Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-01-17
PALMA INTERVIEWED
Cuba's First President Tells of the
Islands Needs.
Foremost Are Reciprocity and Edu-
cntion-TnriT Reduction VIII lie
of Aid--wnnts No Armed Force
-One Term for Presidency.

ed president Oh CuDa, is remark-
able combination of Spaniard and of
American, and as such is peculiarly
qualified to guide the destnies of
the infant republic in the days be-
fore it learns to walk alone. He
taught school here in New York
state for 90 years or more, and
though he has never learned to talk
English without a pronounced Span
ish accent, he has imbibed the spirit
of American institutions, and, as a
consequence, the two foundation
stones of the new republic are to be,
first, commercial union with the
United States, and, secondly, the ed
ucation of the masses.
Not nm Annexntionist.
The president is not an an
nexationist, but most jealous pa
triot. He began fighting for Cuba
more than a generation ago. was i'm
prisoned in Spanish Jail, has lived
in the bush, knows the way of the
revolutionist, and yet hates war with
all of the hatred of good and peace
able man. He recognizes to the ut
most extent the debt due to the
United States on the part of Cuba;
but at the same time he assumes
that in attempting to free Cuba the
United States has done only part
of its work in driving the Spaniards
out of the island. He believes in an
exclusive commercial union, amount
ing to n business annexation. be-
tween the United States and Cuba.
Wants No Army Nor Navy.
He does not believe in wars, nor in
armies nor in navies for the new re-
public. If he has his way Palma will
have no armed forces on the island
except the so-caled rural guards or
insular police. He takes the ground
that the Platt amendment was really
the best thing which could have hap
pened to Cuba, because it pledges the
United States to defend and protect
the independence of the island.
For Commercial Union.
AS TO commercial union with this
country, Gen. Palma assumes that Gu
ba is so near the United States that
it must have in this country its best
possible market, and, on the other
hand, that the United States can nat
urally control the market in Cuba.
On this ground he favors the negotia-
tion by the new republic of treaty
giving to the United States tariff priv
ileges such as are not extended to
any other nation in the world.
Cut I'm TnriG Most Needed.
As preliminary to this Gen. Palma
urges that the first step should be n
reduction on the part of the United
States of its tariff on tobacco and
sugar. In return he hopes that Cuba
will admit American machinery and
agricultural implements either entire
~ free or at so low rate of duty
as to give the United States the eN-
elusive control of the Cuban market
One Term Enough.
Gen. Palma does not expect to serve
more than one term of four years as
president of Cuba. He hopes in that
time, in modest sort of way, to see
the revenues of the island on a sound
basis. He is pledged to pay off the
old Cuban republic debt of S3,000,000
and also to pay the arrears due TO
luc boil VI tiitS' w
legations having been recognized by
the new Cuban republic.
Island Not to Borrow Money.
Nevertheless, Gen. Palma is strong
" opposed to any immediate issue of
bonds or other securities. He thinks
that as the Cuban revenues have prov
en- sufficient for the government of the
island under the direction of the Unit
ed States military forces, as command
ed by Mai. Gen. Wood, the same thing
ought to be true when the Cuban gov.
ernment is organized on the first day
of May next. He proclaims that econ,
omy shall be his watchword through.
out the entire term of his administra.
tion, with only n single exception.
Views on Education.
This exception is characteristic OF
the man. Gen. Palma would spend all
the money he could gather toge ther on
giving the masses of Cuba a common
school education. While he was an ex.
lie in this country for more than a
score of years, he supported himself by
teaching. He made n close study oi
the American public school system
and he firmly believes that the peace
and the prosperity of the republic OF
Cuba can be guaranteed forever only
by means of the general uplifting and
education of the masses of the people
All educational funds he would spend
for the plainest, simplest and mos
useful common school education. HI
believes it will be some time before the
government can spend any money OF
high schools or universities; but ht
does believe that liberal appropria
tions for the common schools should
be absolutely the first work of the new
Cuban congress.
Tariff S,duction.
Washington, Jan. 13-Canvasi
among members of both houses of con
gress shows that. there will be pSac
tically no organized opposition to tar
iff reduction on Cuban sugar and to
bacco. 1t will amount to about 25 pei
cent