The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-10-24

be had on the American table cheaper
by the amount Of the tariff reduction.
An amendment was offered that would
take off the counterveiling duties on
refined sugar. from other.-countries.
This would have equaled the reduction
in duty on Cuban unre6ned sugar,
and would have prevented the trust
from profiting by the measure for the
relief of Cuba.
Another thing in the bill was the
reduction in duty on Cuban tobacco.
The Minnesota delegation was op-
posed to reducing the tariff on tobacco
shipped to Cuba, because the tobacco
trust could in that event ship Ameri-
can tobacco to Cuba, nut on the Gu
ban stamp and ship it back to the
United States as Cuban tobacco. The
Minnesota delegation did not propose
to stand for any fraud. like that :. - -
The president suggested that the
Cuban reciprocity bill could be
amended, and these amendments 6an
be adopted in the senate. Mucl prop
erty in Cuba has been purchased by
men who are in the sugar trust, and
the difficulty is to prevent these people
from getting all the benefit of re-
duction in the duties. Sworn testi-
mony taken in Washington shows that
from two-thirds to three-fourths Of
the sugar lands in Cuba are owned by
Americans. Only two United States
senators are opposed to reciprocity
with CUBA, and one of these represents
state on the eastern coast and the
other state on the western coast.
The Republicans in congress are going
to do what seems best without any
suggestions from the Democrats. At
Washington the entire question, in all
its aspects, presents itself more clearly
than can be readily understood else
where. We owe it to the memory Of
our boys who lost their lives in free
ing Cuba to make the Cuban republic
success-a republic that was born
through the endeavors of our volun-
teer soldiers, and sanctifed by their
blood
The Spanish war has placed MANY
burdens on the United States. but it
may be for the best. We live for
others, and nations must serve the
cause of progress and humanity. At
no time after the Maine was blown
up could our career be stopped. Our
peace commissioners would have been
discredited on their return from Paris
If they had left single foot of the
Philippine Islands under the tyrannical
Spanish flag. The United States is the
mightiest race in the world to-day.
and this was brought into evidence by
the Spanish war.
There is only one question as to the
between the Democratic
and Republican parties, and that is
when we should give the islands their
freedom. The Democrats say that the
country should promise to make the
free when peace is re-
stored Our one blunder in regard to
Cuba was the so-called Teller resolu-
tion, which declared that it was not
our purpose to enslave Cuba.
That resolution was mischievous,
because the Cubans and the Demo.
Gratis at once and all along charged
the Republican party with not intend
ing to keep its promise. Had it not
been for the two years of tutelage
which the Cubans received from as,
nobody could feel any degree of con-
fidence in the success of the Cuban re-
public. Cuba lies very close to the
United States, and we could not
afford to have Havana hot bed of
disease and Cuba entangled by debts.
Having made the blunder of prom
ising something that we could not
know when or how we could fulfill,
in the case of Cuba, we did not make
q similar one in regard to the Philip
pines. A civil government has been
provided for the Filipinos, and they
are to gradually participate in it.
hundreths of the Ameri-
,an people long for the hour when we
can give freedom to the Philippines.
The speaker said that he did not be-
i've that the majority Of the Ameri-
San people want insular possessions.
The Democrats have upbraided and
INSTRUCTED legislation for the Philip
pines, and have charged that we in
tend to enslave the Filipinos. The
Democrats would do better if, instead
Of alarming the Filipinos, they would
tell how they can be prepared sooner
for self-government. and show an in
terest in the great work which Amer
lea is doing for the natives.
Senator Clapp referred briefly to
state matters. The Republican can
didate for governor is no experiment.
He has served faithfully for two years,
and nobody who knows him can ques-
tion Governor Van SAINTS motives and
patriotism.
The speaker devoted the remainder
Of his address to a discussion of the
tariff and the trusts. He said that he
would discuss this question partly
from political standpoint and partly
from historical, as we not only have
3 conflict of interests at bone, but
industrial warfare that is worldwide.
The trusts were first discovered
by the Democratic party in
1888, and that party didn't hurt the
4