Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-10-10
PLATT's AMENDMENT.
More to Blame Than Anything Else
for the Injustice That Has
Been Done Cuba.


President Roosevelt has claimed
great credit for his party on account
of what has been done by the United
States in Cuba, but he admits that
there has been something wrong even
in that great example. On the 4th of
July, he said:
II regret that measure of reel
procity with Cuba is not already en-
bodied in statute or in treaty" He
believes that the United States has
assumed obligations in consideration
of the acceptance by Cuba of the prin-
ciple of the Platt amendment, and that
in refusing to pass the Cuban reci-
procity bill, his partisans in congress
have acted in bad faith
CUBA" he says, must occupy pc
culiar relation to lis in the field of in
ternational politics. She must in the
larger sense be part of the general
political system in international af-
fairs, of which this republic stands as
the head" The reason assigned by
him for this position is that Cuba "has
assented to that view," and that as
consequence of this compact-this
covenant involved in the adoption of
the Platt amendment by congress and
its acceptance by Cuba-'this nation
is bound to give her special economic
privileges not given to other nations"
But it follows that this nation would
not have been so bound but for the
virtual enforcement of the terms of
the Platt amendment upon Cuba by
republican congress and president.
Hence it is clear that the Plat
amendment, and not the denial of reci-
procity, was the beginning and cause
of the injustice, since without it there
would have been no injustice in such
denial. And the republican party
stands charged with full knowledge,
at the commencement of the present
Cuba-American relationship, that it
could not as it has not performed its
obligations to Cuba without the aid of
democrats. Therefore, he and his par
tisansare justly responsible for placing
Cuba in the situation where reciproc-
ity or ruin is inevitable, and then deny
ing to her the one indispensable meas
ure of relief. The presidents position
is condemnation of the whole Cuban
| policy, because it is condemnation
of the essential and characteristic fea-
| ture of it, which is neither less nor
more than pertidg for plumbers sake
a policy morally on par With the Phil
ippine policy of the same party.
| This np1inv al rf y>taoo 1xyif4,
using the funds from the Cuban treas
ury to purchase homes to the support
OF Palma and the administration pol
icy. Also tho payment from the same
fund of $4,000 to Thprber to help
eaFry out the plans of the sugar trust.
i Indeed, the republican statesmep
themselves are not all agreed that our
army and officials in Cuba deserve the
praise bestowed upon them by the
| Nothing shows this better than a
passage al arms in the senate between
Mr.. Spooner and Mr.. Hale, which oc-
Cured some time ago, and from which
we quote the following:
"Mr Hale-I 40 notsympathize with
him in the belief that this people has
gained anything thus far in what it has
taught the Cubans. l think we would
have been better off if we had not
taught the Cubans the lesson that has
been taught in the last few months.
| sAir. spooner-Mhat lesson2
"Mr. Hale-The lesson of fraud
peculation, appropriation of revennes,
cheating, stealing-a carnival liz every
direction of corruption and fraud.
think it would have been very much
better if we had not taught those peo-
pie or tried to teach those people this.
] do not recognize any line of fealty to
party obligations that compels me to
consent to the proposition that every
thing has gone right in Cuba.
"Mr. Spooner-Nobody pretends it-1
4