Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-08-11

people believe that the administration
desired to see justice done, but not
to press the measure hard enough to
hurt the sugar trust, or the President
has not hold enough upon his party to
lift him politically above contempt.
After Congress adjourned, and it
was too late to make effectual his
boasting, Mr. Roosevelt made a speech
in which he loudly proclaimed that
our pledge TO redeem Cuba from trade
oppression was to be kept, sure as
fate"
He knows very well that this bluster
means nothing; that 1t is fishing be-
hind the net, and that he surrendered
abjectly to the bluffing Of Mr.. Oxard.
mot daring to offend an interest that
is to pay large contribution to his
campaign fund at the next election.
He knows very well that IL he had
been possessed of a tenth part of the
"strenuousness' and fighting qualities
he is advising other folks to adopt, he
would have kicked Oxnard out of the
White House door. called an extraor-
dinary session of Congress and forced
the majority there to say whether
they meant to keep faith with the
Cubans or not.
He did none of these things, be-
cause he dared not. But he is going
on the stump this fall, and there will
be no end to his exhortations of the
people to be both honest and coura-
geous.
But the measure of our infamy. In
dealing with Cuba was not filled by
the refusal OF Congress to do its
duty, or the cowardice of the exech-
tive in not forcing an issue of in
tegrity upon its party.
The Cubans, despairing of relief at
our hands, attempted to borrow some
money a few days ago. They pro-
posed to obtain loan Of 35 millions,
of which millions were to be devoted
to helping the planters out In market
ing their sugar crop,-this being made
necessary by the failure Of Congress
to reduce the entrance duties at our
ports.
TO raise the money to meet the in
terest charge on the proposed loan,
the Cuban Congress has prepared an
increased rate Of tariff duties upon
imports, most of which come from this
country, the raise being in some in
stances as high as 300 per cent
Having gotten thus far, the Cubans
find themselves confronted with
howl from the high tariff touters of
the United States, who want their
obstructive wall very high when any
thing Is to come in competition with
them in our markets, but who insist
that 1t should be very low when they
are trying to break into foreign mar
kets with the wares they have to SELL
And they are met with the more seri-
Gus practical objection that the Platt
: resolutions stand in the way of their
making loan at all. Our govern
ment will insist on the terms of the
Platt amendment, and the result
seems to be that Cuba has been grossly
and fatally betrayed in the house of
her pretended friends. We neither
trade with her ourselves ON anything
like fair or living terms, nor permit
others to do so. We refuse to relieve
her distress, or to permit her to OBJ
tain relief by borrowing money from
) others If a strong power can impose
n meaner policy upon her helpless
: and dependent neighbor. we do not
know what 1t can be.
As to who Is responsible for all this,
and that such responsibility lies at
the door OF the tariff system, which
is not only 'the mother of all the
: trusts" but Is the owner Of the Re-
publican party, we commend to our
readers the following taken from
: the New York Times. conservative
administration newspaper;
l "The real source OF the mischief
lies further back. 1t lies with those
Republican leaders who, only five
years ago, made bargain counter
! OF the committee room and sold out
the tariff schedules OF the Dingley
tariff TO the highest bidders. Had
there been statesmen at Washington
In those days instead OF hucksters
i had the Republican leaders been men
= OF sense and courage, who could re.
fuse the eXorbitont demands of the
: favor hunters and make tariff rea,
sonably adapted TO the situation, the
: agitation now aroused might have
; been postponed. Later, had these
i leaders had the intelligence and hon