The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-02-07
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY :, 1902.
TIME FOR ACTION ABOUT
CUBA.

1t looks as if at last that CONGRESS
will BE- compelled to give to Cuba the
relief from our odious and selfish tariff
laws that her conditions demand and
to which end we have long since given
our solemn promise.
The action of President Roosevelt in
demanding that some wise action be
taken on The part Of Congress for reci-
proclty with Cuba, has had the effect
of making the Ways and Means Com
t-nittee of N House reluctantly. how
ever, to determine TO bring about legi :
la,ion in the near future. The treat
ment # our recent colonial p sessions
by this county has been disgrace to
a lib, rty-loving people and it Is time t,
redeem ours Ives. The people Will
countenance no delay. In an editorial
recently the New York Herald SAYS:
TIE refusal of Congress to give the
quick relief which is conceded all
around to be csc tal to he salvation
Of Cuba is spectacle of selfish reed,
stupidity and dishonesty for which it
Nould he hard to find parallel.
As bold exhibition # ''pelt before
patriotism II is well cilculatei to dis
gust the country with The Republican
party and r lection and cause a wide
spread reaction in favor of the b, m
Gratis reOrganized under wise leadership.
Its i evitabe eff, t, ii madly pers sled
in, must be either ruin ami cons queut
ana chy in Cuba. which would b a
worse evil at our doors than that for
which We went to war with Spain. or
forced annexation, at the cost of the
very interests which ar roA greed lv
bent on preventing any concession.
Viewed as an economical or CONNER
cial policy, it is condemned as sh TT
sighted and blunderIng even b, protec-
tonist-, who realize the value OF +, ci-
proclty attractive markt Is fol Amer-
Ican products in a pr0sl erOus Cuba,
drawing her supplies from tn Uni ed
states. On this p int thr actio of Mr..
ii. ;. Frye in resgning thu Pres
idency of the New England To acco
Growers Asset ton in disgust with
its selfish policy ha- most telling sig
nificance. He declares that "a reduc-
ton OF 80 per cent in the du,v o
Cuban tobacco would not seriously III
jure any tobacco inter- SIS in the
United states. that every economic
consideration demands that the Unitei
States should control The marke of
Cuba, aud that the only Wv TO do
this is to open our markets to her : Gar
and tobacco products
But, as Mr. Cleveland has d cl ,red.
higher and more comma ding than all
political, economic or commetria qu, s.
tons are 1.-THE considerations of moral
ity and consciet ce involved" The
paramount ISSUE is one of natl nal
honor and phghtcd faith
The United States went to wal for
the sole Iurpose, solen My vowed bv
Coz gress to The American y. opl- and
the word, Of freeing Cuia from
oppression and securing her indie
pendence. 1t spent millions for Ter
emancipation. 1t then assumed her
guard al ship that She might be saved
from desti II ion, prepaI ed for self-gov-
ernment and her republic established
on Il firm basis. To this end, and for
its own advantage, it has i'm, osed con
dltloi which makes Cura practically
n wa;d of the United States without
eedom to treat with other nations.
Have we rescued Cuba from oppres-
son ami devastation at the cot of up-
limited treasure and blood only to
abandon her to suffering and starva-
ton at the instance of petty Sc fish i :
terest>? Have we undertaken to Sc
cure her btneficent government only
to sacrifice her to anarchy? II we we
pledged her indrp-ndt nee only to
drive her to annexation?
Shame on a Congress that refuses to
struggling protege of the nation the
needed relief prompted by mat onal in
terest as well rs common humanity,
and which cannot be withheld WITH
out npeach of plightei filth and
natiSIIl dishoIor. The richest island
in he world, Cuba asks but for fair
oealing and opportunity to enter upon
an era OF bOundless prosperity hat will
red1und,to the benefit of the United
State, as wei as prove her own saliva
ton. 1t is time far the American peo-
pie to demand, with IA determination
rot 10 be resisted 10y any Congress or
party, that the national faith be kept
and adequate relief given al once.