The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-15
THEY 7 WANT To-: JOIN
Cuban Planters Who Are Favoring
.> Annexation. W.: + + =
BECAUSE OF THEIR BUSINESS
A Reorganization of the Planters
-. .. Association on Those
! 2,:. - = :: IT, Lines .*-. ..,r'-.-
From, The Jour,.ot B,sreot, Roo,,, IS, Pos.
BntEzi,tg, Wus7ai7tgto,,. : - ..,'.''t' ; =


Washington, July .15.-Word reaches
Washington that in Cuba to-day an. effort
will he made to Teorganlze the Sugar
Planters association on the basis OF an
annexation program. Discouraged over
the failure of congress to grant reciprocal
trade facilities. it is said the Cuban
planters are thinking Of turning their
organization, whose annual meeting
comes to- day, into political machine for
the purpose of stimulating annexation
sentiment. r. If the time tor the meeting
has been changed or If the plans Of the
planters have been modified, no word re-
garding it has reached. Washington. 1t is
said the proposed movement is entirely
independent and has nothing to do with
Senator Elkfns' annexation schemes.
Former military officials in Cuba who
are now in Washington say there is Moth
ing surprising in this last move of the
planters. Since the power of Spain was
ended the majority of them have favored
annexation and a few have supported It
openly. It is all to their interest to Sc
cure free market for cane sugar and
they know that annexation under any
form would give this assurance. + - r..
The planters association at times has
been charged with being merely an annex
alton annex: 1t has not shown much
conference, and it's influence has not been
great. One Of the planters who is in the
movement, in a recent letter, says that
the proposed reorganization Of the asso-
citation is Intended in the first place to
educate the ignorant classes on the ad-
vailtaEest Aof annexation, and with that
object it Is proposed to establish a news
paper which shall champion annexation
as the, only means of remedying econom-
icallyr the condition of the island. The
intention is that at the meeting which
was set for to-day the general board of
the association shall elect a new execu-.
tive committee composed of new ele-
ments, that is,+ it is proposed to put new
blood in the sugar planters association,
whose vitality. now Is at low ebb and
once reorganized it will be possible to
determine how much influence can be
exerted by the planters for annexation.
While much sympathy is felt for Cuban
planters by officials in Washington who
know fully how their distress has been
increased by the failure of congress to
provide for reciprocity, nevertheless
these officials do not give any great Inn
portance to the movement. They say 1t
Is based on the assumption that the
denial Of reciprocity was final and that
Cuban sugar and other products can OBJ
tain preference in the markets OF the
United States only through annexation.
Against this view IT is pointed out that
President Roosevelt's appeal to the peo-
pie is bearing fruit and that some Of the
senators who were in the company which
prevented action on the presidents rec
commentator at the late session now
admit that Cuban reciprocity will be
accomplished next winter With reciprocity
fact the military officials who have
been in Cuba. think that the annexation
movement ofsthe planters will lose much
of its force.
w w. Jermane.