The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-15
.CUBANS ARE HUNGRY
A Condition Which Is Due to the
Marrow and Cruel ''Insur-
gent Policy.

OAttOA hoSS e1Au -1AAAA'J law oSVA
Induced by Our Failure to
Do the Square Thing.
Mr.. William Hooker returned a few
days ago from Cuba, where he spent three
weeks In the interest Of his tobacco busi-
ness in this city. Mr. Hooker has made
repeated visits to Cuba. His business
connections there afford him peculiarly
fav orable opportunities for securing in
formation with regard to conditions in
the island, and what he has to say with
regard to the business situation Is strong
ly confirma tory of the criticism that has
been made Of the republican .insurgents''
in congress in their attitude of hostility
toward Cuban reciprocity. -. ,
Mr.. Hooker says that business Is greatly
dc pressed throughout the island, owing
chiefly to the inability Of the planters and
others interested In the sugar crop to sell
| their product SO as to avoid heavy losses;
100000 tons Of sugar are lying there now
| which cannot be marketed except at a
loss. Planters and mill owners are the
ones principally interested In it, and the
heaviest losers. Bankers and merchants
are interested to some extent through
loans made to the planters. The sugar
| trust, as q matter Of fact, owns but
| small part OIL the sugar OH tuS ISlhI1u, UOI
| 1t stands to acquire it all at its own price
when the people Of Cuba can hold on no
| longer-a favor for which the trust Is
| indebted to our congressional insurgents
Among the prominent business men
whose views he obtained on the business
situation are Mr.. Vaughn, president OF
the National bank Of Cuba, the chief
financial institution Of the island: Mr..
Lawton Childs, private banker and broker,
and Mr. Pollock, broker. through whom
Mr. Hooker does business.
AS to the tobacco trade. Mr.. Hooker
says it is not affected by the existing
conditions. The crop this year Is small.
comparatively, and the demand heavy, SO
that the tobacco planters are receiving
all the money for their crop that they
have a right to ask, and are selling at
large profit. The tobacco industry, there
fore, in which Mr.. Hooker Is interested
Is not affected by the prevailing condi
tions. Nobody would profit materially by
the reduction of duties except the Amer
lean importer so that Cuba Is making no
complaint on account Of our tariff on a
luxury. -.''
Mr. Hooker says that the people Of
Cuba are hungry, that there are a great
many unemployed men, and that mobs
crying for bread assembled before the
governors palace, have compelled the city
Of Havana to employ them at useless and
unnecessary work in order to keep them
from starving; that this condition OF
things creates danger, which Is regarded
with great apprehension by the business
men Of Havana, not only with respect to
the order Of the city, but the permanence
Of the island government itself. These
hungry mobs contain the germs of In
surrection so easily planted in that soil
where revolutions thrive.
In the interior he learns there Is an
intense feeling of bitterness and hostility
fnr or1 lo for hof 70 Ill.
ure to grant the trade concessions which
the people of that island have reason to
expect. Mr.. Hooker conversed through
an interpreter with a sugar planter in
southern Cuba, a man who out Of the
wreck of the war saved one out Of eight
or ten sugar mills. This man wore a
harassed, anxious expression, and mani
tested the same feeling Of encouragement
which was by no means rare thing
among our own embarrassed and dis
tressed business men during the Ssdepres-
sion of six or seven years ago. Mr..
Hooker told him that the American gov
eminent would yet deal fairly with the
people of Cuba and grant them the OPP
portunities, which they so much desired,
| to trade with us on a profitable basis.
The American people," said Mr.
Hooker, ARE in favor Of that, and will
support the president in his policy OF
reciprocity
Twill they?" asked the old planter, and
then slowly shook his head as II dis
couraged beyond hope.
ut is impossible" said Mr.. Hooker
"for an American, going from our great
. and prosperous country, to note the dis
tress and embarrassment which prevails
among the business men, and indeed al
, classes Of people in that island, and MOI
feel genuine sympathy for them and g
sense of shame and indignation that oul
congress should have been so narrow anC
ungenerous as to withhold from them the
mere pittance which they ask, something
which would have cost US nothing, bu
. which they believe would have made FOL
them the difference between moderate
n success and impending ruin"
b But this would not have been alto
: gether a charity act on our part, in Mr.
= Hooker's view. We had quite much i
not more to gain from reciprocity than thu
:. Cubans themselves. The island is ricl
beyond exaggeration and furnishes field
9 for American exploitation in trade which
r under favorable trade conditions, such a.
a reasonable reciprocity arrangement
y n could establish, will bring to our manu-
facturers and tradesmen most proftabl
l.. returns. These trade opportunities cal
never be developed, however. under tn
e policy which the opponents Of Cuban re
r ciprocity would have us adopt.
/. Mr.. Hooker inquired particularly wit
regard to the practicability Of the pro
y posed rebate plan, and was assured tina
A. it would have been Of little advantage t
d Cuba 1t is the people who need the he'll
v Of favorable reciprocity trade arrange
ments and not the government. 1t
revenues are likely to be sufficient to tax
q care of its expenses. They are likely t
: be sufficient not only to do that but t
J., take care of the interest on the bond
o which are now being negotiated in tn
!. city of New York. Where help Is needle
u is among the people themselves who ar
n suffering from lack Of business oppor
t. tunity.
y The feeling of hostility toward tn
le United States is gaining and woul
doubtless manifest itself more than
- does were it not for healthy respect fo
te the American soldier. The people do nc
want to do anything to bring back til
soldiers whom they know would contr,
the situation.
to Meanwhile they know nothing but suga
1t and tobacco. The time will come,
, course when other interests will be dc
veloped and other profitable crops pre-
duced but they do not really adar
themselves to new conditions, and diver
slfied industry will only come after a Ion
, time.
IL The only annexation sentiment in tt
Sfof ,3@,o