The sun., 1902-03-09

by the PTOposou
.rrom the time that we. tho people OF
,he United States, ended Spanish rule
IN Cuba" says n gentleman VINO recehtly
,is,ted the island. we have been giving
,,st ono sort Of advice to the Cuban people
stop talking politics. Plant aud harvest,
Till the soil and not your conversauoha'
,>owars The United States will soc 70
/, that vou hays full market for all that
You can grow. Do not let your rich trace
s.u into staenation. Trust US, and grow
sugar and tobacco
sTbis advice was given by all the news
r.nsrs In the United States. It was en-
phs,1ed by the proclamation OF Gen
Brooke az Governor.
srverv Senator and Representative who
,ent 10 the island reiterated IL IN private
conversation with Cubans ana III puoho .
speeches before municipal and general
gatherings. We were pledged that we Wouid
help Cuba II Cuba would help herself
.The island Of Cuba had ever been
creditor island. 1t paid Its oohgauons
In cash. It's planters always had money
owing 10 them and never owed to anybody
outside OF the island.
wears OF revolution had not everthrown
this remarkable economical condition Then
came the war Of 1893.
IAN the surplus was swept away. Plan
tations went TO ruin: Gre and sword and
nes,ect wiped out Cuba's working capital.
But not a firm failed.
.With the promises made by the United
States through our representatives and
through our press, the business men OF
Cuba we're encouraged TO borrow. 1hey
morteaged everything they had down
IN the last foot OF ground and the last Dit
Of rusty machinery that there was left.
.They turned their pockets inside out
looking for the last cent. They sraked
everything. They went broke. literally.
They raised a great sugar crop. They
raised a great tobacco crop. They con-
ceded the Platt amendment because II
was offered 70 them In such q way that
II seemed as though by conceding they
c,inobed the promise the United States had
made to them-the promise that they should
have an immediate opportunity to realize
on this tremendous crop.
THAT crop Is now piled In the storehouses
and the warehouses Of Cuba. II cannot
be sold except at a loss. II is dead on their
hands. r,-
"lnelf ODlRdttOns uio ms @Ho.'
security is exhausted A few more weeks
and the money-lenders who have looked
hungrily at Cuba all through the years
OF her prosperity will stride In and take
ali the business interests OF the island
away from the men who trusted In the word
OF the great nation which stepped In to
make Cuba free
'lf Cuba had ignored our advice, had
let her plantations lie fallow and had talked
politics she would have been far better
on than she is to-day. Her securities for
borrowing would have been left unim-
paired, A.
tariff concessions which We promised are
speedily made. she will be not only down
but out The referee is counting
The man who gave this description OF
the condition Of the business interests of
Cuba has but recently returned from the
island. He knew the island under Spanish
rule and is intimately acquainted with
hundreds Of Cuban business men.
As a business man himself and as a SYM
pathetic friend Of those with whom he has
had dealings for 30 many years, be has
come TO feel an enthusiastic and convinc-
ing Indignation against the state Of affairs
which now exists at Washington.
He consented to explain TO THE Sun re-
porter, who had heard his account Of Cuba q
state, what the actual effect would be on
the trade to the United States Of the con-
cessions asked Of Congress by the friends
OF Cuba.
1T would be easier TO begin negatively,
he said, 'and show what the effect Of not
allowing Cuba to sell her present crop viii
IF Cuba cannot sell the sugar which,
at our insistence. she has strained herself
10 the utmost 70 produce. she will have
no money with whioh 70 buy. Cuba's
import trade amounts to S75, 900 900 or
$50, 900 900 a year.
But II the planter cannot get money for
his sugar he cannot pay his laborer and
his supply man. and the retailer cannot
sell the laborer and the clerical employee
anything II they have no money with which
70 buy, and as a result Cuba's imports viii
fall away to nothing. And there Is from
seventy-ave to eighty millions of trade
thrown away; the island is In economic
chaos and the United States the object Of
undying hatred and contempt.
Moreover, the capacity Of the island Of
Cuba. roughly speaking. for the production
Of sugar Is about 600 900 tons. The con-
sumption Of sugar by the United States IL
about 100000 tons a year. We raise
1900 tons OF that ourselves; a fraction
Of that Is beet sugar.
Now, how in the world the admission
Of 100000 tons Of sugar is going TO interfere
With growers who cannot possibly raise
more than one-thtd enough 70 satisfy the
demand for sugar In this country cannot
see. We must get that sugar somewhere;
why not buy 1t from our friends who pro-
duced II because we asked them tor
As to tobacco. there Ia, will freely
admit, Just one interest that will suffer
seriously from letting down In the tariff
rate on Cuban tobacco. That Is the interest
represented by the disingenuous gentleman
who sells cigars at retail.
No man in the United States who
smokes ought TO have any oompunctions
about seeing that gentleman squeezed a
little. There are honest cigar stands, but
they are not the stands where high. priced
cigars are sold.
i know OF only one place In New York
where a man can call for a Havana cigar
and know that he is getting what he paws