The herald., 1894-12-28
GOING AROUND THE STUMP.
Spain's Scheme to Evade ,
Threatened Tariff War.
Cuba to Be Allowed to Arrange a
Revenue Budget.
Big I'm portsrs In Atlantic City Demand
Speedy Action by the Home
Government.
By the Associated Press.

WASHlNGTON, DeO. ZI.-1uo soVorh
ment OF Spain, in an earnest desire to
evsde the threatened tariff war between
Cuba and the United States, has under
serious and favorable confederation the
cession to Cuba Of the privilege OF ar
ranging her own revenue budget, in
cluding tariffs with the United States.
This Cuban budget is to be subject to
the approval OF Spain. The negotia-
tions now progressing at Madrid are
partly ON these lines, but the state de-
partment authorities are proceeding
nevertheless with their retsliatory plans,
as they do not believe Spain's conces'
sions to Cuba can be carried on and
made beneficial to Us for some months
TO come. The significance of the matter
in it's commercial and political aspects
10 fully realized.
1t lie said Spain will be careful not to
relinquish her sovereignty over the
island nor to permit this to become the
first step toward Cuban independence.
For that reason the contemplated priv
ilege will not include full home rule"
ADVISORY POWERS ONLY.
The general purpoee is to give Cuba
advisory powers. Her local officials
will take up the economic necessities OF
the island, estimate the needed reve-
nue. from tariff duties and advise the
Spanish government OF duties, that
should be levied and of other measures
which ought to be taken in order to Sc
cure the best recruits for the island.
While Spain would thus retain COM
plete sovereignty over Cubs, it is sug-
gested that the home government would,
% q rule, approve Cuba's revenue
budget with the United States. In the
present contention between Spain and
the United States the Cubans are. solic.
itous OF retaining their American mar.
kets for sugar, and it is urged for this
reason, the local officials would undoubt-
edly advise q lowering OF tariff duties
proval would follow almost certainly (:
her approval in reality being largely
formality in desire to show her pur-
pose OF retaining sovereignty over the
island.
IMPORTERS CLAMORING.
While it is recognized in official cir
cles here that these changes would be
beneficial to the United States, it is
feared such extensive changes in the re.
lations between Spain and Cuba cannot
be made without reasonable time, and
that before the United States can secure
q reduction OF tariffs our trade with
Cuba and Porto Rico will be irreparably
injured. The great importing houses
| of the Atlantic cities are clamoring at
the doors of the state department, and
threaten to appeal to congress for some
speedy action to protect their business.
They represent that at present the
United States is losing trade of zoe. 900
barrels of -four per annum, all our COM
merce in machinery formerly purchased
by the Cubans exclusively in the United
States, all the hardware and large pro-
portion of the potato trade, very im-
portant part of our ex ports to the West
Indies.
The total reduction in our exports to
Cuba for the year since the lapse of the
reciprocity agreement will amount to
less than 30 per cent.
DISCRIMINATION.
The tables prepared by the exporters
show the extent Of the discrimination
against the United States products un-
der the minimum tariff recently imposed
by Spain have satisfied the state depart.
ment, and there is mo opportunity for
Americans unless the tariffs are abated.
All the arguments OF Spain in extenu-
alton OF her action in increasing the
duties have been based upon the con-
tsntion that it was an inevitable conse.
quence OF the repeal of the reciprocity
agreement by our tariff act, and that
this was to exclude the United States
e. 1 I,o II ~s..s- -
no matter what the disposition of tho
Spanish government may have been, in
fact that it was the result of our own
act. But At the state department it is
held the reciprocity agreement has
nothing to do with the case, and that
the president has no discretion under
the law, but must re-impose the dis.
eliminating flag duties as soon as he is
satisfied the Spanish government is dis
eliminating against our commerce.