The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1903-12-18
CUBAN OBLIGATION

our part to Cuba that we are called
upon to discharge, it is only neces-
sary to contrast Cuba's condition
under the rule of Spain with her
condition because of our interven-
ton:
I. We gave Cuba her independ-
ence, something on which il is al
most impossible to set value. The
cost of lives lost in her several wars.
the tyranny of Spain, her burden
of oppressive taxation go, however,
to make up the value of that lnde-
pendence, to which must be added
the right of Cuba to govern her.
self, an inestimable privilege not to
be measured IN dollars and cents.
In doing this Cuba must be charged
win the sacrifice of American lives,
aud the expenditure of several hun
dreds of millions of the money
of our taxpayers and new pension
list. To these must be added:
p Our obligation under the
Platt amendment to guard and pro-
tect Cuba from internal dissensions
and from foreign foes for all time
under which Cuba may dispense
with an army and navy that would
cost her SIX to ten millions per an
mum.
4. We have wiped out the SIoo,
900, 900 of debt that Cuba was car
rying. equal to $2SsH per capita OF
her population, the annual interest
on which four hundred millions was
$to. 900, 600 or nearly $40 per cap
ita per annum.
A. We have relieved Cuba OF
S1a, 900, 900 of annual tax that was
laid in Madrid to support the Span
ish Cuban army and navy and sup
mort the Infamous rule of Spain in
the Island.
{. We relieved Cuba of the OPP
pressive Spanish Tariff OF 1917
under which Cuba was forced, IN
buying from nations other than
Spain, to pay duties averaging 125
per cent or from one and a half TO
three times more than Spanish
goods paid. 1t is now proposed
TO readopt that policy of "discr'm-
;,at,onn in favor of the United
States. only ona smaller scale. The
theory seems to be that the curse OF
it will be removed If it is done un
der the cloak of "reciprocity" In
other words, Cuba wonuld be fore
ed to pay from 30 to 40 per cent
more than at present if she buys
"treaty" goods from any other ma
ton except the United States. That
is what has come to be known as at
fording Cuba "relief."
The result would be,hat the Cuo
an masses would be forced to pay
the same duties they now pay on
certain articles if taken from us,
the quality of which, taken of for.
eign nations, is better, the COST OF
which is lower, ahd the time credit
on which is longer thanif purchased
of the United States. We propose
to force on the whole Cuban people
disadvantages in order that a few
sugar and tobacco planters in Cuoa
and the Sugar Trust and Tobacco
and Cigar Trust may proht.
That is the whole case IN nut
she'll Is it fair, is 1t decent, is II
moral to thus take advantage Oh
this new republic that we have JUST
set npon its feetf
It is said that Cuba will De un-
able to make her S35, 900 loan un-
less she pledges her custom re-
eeip,s. Those receipts will ci'neI
be reduced by the legislation pro-
posed, or else her people must pay
the higher 40 to 40 per cent rates
that reciprocity contempl,tes ana
calls on Cuba to enact In oroef 10
give US a discriminating or lower
duty compared with other foreign
nations. In other words, Cuoa'
under reciprocity, must either re-