The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-03-28
CUBAN INDEPENDENCE.

In less than two months the govern
ment of Cuba will be transferred from
the United States military authorities
to the officers recently elected 10y the
Cuban people, says the Baltimore Sun.
President Palma, according to Wash
ing dispatch, will be inaugurated On
May 20. He will enter upon his adj
ministration with the best wishes OF
the American people, although our
Congress does not seem disposed to
give the Cubans the helping hand in a
trade way which they sorely need. All
the power of the Administration has
been exerted to secure liberal conces-
sions, but up to the present time with
out success. There is hope, however,
that the Senate may realize the neces-
sity of entering into such a wise reci-
procity arrangement with Cuba that
Americans will be enabled thereby to
control the trade Of the island, while at
the same time the chief industry of the
Cubans will be established upon a
prosperous basis.
Cuba will have a restricted indie
dendence only. Its right of sovereign
ty, has been transferred to the United
States under the Platt amendment.
United States troops have occupied
the island ever since the summer Of
1898 and will not be withdrawn until
the Congress of the Cuban Republic
has complied with every requirement
of the Platt amendment. 1t is now
proposed that the Cuban Congress as
semble on May 10 and take action
committing the Cuban government to
the conditions imposed by the Con-
gress of the United States. When
this program has been carried out the
United States soldiers, with the excep.
ton of the artillerymen assigned to the
coast defences, will be promptly order
cd from the island.
The stipulations of the Plat amend
mont, which the. Cuban Government
Will embody in treaty with the
United States, are OF far-reaching ma
ture. Cuba must guarantee that it
will never enter into any treaty with a
foreign power which will impair its
own independence; it must give guar
antees that no foreign power will lie
allowed to gain control over any part
of the island for any purposes, lot
even for naval station. The Govern
ment of Cuba must pledge itself not TO
contract public debt beyond rea-
sonable sum it must recognize the
right of the United States to intervene
to preserve Cuba's independence, to
maintain stable government in the
island and to discharge the obligations
imposed upon the United States by
the Treaty of Paris. Cuba must sell
or lease to the United States the lands
necessary for naval stations it must
carry out policy Of sanitation pre-
scribed by the United States it must
agree to adjust by treaty with this
Government the nnerspip of the Isle
of Pines.
Even with these limitations on their
Government the people of Cuba will
be contented if they are able to estab-
lish profitable commercial relations
with the United States. What they
need is the admission to the American
market of their staple products under
a liberal tariff arrangement. They do
not need reciprocity, however, more
than American producers. Our pros
perity depends largely upon the OK
pansion of trade. Our farmers arc
producing great deal more than the
home market can consume. Our mar.
ufacturers are securing the world to
find purchasers for the surplus output
of their mills and factories. We are
shaping our diplomacy with the view
of getting trade in the Orient. We
have spent an enormous sum in acquir-
ing a commercial outpost in the Phil
ippines. We are, in fine, making every
effort to increase the number of our
customers. Why, therefore, should
we not, in our own interest, make an
arrangement with the Cubans which
will bring us immediate returns in
trade? Cuba is within a few hours
journey Of our Florida coast. Its
trade belongs to the United States by
every economic consideration. Why
not take advantage of our position
and get it all, instead of sending the
lions share of it to European countries?
Senator Platt, of New York, who
has recently returned from Havana,
is quoted in an interview as saying
that the majority Of the Cubans desire
to the United States, and
will soon tire of independent govern
ment. That may be the case; but,
even if annexation is a matter of only
a few years, as some of our statesmen
profess to believe, is there any reason
why American farmers and manufac-
turers should he deprived Of an imme-
date opportunity to establish profita-
BILE trade relations with Cuba? If
manifest destiny requires the annexa-
ton of Cuba, do not common sense
and selfinterest suggest that it would
he better to annex DrOSDerOuS Cuba