The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-18
CONTENTION OF THE cUBANs.
What the Advocates of Concession
Base Arguments Upon.

oase Arguments Upon.
Especial TO The Herald)
Washington, Jan. 17.-Proposed con,
SESSIONS TO sugar growers have brought
large delegations to the capital Rem.
| reSentat1ves Of the states which nro-
uuce beet sugar are vigorously nro-
testing against admitting the Cuban
product free of duty, while others ia
Nor the measure either through svm-
pathy with Cuba or because of com
mercial interests.
The Cubans base their petition Ia
congress upon two propositions:
Flrst-The United States is under
moral ooIlgatlon TO aid Cuba in the re-
estdoilshment of prosperity in the isl
s alid SO Tar as aid can be given without
injury TO American industry.
Second-The commerce and industry
of Cuba are in imminent danger of dis
aster II aid is not given Immediately. ''
Nhen the question of a possible re-
clprocal agreement with Cuba was nm
DER consideration last fall it was the
intention Of the secretary Of war and
the president that steps looking TO this
END would not be taken until after the
establishment OF a civil government i'm
Cuoa some time in June next. but the
Cubans are now asking for the enact
ment Of special act to take effect at
once, the urgency of immediate relief
Tor the Cuban sugar industry being
alleged as the reason for such special
act. la
Cubans Are in Haste.
The usual method of fixing the basis
OF trade relations between two conn
tries, argues the Cubans. as the nego-
tlatlons OF commercial treaty to be
ratified by their governments. The
objection which the Cubans make To
this method is that it is too slow 10
meet the necessities of their present
situation. The constitutional conven.
ton has framed and adopted a consti-
tuition for Cuba and ratified the Plat
amendment defining the relations
which will exist between Cuba and the
United States. In pursuance of the
constitution an election was held on
Dec. 81, 1901, for the choice of presiden-
tial and senatorial electors. members
OF the house of representatives gov
ernors of provinces and members of
provincial councils. Another election
viii be held on Feb "A, 1902. for the
election OF president, vice president
and senator's, The officials so elected
must then be installed in office. The
date of the inauguration of the new
government has not yet been fixed.
An interval of two months between
the election and Inauguration is not an
unreasonable allowance of time. This
means that the negotiation of a treaty
Of commerce between the governments
of Cuba and the United States cannot
be commenced before May 1. 1902.
"A period of three or four months
VIII be easily consumed in the negotia-
lions of such a treaty. 1t viii be neces-
sary for this treaty to be submitted to
the senate Of the United States for the
advice and consent of that body to its
ratification and to the house of repre-
sentatives for its approval If these
steps are all taken with the utmost
speed reasonably possible. the negoti-
alton and ratification Of a treaty win
not be concluded during the present
session of congress. The final decision
will be postponed until the meeting of
congress in the month of December.
1902 BY. reason OF these necessary de-
lays z commercial treaty between the
United States and Cuba cannot go into
practical effect prior to the first dav of
February. t90S.'
Statement of the Secretary Of War.
In reference to the condition of the
In reliance upon fair and generous
treatment 10y the United States. the
Cuban planters have made strenuous
efforts 70 revive their great Industry.
and have raised their product of sugar
from $685. goo tons in 1899 TO 615 900 tons
in 1900 while the output for the pres
ent year is estimated at something
over 100000 tons
'Incited by our precept and trusting
TO our friendship they have struggled
to retrieve the disasters under which
their country had suffered. All the
capital they had or could borrow has
been invested in the rebuilding of their
mills and the replanting of their land
More than half of the people of the
island are depending directly or indi-
rectly upon the success Of that indus
try. If 1t succeeds we may expect
peace, plenty. domestic order and the
happiness Of a free and cOntented peo-
pie 10 reward the sacrifices of Ameri-
can lives and treasure through which
Cuba was set free.
IF il fails We may expect that the
fields viii again become waste. the
mills will again be dismantled: and
that poverty and starvation. disorder
and anarchy viii enSue; that the char
tiles and the schools which we have
been building Up VIII md no meney
for their support and VIII be discon-
tinued; that the sanitary precautions
which have made cuba no longer
dreaded source of pestiience. but one
Of the most healthy islands in the
world. viii Of necessity be abandoned.
and our Atlantic seabOard must again
suffer from the injury to commerce and
the maintenance Of guarantees at an
annual cost of many millions
Cuba has acquiesced in our right 10
say that she shall not put herself in
the hands Of any other power, whatever
her necessities. and in our right 10
insist upon the maintenance of free
and orderly government throughout her
limits. however impoverished and des-
oerate may be her people CcrreIa-
tive to this right is a duty Of the high
est obligation to treat her not as an
enemy. not at arms length as an
aggressive commercial rival. but with
3 generosity which, toward her viii
be but justice; to shape our laws 50
bat they shall contribute % her well
fare as well as our own.