The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1910-06-22
TAFT AND CUBA MADE j. s.
PRIVATE A MILLIONAIRE
The Despoiling of Cuba by
Wall Street, and the Re-
markable Rise of Frank
Steinhart.

In the eyes Of the unhappy
Cuban people. the United States.
the great nation which rescued
them from the greed and cruelty
OF Spain. Is now represented In
Cuba by a soldier Of fortune. who
has done nothing for Cuba but
make il bis stepping stone 20
wealth.
Frank NJ. Stelnhart. once a poor
array clerk. has made himself poiit
Teal and financial king az the Isl.
and. He secured appointment at
the hands OF William H. Taft. for
mer secretary OF war. and now
president Of the United States.
Steinhart was born in Munich.
Germany. in 1864. and was educated
there. He enlisted 10 the United
States army 10 iss2 He became
chief clerk Of the fret army corps
and went TO Porto Rico with Gen.
Brooke In 1888. where he was pro
moted to the chief clerkship Of the
department Of Porto Rico He was
transferred to Cuba. where he be
came chief clerk OF the military
government In 1902 He was made
United States consul general in
1903.
On 5000 Year.
Though his salary was a mere
$4,000 year. he moved into the
luxurious Marianao palace. and
lived In royal style.
"By wonderful tricks Of dlplo-
macy. be built up his fortune az the
expense Of the Cubans. and his In.
fuence at the loss OF Cuba's re.
spect for the United States" says
Robert Doolley In Pearson's maya
zinc for July.
eHe made deal with Juan An
tonic Frias and Father Buenna
Ventura BroderIck to sell church
property to the Cuban government
Tor Sz,0sg.000. Of which they were
to keep si.000.0e0 as a commits
slon.T continues Woolley. Father
Broderick was stripped OF his
hon0rs BY the papacy because Of
his connection with this deal. F'rias
is now In the law office Of Henry
w. Taft. the presidents brother.
counsel for Speyer a. Co, the Wall
street firm whom steiuhart repre-
sents In Cuba
With Palma As the Goat.
"But It was in the role Of guar.
dian angel 10 the second American
intervention that Stefnhart shows
at his best and worst. He usurped
the position Of the charge DAT
fairies in advising President RoOse.
velt on the Cuban situation II
was Stelnhart working diplomat
icaliy through the then Secretary
of War Taft and Assistant Secre-
tary Of State Bacon. who forced the
scrupuious and honest President
Palma into a position where resig.
nation was the only course open
10 him Through Steinhart's In.
fluence. Palma was not offered the
support Of the United States In
maintaining his administration
against ISOLATION. The resignation
Of Palma. who had stood guard at
the treasury door for the Cuban
people. opened the way to the
hooters who are now deapolllng
Cuba az rndely as she was despOil.
ed before the United States broke
SPANS rule.
And Maooon's Proud Of II.
Coy. Magoon. at a banquet al
the American club IN Havana, said
that Steinhart was the man be.
hind Maggoon.' and he was glad TO
say so Magoon Issued a decree
giving 40 miles Of streets TO the
Havana Electric Railway Co, OF
which Steinhart was general man.
ager The stock OF this company
IS controlled by Speyer & Co, for
whom George w. Wlckersham. now
attorney general, was, and Henry
w Taft, brother Of the president
r. general counsel.
THE company did not pay one
cent 10 the Cuban government for
these valuable privileges. Under
Steinhart's management, the rail