THE CUBA REVIEW 



THE NEW PRESIDENT'S POLICIES 



PRIMARY SCHOOLS CUBa's GREATEST NEED IMMIGRATION PLANS 



FOREIGN CAPITAL IS SOUGHT 



"I believe Cuba's greatest needs are the primary schools, which my administration will 

 promote wherever the population warrants, and we will improve the normal and trade 

 schools next. Another great need is an increase in the present means of communication, 

 the enlargement of established industries and the encouragement of new ones. 



"We also should cultivate the closest commercial relations with the United States, 

 Cuba's natural principal market, and exert ourselves to make permanent the advantages 

 both undoubtedly have received through the present reciprocity treaty. 



"For the moment I believe it will be better to maintain the treaty as it stands unless 

 the United States makes sugar free, in which case the reciprocity agreement dies a 

 natural death, thus enabling the European manufacturer to compete with us successfully, 

 making inroads on our market and causing almost irreparable damage. 



"The fact should be impressed on the- minds of the American people that this damage 

 ultimately affects them as well as us. For instance, in the event of war endangering 

 other sources of supply were the treaty abrogated the United States must pay the Eu- 

 ropean price for Cuban sugar or do without it. 



"Cuba now supplies three-quarters of all the sugar consumed in the United States. 

 In all events I consider the revision of our present tariff one of Cuba's necessities. I 

 intend to devote especial attention to foster immigration, which is most essential to tlie 

 progress and permanent prosperity of our country. 



"I hope before the expiration of my term to have started an immigration current of 

 sufficient volume to insure forever the settlement of many troubles originating in the 

 present dearth of good immigrants. To this end will it be necessary to establish a 

 modern, adequate system of colonization. 



"The sugar industry has suffered also from the lack of storage facilities. Our planters 

 have been unable to hold back sugar for good prices. 



"I favor any measures tending to remedy these conditions, such, for instance, as the 

 construction of warehouses for the storage of sugar in the chief ports or the establish- 

 ment of banks to supply requisite funds to move a crop or anything to help the Cuban 

 planter defend himself. I favor agricultural banks, the need for which is widely felt in 

 our commerce and industry, and any enterprises of this kind will have the administra- 

 tion's hearty moral support. 



"Heartiest encouragement will be extended to all foreign capital seeking investments 

 in Cuba. The greater the amounts the warmer will be the greeting, especially when its 

 purpose is to increase the manufacturing capacity of this country. 



"On assuming office I shall first lay out a general scheme with a view of meeting the 

 urgent needs of each locality — meaning the building of highways and new railroads, the 

 establishment of irrigation plants and aqueducts, and everything else necessary to make 

 each community prosperous and satisfied. Means will be sought to reduce the high cost 

 of living, chief among which looms the revision of our tariff." 



Queried regarding the Isle of Pines, General Menocal squared his slim shoulders and 

 took on the resemblance to war-time pictures taken on the field of battle. He said : 



"I am most decidedly opposed to all diminuition of our national territory, in whatever 

 form it might l)e attempted." — Interview in the Nczij York Herald. 



Under Cuba's land tax system unused and undeveloped land pays no taxes. One can 

 hold free of taxes a million acres of fertile land provided no plough touches it and no 

 effort be used to make it productive. The moment it is converted to productive purposes 

 the tax assessor and tax collector get busy. On this matter the President expressed 

 himself stronglv. 



"I am strongly committed to a radical reform of a land tax system which has been 

 handed down to us from the Spanish conquerors of Cuba," he said. "The natural wealth 

 of Cuba lies in her soil, and her people must have access to that soil. The fair taxation 

 of unoccupied and undeveloped lands will force it into the market. 



"We need small farmers as well as great sugar and tobacco enterprises. No section 

 on earth has an equal percentage of fertile soil, and it shall be my policy to urge the 

 passage of such laws as will vastly increase the acreage under cultivation." 



The American investor in Cuba was also discussed and the President was equally 

 emphatic in his opinion. He said: . 



"There seem.s to be a constant fear on the part of certain of your publicists that 

 American investors are 'exploiting^ the tropical countries covered Iw your Monroe 



