Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-11-26

uLUlluL U. III ULLLLilli, Ull
RECIPROCITY WITH CJBA.
st is claimed that Cuba has become Sc
prosperous that she does not need any
commercial help from us Cuba does not
come to us as a beggar. She is not an object Of
charity. She is not bankrupt, but she is,
none the less, very poor.
ssOur responsibility did not cease with
the transfer Of her government to Cuban
hands, and it is our duty to permit her to
become prosperous. She comes to us asking
for trade arrangement which win permit
her to better her condition, and in return
she offers us concessions Of priceless value.
''For the two years 1894-5, before the
war, the total exports from Cuba amounted
to $215, 107, 742, and the total imports
amounted to $162, PAS, s9s, showing a
balance in favor Of Cuba Of $50, 1862, $40.
'.For the four years 1890-19O2, inclusive,
the total exports amounted to 1922, 492, O61,
and the total imports to $275, 261, 1923.
showing balance against Cuba of $42, 769, :
242. Or, il we compare the exports and
the imports Of the last two years with those
of the years 1894-5, we find shrinkage Of
nearly SIS, 00O. 600.
In other words, during the two years
Immediately before the war. Cuba sold
$50, 900, 600 more than she bought, and yet,
during the last four years, the greater part
of which was under American control, she
sold 5000. O0n less than she bought.
This certainly does not show increased
prosperity.
Two years ago Cuba was on the verge
of bankruptcy, and that she has escaped
ruin is not due to any effort on our part.
That she has been able to exist at all dur
ing the last two years is because Of two
reasons. First, the change in her govern
ment. Second, the marketing of an in
creased amount Of tobacco and sugar.
''In 1902, the spectacular and extrava-
CANT rule Of General Wood having saddled
upon HAVANA for ten years the infamous
gambling monopoly of the Sociedad An
onima Jai Alai, gave place to the con-
sentative, economical, sensible, and bus
iness-like administration Of President
Estrada Palma, who has proved himself an
executive of the very highest order
''The fiscal year 1s99-19O0 produced a
revenue of S17, 3S3, 1898, during which time
there was expended SIS, 661, 093. During
the fiscal year 10000 the revenues amount
ed to SIT, 165, $50 and the expenditure to
ST, 645, 427. From Juy /, 1901, to May
19, 1902, or less than eleven months, the
revenue amounted to $14, 7Os, 1902 and the
expenditures to SIG, 4O1, 4SO.
From May 90, 1902 the date Of the
commencement of the Cuban Republic, to
December 81, 1902, the revenues amounted
to 9,729, AS and the expenditures to
So, I02, 587, while for the six months from
January 1, 1903, to June 80, 1903, the
revenues amounted to IS, 1877, $40 and the
expenditures 70 %, fST>5y S0u-
I'm other words, under President Es-
trada Palma the cost Of the government is
over 81, OOO, 900 per annum less than it was
under General Wood. This has alone
greatly relieved the economic conditions in
Cuba =
The earlier part Of Colonel Mcclellan
speech was devoted to facts and figures in
answer to the arguments raised against the
bill Toward the close, however, he dealt
thus with the ethical questions involved,
incidentally denouncing the smallness of
the relief afforded the domination Of Con-
gress by the beet sugar lobby
Whether the sugar Trust will or will
not increase its dividends under the terms
of this bill, whether the United States will
| receive direct benefit or not uLder the terms
of this bill, whether Cuba is bankrupt or
only on the verge Of bankruptcy, whether
this bill is un-Democratic or I'M Republic
can, there is an argument in favor Of its
enactment which in my mind raises above
all Others, and that is what some gentle
men sneeringly call the sentimental argu-
ment, but which really involves that great
est Of all sentiments the duty and honor
Of the United States
In 1898 the United States recognized
the Independence Of Cuba, but in 1901, by
the terms Of the so-called Platt amendment,
we limited that indendence aud took Cuba
within the sphere OF influence Of what
some Of orr statesmen are pleased to call
the American system.
1t is true that republic has been es-
tablished in Cuba and that We have with
drawn from direct participation in her
government, but none the less the effect of
the PIatt Amendments has been to make
Cuba dependency under the protection Of
the United States