The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-09-29
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20.
OUR LOST CUBAN TRADE.

The consul general of the United
States at Havana is Mr.. Frank Stein
hart. He succeeded General Bragg af-
ter the latter had to be recalled because
of his unfortunate and foolish remark
in a letter to his wife, which she gave
out for publication. about the Cubans.
Mr.. Steinhart is a very different sort OF
man. He is thoroughly cOnversant with
the situation in Cuba and has set about
accomplishing the work for which he
was sent to Observation-Disclosures
of close commercial relations between
the two countries. He went into the
office we'll equipped for the service. He
has been identified with Cuban affairs
from the beginning of the American oc-
cupatiOn of the ISLAND He was chief
clerk in the headquarters of Generals
Brooke and Wood and hen custodian
OF the records left by the latter for the
information as to what had been done
and the guidance of President Palma
and the Cuban congress. So when he
entered upon his more responsible du-
ties of consul general at Cuha's capital
and chief seaport he was thoroughly
acquainted with the situation there. A
report from him, therefore, on Cuba's
foreign commercial relations is worthy
of careful consideration by our govern
ment.
Mr.. Steinhart tells US that the coun-
tries of Europe control the foreign trade
of Cuba and he points out how they
came to take this rad from US who
should have controlled it.
Less than two years ago we had alb
solute control of Cuba. The people of
that island looked upon US as their lib
orators and We're willing to enter into
the closest friendship with us. They
were suspicious of all Europeans. They
Were ready TO make the United States
their market for the sale of their pro-
ducts n the purchase Of commodities
they did not produce. We had every
thing in our own hands. What have We
done with this opportunity to build UP
a fl~ourishing trade with these people
who bid fair to be such paying CUSTOM
ers? We deliberately threw it away at
the dictatiOn of an American mOnop-
oily. The cry was raised that it would
not do to make an exception. even for
the sake OF Cuba and her trade, to the
American principle of high protective
tariff. This cry rallied around the trust
-manipuIatOrs enough congressman TO
defeat the measure which would have
island. The Cubans saw our ports clos
ed to their products and she in cOnse-
quence refused TO open hers to us. The
natural result followed-a feeling of
suspicion and enmity against us. Then
free trade Europe stepped in and took
The place in Cuban trade that we
should nav occupied.
In the loss of the Cuban trade we are
paying the penalty of moral obligations
violated and pledges broken.
To remedy this condition Mr.. Stem
har is bending his best energies. He
can do nothing. though, without the aid
of the American congress. He points
out in what way this aid a be given.
Congress will be called IN extraordinary
session early in November for the ex-
press purpose OF taking up the ques-
ton of a commercial treaty with Cuba.
If it Will throw off the shackles of h
~Inonopolies which throttIed the Cuban
treaty at the last session and agree to
terms which will give Cuba a fair show
ing We may in time come to occupy
toward that island the position we
should have held from the time of the
Spanish evacuation. but it will take time
and work TO recover what we have lest.
Instead of having the trade waiting for
us We will have TO fight against free
trade Europe already in possession Of
the sand commercial interests.