banking in
stitutfon. Everybody connected with the
Germany colony was content without ex-
pansion. couple OF years ago there was
an awakening. German trade with Cuba.
especially from the port of Hamburg. began
to grow. 1t is still growing. though the mill
tary authority several times modified the
classification of the tariff schedules In or
der to enable American shippers to COM
pete in cotton and other products. These
changes in the classifcations were not
enough. On an even rate of duty Germany
is going to get more of Cuba's commerce,
and will get it at the expense Of the Unit
ed States
English interests In Havana are also rest
i've. Sentiments OF brotherhood at after
dinner gatherings are all right, and some
of that has taken place in, Havana between
Americans and Engiishmen. within the last
two or three years: but they do not make
the English merchant here reconciled to
losing his trade. 1t would not be true to
say that the European business influence
hopes that the United States will make no
tariff concessions to Cuba. because then all
business will suffer from the general Indus
trial and commercial depression. But 1t
hopes that the United States will lower the
duties on sugar and tobacco without asking
anything In return. Then both Germany
and England will keep their Cuban COM
merce and Germany at least Will increase
hers.
As. to Cuban Politicians.
As to the Cuban politicians and the I'm
pressions they make on Americans. another
Paragraph is necessary in explanation OF
their attitude. They, are concerned over
the tariff prospect, because they know that
their own future In q measure rests on the
| degree of Industrial prosperity which t0uie9
! In the wake Of the new government, But