The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-18
The CUBAN THORN

There is Cuban thorn to worry us be-
cause congress willed that the thorn
should exist. The pressure of selfish in
terests upon the congress Of the United
States did the business. The manner in
which this pressure was applied struck
the people of the United States as being
peculiarly offensive and audacious. 1t has
made them do some pretty serious think
ing on the subject of the improper utiliza-
tion of the American policy of protection
for infant industries. 1t is destined to
remove such improper utilization, while
retaining the time -honored and invaluable
principle and policy of protection. Selfish
interests prevailed to deny to Cuba the
commercial adv antages which the coun-
try was undeniably bound to grant, and
which would have brought large amounts
of capital from this country to Cuba for
investment and stimulated commerce and
industry.
In consequence of congressional folly
we are confronted by retaliatory Cuban
congress, which has not only levied heavy
duties on American products most used in
Cuba, but which has just voted, at least
so far as the house is concerned, to deny
the right Of lease or purchase by the
United States Of any property to be used
as a coalng or naval station, a privilege
which was conceded by the Cuban consti-
tutional convention and incorporated in
the Cuban constitution.
yhe proposed tariff, raising duties from
Is per cent to $50 per cent, including al
most prohibitive rates on corn and wheat
-four, IS the leading retaliatory card
played against the denial Of commercial
reciprocity by the United States, while
the proposed loan is defy flung at the
Platt amendment which prohibits the ne
gotiaton of a loan, unless the surplus
revenues are sufficient to pay the interest
and meet the principal upon maturity.
The limitations upon the free action OF
the Cuban republic through the Plat
amendment were deemed necessary for
the welfare of the infant republic and
were accepted by the Cubans bcause they
believed that compensation would come,
- promised, in the shape Of stimulating
eumstances we cannot be surprised that
the Cuban congress is not thoroughly
happy over the situation.
AS matter of fact, to the outside
world 1t looks as if our government had
keen desire to keep Cuba poor and
commercially and industrially stagnant
The Platt amendment accords to 1t great
power Of limiting the action of the Cubar
government. Our government can say tc
you borrow the money you need unless
you can demonstrate that you can, out O.
your revenues, pay principal and inter.
est" Ye& 1t has practically shut Cuba ou
of our market and cut off her larges
source of income with which to meet
loan, at the same time reducing the vol
ume of Cuban trade to the minimum b,
inducing Cuban retaliatory measures.
To most people this looks like a yer,
short sighted policy. .
The ,Cubans do not wish to be annexe,
to the United States. They want to shoy
that they are able to govern themselve
and then many Of them say they would b
content with annexation in ten or twent
years. They object to the cool way Il
which some of our newspapers are tellin
them that they will go to the dogs
they are not annexed and,that they shoul
come right in. Indeed, the invitatio
given by Senator Elkins and the annex
alton newspapers sounds very much lik
q threat. The mass Of the Cubans Of in
telligence declare that the failure Of reci
procity is not going to force them to &C
cept annexation. ... RI. II
Meantime, on our part, it has not bee
+ decided whether there shall be an extr
( session Of the senate to consider Cuba
reciprocity treaty, in October. The failur
of:the senate to ratify would be slap a
the administration. which is not desi1