Delaware gazette and state journal., 1902-12-18
CUBA AND The UNITED STATES.
Lecture at the East Side Republican ASS
citation by Frederick Il. Bach

Lecture at the East Side Republican Asso-
citation by Frederick Il. Bach
Frederick E. Bach. Thursday evening,
opened the series of lectures to be given
by the East Side Republican Associa
tion by making an interesting address
in the clubroom on Cuba, from his
knowledge Of the country, gained while
in the customs service in Havana.
When introduced he said he would
only talk on the island OF Cuba as be
remembered it.
He said that Cuba was necessary to
the United States for coast protection,
because there is no coast protection of
any moment below North Carolina.
Presidents of the United States from
Monroe's time have desired Cuba for
the United States and the opportunity
did not come until 1893
The speaker said that sentiment was
divided, both in America anu Cuba, on
the subject, but he believed that eighty
per cent of the people of the United
States were unfavorable to annsxing
Cuba to the United States.
OF ths Is, 600, COO acres of land in the
island but about one-half million
acres are under cultivation.
In speaking of the relation Of Cuba
to this country Mr.. Bach referred to
! story which was written recently by
Marion Wilcox in which the writer
| likened the Cuban to man without
country and pictured the island as
being held on the end of string which
made it impossible for Cuba to come
| to the United States and just as i'm
possible for this country to go to Gu va.
Mr.. Bach said that Mr. Wilcox had,
] l. s, teA H.sr ttA
Cuba, for hs Bach had never found
any such feeling in Cuba.
1--WE have Cuba just where We want
hers he said, '4and in about 10 years
she will be in better shape for self gov
ernment. -
About Go per cent Of the Cuban
populace il white and the remainder
black. The intermingling of the
blacks and whites is publicly done on
the island and many white man has
colored family and white family.
With this condition existing in Cuba
the speaker said that the United
States did not want to take any more
race questions to solve as there was a
race problem already existing in the
United States with which, it seemed,
ths United States was unable to cope
and ne said that Delaware was the
only slave State In which the negro
could exercise tho same right of citi.
zenship as She white people enjoy.
He said that the main question now
is the sugar. Tobacco from Cuba can
always hd profitable market.
He said tnat che war of 1894 was
caused by the low price OF sugar. 1t wa;
selling in 1885 for less than lilo cents
per pound. 1t could not be raised fol
that money. The glut on the market
made it Improbable TO raise it and
this caused idleness, which was the
cause of war. Germany makes sugar a.
215 cents pound which is much less
than the Cuban has been able to make
it for. From the data obtained by hin
from the sugar raisars in Cuba Mr..
Bach estimates that Cuba will hay.
to make sugar for cents pound ant
that she can do it. According to hi
figures the Cubans can make and de-
liver the sugar at the wharyes in Cubt
for two cents.
He thinks that this country shoulC
take Oh about half cent at least G
the duty on the Cuban sugar, insteat
of one-eighth of cent, but the suga
beet men stand in the way and say j
the tariff is taken off Cuban sugar tina
it will kill the sugar beet business il
this country.
: He said the sugar beet men can max
sugar FOR 31s cents per pound an,
could sell it in any part Of this countr
for cents. He advised the encourage
ment of the island until it all is unde
, cultivation. This, he said, would Ee
duoe the price OF sugar in this countr
to cents pound. At present, h
4 | -
Y sumed 10 pounds of sugar, which cost
8 o. Per person. The Improvement i
, Cuba would mean reduction Of abou
' one-half in the present price of sugar.
{ He argued that there was fruit i
y this country that was allowed to go t
Q waste because sugar is too high. II
4 also said that the tariff on sugar is to
high.
9 If an arrangement of reciprocit
0 could be made with Cuba, money tina
: now is spent by her with oths
n countries, amounting to many million
o of dollars, would be spent with I'll
y United States.
!. Although Cuba has a fertile soil tt
Q natives buy MILLIONS of dollars wort
i of things to GO into their stomanh
s from other countries. About S22, COO
000 worth of food stuffs were importG
during 1901. About s4OO, 600 was pai
for fruit and 81, OO0, 0o0 for yegetabl,
i during last year. Prosperity bein
is assured he said that So COO, ,0o0 al
IS nually would not pay for the clothin,
1t In their poverty they paid out la
y year 50, 3,00O, 900 for house furnishing
!, when their health and comfort if n
4, their necessity called for ten times
ID much.
i. He dwelt at length on the gre
Of amount of goods purchased by Cub
81 There are about a million and ha
al people in the island and they buy mo-
per man, woman and child than al
other country in the world.
in He said that Congress by prop
ID adjustment of the tariff could cor
Inand millions of dollars worth of ira
that now is captured by other countri
and that sooner or later this count
would realize the benefit that wou
be derived from reciprocity with Cut