Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-15

uals their gratitude fer-eur national inter-
vention. But they are suspicious of our
government, as they We're Of Spanish gov
eminent. and have -Aeen 1doubly so since
Congress was misledsate reserving shad-'
owy claim to the lslA Of Pines. The only
ably put on that reservation was a desire
self
So much Cuban bfuUd had been for a
century shed in the attempt to realize the
dream Of independence that independence
educated Cubans .kfd that the Platt
amendment amen. shattered Wat ideal. perhaps
he Is about to enter upon a real Fourth-of-
July type of independence, and he would
fight to the death fof-it, as his ancestors
have done. To him his blood-sealed free
dren by and by may think lightly Of their
strictly limited republic. and then annexa-
ton will come peaceably, as 1t could not
do now.
Spain was such hard mistress POLITICAL
~ that she does not get credit with us for
her care of Cuban Industry. Not only did
she make commercial treaties with an ex-
press purpose to create markets for Cuban
products but she prohibited the growing of
tobacco at home SO as. to leave her own
desirable market for that commodity to the
Cuban cuba leaf Spanish interest may have
whatever the motives, @oir violent termina-
ton Of Spanish and Cuban relations has
thrown Cuba right into our arms for tenn
porary nurture. Yet the Cuban. appeal is
not one of pure mendicancy If. we put the
island on it's feet industrially our export
trade to Cuba will pay handsomely and we
shall be the better off by supplies of Cuban
sugar and tobacco than we could be with
out them.
Stand or Fall With Sugar and Tobacco.
Our home industries are so diversified
hot
the supreme present dependence of Cuba
on its sugar and tobacco. Let the human
hand represent industrial Cuba The three
middle fingers will then stand for the sugar
culture, the little finger for tobacco. the
thumb for all other industries combined
and the palm for that vast undeveloped
portion that makes the island one of the
rarest bits of natural richness under the
sun. The golden dreams Of the early Span
ish explorers were weak by comparison
with the treasures that capital. brains and
labor can and will unlock in Cuba
The utmost relief that Congress is likely
to afford cannot amount to bounty in the
most favored case. Taking the sugar plant
ers in the most fortunate circumstances, a
20 per cent reduction in our tariff would be
an appreciate easement. but not a profit.
A reduction of 3% 1-3 per cent would help
almost every sugar producer to get forward
into the next year. A reduction of 80 per
cent would Increase the cultivation and alb
serb the idle laborers who are a present
menace to the stability of the incoming ma
tive government 1t would take about five
years to open up enough other avenues of
employment to relieve the tension due to
the long established devotion to the cane
sugar cultivation
The instruction of 1895, termina ted by our
Intervention three years, later fell crush
ingiy upon the sugar-growing industry. 1t
swept away buildings and machinery and
left a most plentiful crop of plaguing and
high priced mortgages This mortgage in
cubus has had small attention in Congress,
but in Cuba it rests upon the planters like
a pail CHARLES l.. BENJAMIN,
Post Office InSpectOr.