New-York tribune., 1902-08-16
HAVE AMENDMENT IN MIND
CUBAN LEADERS WILL NOT VIOLATE
PLATT MEASURE IN GETTING PRO
POSED LOAN.
ley cARLE TO TIE TR1BrxE.I
Copyright; 1902: by The Tribune Associatiou)

copyright. 1BI2: ly The TriHune Asspciallon)
Havana. Aug 15.-The comments which have
been made within the last week by American
papers in regard to the proposed Cuban loan
have greatly disturbed the Cuban press. The
first announcement of the stand taken by the
ma jority of the papers in the United States was
received here with astonishment and all of
the Cuban papers have been devoting columns
of space to telling why the United States can
not interfere The Platt amendment they say.
will not be violated in the least. as they have
kept Article, ? of this document in mind all Of
the time. Inquiry among the different leaders
Of the government at first failed to reveal the
plans by which they intend to get around the
provisions of the Platt law. but The Tribune
correspondent has received information from
one of the members of the Cuban Senate who
has been the father of the loan project, that
ample provision will be made for the estao-
lishment of sinking fund for the payment OF
the S35, 600 900 loan. The method to be used ac-
Cordng TO the plans of the leaders, is the adop-
ton Of an internal tax. similar TO the war tax
which collected by the United States DUR
ing the Spanish h-American War. Such meas
ure is under consideration, and a bill is being
dr. fted. The bill provides for a tax on every
bale of tobacco. every package of cigarettes
every ledger Of business houses every tele-
gram or check. The each of these artl-
cles is intended to be very light, and the IN
come from this method is figured at S3,0Oo,Ooo
annually. This amount, II is thought. Will De
amply sufficient to not only pay the interest
on the debt, but to establish large sinking
fund which will pay off the Indebtedness IN
a comparatively few years.
II is believed by nearly all of the Cuban
legislators that President Roosevelt and Secre-
tary Root have full cognizance of the loan
question, and have recognized the necessity OF
it. This belief has caused some TO favor the
,oan who would have otherwise been opposed TO
it. Some who formerly were opposed 10 the
loan are now in favor OF II. not because II VIII
do the country any lasting good. but because
times are so very hard that $50 UOUOUO put into
circulation would make things boom at ieast
for a while. II is assumed by this class that
the soldiers who paid this money VIII speIu
their money quickly. Those who would pront
thereby are largely class which always llVes
up 20 and when possible, beyond It's income,
and therefore, 1t is reasoned that the greater
part Of the money will he put into circulation
almost at once. This peases the merchants
for they expect to get their share OF the prize
One prominent merchant told your correspond
ent that although he had been in business foT
twenty-five years he had never seen sucE oull
times He is in Obispost. the best business street
of the city. and yesterday at ) O'Clock IN
the afternoon he had not sold goods worth -.
He said that he was afraid that there was
boycott against him. but he visited other stores
of the cir and found all just as badly OF as ne
he vcrild be forced TO quit business unless there
was hope for a change soon. This same sent-
rnent has been expressed by many others. Some
are sincere and others not. One thing is certain.
and that is that there are houses which are
suspending every day In one month there
previous year according to The Commercial
Gazette"