Evening star., 1902-08-16
JEFfERS0N'S IDEAS
Advocated Annexation of
Cuba in Early Times.
SOME OLD LETTERS
THAT ARE CAREFULLY TREAsUR-
ED IN STATE DEPARTMENT.
Looked Upon Island as Most Interest
ing Addition" That Could Be
Made to the States.
SOME OLD LETTERS

"Cuba's effort to effect a loan has drawn
attention again to the helpless condition
Of the tropics generally by reason of the
paralyzed state of the sugar industry"
said an attache of the State Department
library today.
Unless the loan Is made and the sugar
growers are aided by loans, as proposed,
the people will urge anneXation to the
United States" Is the statement of one
cuban statesman. Jamaica has threatened
England that unless something is done to
aid the sugar growers there annexation to
the United States will be advocated, and
the revolutions in Haiti and Santo Domingo
are indirectly the result of the financial
stagnation caused by the decline in sugar.
The beet sugar bounties of Europe have
brought about this state of affairs and
the markets of the United States offer the
only relief
1t is remarkable that these garden spots
of the earth should suffer for want of a
market for their products. There is no
prospect, however, of the United States
donating the large revenues derived from
sugar for the privilege of governing a few
turbulent republics. Yet humanity may de-
mand some steps to alleviate suffering if it
comes to that. Certainly such an abun-
dance of the most fertile soil in the world
ought not to go begging. The whole situa-
tion makes very interesting problem.
Santo Domingo undoubtedly offers the best
opportunity for experiment. 1t is thinly
settled and only about one-tenth IS under
cultivation. Colonization could be accom-
plished successfully if there We're any mar
kets open to the products the colonies
would have to sell.
Jefferson Advocated Annexation.
1T is not generally known that Thomas
Jefferson was one of the most earnest ad-
vocates of the annexation of Cuba of early
times. 1t was he also who suggested to
President Monroe the Monroe doctrine. In
the archives of the State Department, care
fully guarded, are the original letters of
Jefferson and Monroe in their correspond
ence on this subject and the subject of
the annexation Of Cuba. President Mon
roe wrote the first letter, asking advice
In part it is as follows:
OAKLAND. October Il. 1898.
My own impression is that we ought TO
meet the proposal of the British govern
ment (the proposal was for cooperation
against the proposed action of the holy all
lance in South America), and to make it
known that we would view an Interference
on the part of the European powers, and
especially an attack on the colonies. by
them an attack on ourselves, preSuming
that If they succeeded with them they
would extend it to us. L am sensible, how
ever Of the extent and difficulty of the
'
and Mr.. Madison's opinions on ii. L do not
wish to trouble either of you with small
objects, but the present one is vital, in
volving the high interests for which we
have so long and so faithfully and harmo-
niously contended together
Mr.. Jefferson replied to this letter at
once, and his answer is one of the ablest
and broadest state papers on file; yet at
this time. when there is so much interest
taken in the tropics, and in Cuba partic-
ularly, its existence is scarcely known. The
letter is as follows;