The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-02-07
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FAIR DEALING WITH CUBA.

FAIR DEALING WIFI CObA.
Washington as we'll as the whole
country is interested in the apparent
contest that is going on between the
Republican leaders in the house and
the president The speaker and leaders
of the ways and means committee as
sert that there is no contest, but that
the house will act as soon as the COM
mittee can secure the requisite inform
alton. 1t looks as though the commit
tee had shut the matter off without
intending to do more with it. But the
president is very much in earnest in
the matter of some concession to Cuba
and will not let it rest. More than this
the country is with him, and the COM
ments made seem to have stung the
members of the ways and means COM
mitteeyto the point where they feel
that action of some. kind must be
taken. Speaker Henderson is said to
insist that the house must not grant
such concessions, as to do so will be to
turn the house over to the Democrats
at the next election. And Gen. Gros-
venor of Ohio, fully echoes this view.
But are these gentleman sure that to
withhold these concessions would not
promote still greater revolution In
many of the close districts. 1t may be
that there are close districts that will
be lost to the Republicans if the con-
ce;sion is made There are certainly
many close districts likely to be lost
if it is not made On the other hand
there are close districts in which the
Republicans will stand much better
chance of gaining members if the con-
cession is made.
We notice that some members give
as an excuse for non action that we
have done enough for Cuba already. Is
it enough to free Cuba from the thral-
dom she was in and then set her free
to drift to ruin, misery and starva-
ton? We have given solemn pledge
before the world that we would give
Cuba her independence. Is it carry
ing out that pledge in manly way to
send her adrift 80 tied up and ham
pered that prosperity for her is shut
out entirely? When she belonged to
Spain she had the advantage of the
Spanish markets, that advantage is
now denied her as a matter of course.
There is no market in Europe for her
sugar crop, for Europe under its
bounty system is producing sugar for
export and with that bounty as a
bonus can supply the English market
at a price that means a financial loss
TO the Cuban planter. His only hope
is in the United States. The entire
sugar product of Porto Rico, Hawaii,
Louisiana and our beet sugar growers
is perhaps 20 per cent of American
consumption of that article. A year
ago Mr.. Oxnard said that reciprocity
with Cuba would not hurt the beet
sugar industry in the least. Why will
it now? The beet sugar growers say
that the beet sugar manufacturers and
not they are absorbing the greates
part of the protection on raw sugar,
and that they have no objection to re-
ciprocity arrangements with Cuba.
The fact is there will be a larger mar
gin left to be supplied from elsewhere
in the amount of sugar this country
consumes after the entire sugar
crop of Cuba is admitted ant
the protection. afforded agains
European sugar will give oul
home industry ample room to grow
for years to come and place it upon 6
basis to Withstand the competition.
We have done much for Cuba, tina
is true. 1t has also been done at 6
great cost of blood and treasure. W,
have rejuvenated Havana and othel
ports and practically wiped out yellow
fever and SO freed our southern coas
from the standing danger of pas
years Shall all this gained through
the sacrifice of so many valuable live
be thrown away and the old order o
things invited by casting Cuba FREE
with impending commercial ruiz
hanging over herr Better have al
lowed her to remain with Spain, thai
that, and so present such spectacle
of sel6shness in ourselves before tn
world. Loves labor will have been los
in all that we have accomplished TO
Cuba if I'VE refuse to make it possibl
for her people to earn living through
the slight concessions asked for.
And more than this, if we look a
merely the material gain, as some o
the members of the ways and mean
committee seem to be doing, for ever
American citizen that will be in an
way injured to even the slightest extent
hundred will be benefited by the trad
which will grow up there as result
Cuba will prove a rich field for u
commercially, if we but cultivate
intelligently.