Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-10-24
CUBAN REPUBLIC IS
FACING BANKRUPTCY
Official Graft Declared To Have
Undermined Stability Of
New Government.
REVOLT TO HIDE PLANS
New York Newspaper Writer investi-
eating island Politics Says
Grafters Arc In Full
Force.
REVOLT TO HIDE PLANS


Force.
Special Correspondent of the New York
American.
Havana, Cuba-Among our sister
Latin-American republics to the south
such outbreaks as the present uprising
in Cuba. where there Is an armed re-
volt against the government, the
causes almost invariably arc economic
or financial rather than racial, and 1t
would appear to the writer, after some
time spent on h island in careful
study of the conditions, thai it is tu
the financial situation one must look
for the real cause of the present dis
affection.
In order to gain II broad, compre-
hensive view of the situation. one must
turn back to the close of the admins
tration of President Palma, who, what
ever his faults were. was "a true pa
triot and honest. n left nineteen
millions gold i'm the treasury upon re-
tirelnent from office-and this in spite
of the war claims engendered during
the struggle for ~liberty-and a large re-
duction in the national debt.
The present administration lacks the
sterling attributes of patriotism and
honesty. Many officials have grown
Independently wealthy.
One of the most glazing examples of
the methods employed by some of the
officials is the concession granted to
the Harbor Improvement company of
Ravana for 81 period of forty years.
This concession is being held up by
the United States.
$3s,ooo,o0o for Clique.
On the reports of competent en-
pincorS Nr1nn oStiyno tod tho nnct nj how
Dor improvements. such as building
wharvcs and warehouses and dredging
to allow ships to dock. $40. 900, 600 was
set aside as a sufficient sum To this
$4,000. 900 was added subsequently to
meet unexpected obstacles. The COM
pany was then capitalized, London
banking interests agreeing to under
write the bonds. Added to these were
preferred and common stock, bringing
the total capitalization up to the
astounding figure of $50. 600. 900. of which
the official Clique were To receive ap,
mean that the revenues OF Cuba were
mortgaged for the next 40 years.
Jus who was to receive the $4,000
900 added to the original ten has never
clearly shown; u that 1T was not
for this money to be put into
the report of the engineers, who fig
ured hat 31O,0 900. 900 was the outside
possible cost. This incident is men
toned merely to show why there shouts
lie dissatisfaction n unrest among
the people at a display of such wantOn
dishonesty in high places.
Another phase of the situation vas
that brought out by a we'll known Ha-
vana paper, called Ell Dia. This paper
asserts that the late rebel leader, Esti-
noz killed in Il skirmish, had actually
been subsidized bv certain officials to
bring about the revolution in the east
ern end Of the island so that the at
tention of the people would be dis
tracted from the finances OF the coun-
try. and that the officials. after put
ting down this revolt. could be re-
elected as popular heroes. But the dis
affection among the people In the pro-
vince in which Estinoz was operating
was SO great that once under way. ii
assumed proportions beyong the Gomez
government to put down. And had 1t
not been for the prompt landing OF
American marines there Is no doubt
that by this time the island would be
ablaze o one M to the other.
Cannot Pay Fixed Charges.
The troops that hav remained loyal
to h government will remain loyai
;;lst as long as they receive their pay
government a pay Its fixed charges
for more than a few weeks. 1t is al
eadv bankrupt. and 1t Is hard to see
where 1t Is going to obtain h money
20 pay fixed charges. since Its request
TOR a a Of $13. 000.0 900 in the United
Mates has been refused.
About 81 per cent of the OF
Cuba are obtained from imports. but
the imports have lately fallen away by
about 80 per cent. the merchants OF
Havana having refused to advance
further credit to interior towns, selling
K0n00 ONLY HnR rn0h AhQVYf & NOR Npnt
Df the government revenues are OBJ
tanned by h sale of lottery tickets.
put this revenue a also been cut IN
Two. as at the last drawing one-thfrd
OF the tickets issued remained unsold.
n q the grand prize. been won by
otner than the government. there were
no FUNDS with which to make payment.
n TACT that 1t was won by the gov
nmen has been the cause of much
dissatisfaction non the people. as
they believe that the drawings are dis
honest.
Judging by these facts it would ap-
pear to be onlv q question of a few
weeks. at the most. before the Gomez
government must fall. This will mean
snat the United States must intervene
Ior the establishment Of law and order.
n the protection Of life and property
IN Cuba. for In the treaty Of Paris
and bv the Plat amendment the United
states guarantees to foreign interests
such protection.
Whether or not the Cubans viii ever
pc apable Of self-Eovernment is open
to question. but az the educated and
moneyed classes are almost q unit in
FAVOR Of q United States protectorate.
u pull seem that 20 long AZ Cuba
remains free n Independent her vast
resources. AGRICULTURAL and mineral.
tactics OF dishonest politicians.