Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-04
CUBA 5 FUTURE TRADE
President Elect Says Present
Support Means Much for
American Commerce.
United States Can Control Trade
in Future Ii Aid is
Given.
Believes Tariffs Are Now Too
Figh-.Sentiment in Pal
mas Favor.

New York, April At. Estrada Pal
ma. president -elect of Cuba, addressed
| the New York chamber of commerce
Yesterday and told the members that
the future Of Cuba depended absolutely
upon the support of American CONNER
cial interests.
| The tariff reduction on sugar and to-
bacco offered by congress, Senior Palma
declared, was entirely too small anu
would afford no relief whatever to the
present distress of the Cuban pro-
| ducers.
Senior Palma, in leading up to his ap-
peal to the chamber of commerce for
aid in securing larger reduction IN
| tariff. said that in his judgment COM
merce was the most important wheel IN
| the complex mechanism of a political
body 1t was an efficient factor In de-
veloping the resources of country, In
promoting and building up It's indus
tries, and in fostering the energies OF
the people and carrying thier activities
beyond the boundaries of the nation in
| to all parts of the world--even those
which are not within the pale Of civili-
zation.
"Still more" he continued, If we look
on the moral aspect Of the commercial
movement of country, we find that by
| it's blessed effects order and peace are
assured within and feelings of friend
ship and good will strengthened with
out. In modern times commerce has
materially developed its real forces. at
taining the character of a powerful fac
tor in the social relations of men. 1t Is
principally due to the interests created
by it that nations are anxious for peace
land devote their efforts to smothering
old grudges, which otherwise might
break out at any time on the slightest
pretext.
with my conviction that the best
and surest way to attach one country to
another consists In building up and
Strengthening the trade relations thru
reciprocal exchange of products and the
development of other interests in the
same line, I, who entertain for Cuba,
my native country, the greatest love,
and feel at the same time deep graft
tude to the United States, where, for
eighteen years, I have met with the
most kind, generous and cordial hospi-
tality, am anxious to see both countries
closely connected and firmly united by
q reciprocal commercial treaty, drawn
on the most favorable terms, a treaty
to the end that Cuba become the largest
market in America for the products of
the United States, and that this coun-
4 s,,s,
the Cuban products, especially sugar
and tobacco, which are the principal
staples of the island, and constitute the
only basis we have to start on in I'M
folding other industries.
con the chamber of commerce of
New York and each one of its estimable
members depends in a great measure
the attainment of that advantageous
result, as the enormous amount of bust
ness which this chamber represents
certainly needs vast, an immense
field, and Cuba, lying within hands
reach. affords one Of the best grounds
for profitable trade. -
I, therefore, avail myself of this op-
portunity to enlist your help. your
earnest support, in order to obtain from
the, congress of the United States-the
house and the senate-a substantial re-
jduction of the duties on sugar and to-
bacco, reduction larger than that rec
commended by the committee on ways
and means in the house, which will In
no way afford any relief to the present;
distress Of the Cuban producers"
Morris K. Jesup, who presided, intro
ducing General Palma to the chamber,
said:
"As you accept the high office to
which your country has called you, let
us give you word Of encouragement
and bid you godspeed. We feel sure
that under your administration Cuba
will show her ability for self-govern.
nent and will prosper.
There were $55,00O.000 in exports
from Cuba last year, and SIS per cent Of
these came to the United States. But
let us not consider merely the CONNER
ciai side of this question. The Cuban
people are our children now. We have
brought them to statehood and to po-
l;tical manhood, and let us not be selfish
with them. Let us ask our congress,
which is to deal with Cuba In the mat
ter of reciprocity, to deal generously
and with kindness and magnanimity.n