The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-28
WANT RETALIATION.
The Business Men Demand Ac-
ton Against Spain.
State Department is Besieged
With Such Requests
MAY WEAKEN.
She Considers Letting Cuba Fix
Her Own Duties

WAsHINeToE Dec. 2s.-The govern
ment Of Spain, in an earnest desire to
evade the threatened tariff war be-
tween Cuba and the United States,
has under serious and favorable con-
sideration the cession to Cuba of the
privilege Of arranging her own rev
enue budget. including tariffs with
the United States. This Cuban
budget is to be subject to the APP
proval of Spain The negotiations
+ now progressing at Madrid are partly
on these lines, but the state depart
ment authorities are proceeding
nevertheless with the retaliatory
plans, as they do not believe SPANS
concessions to Cuba can be carried
out and made beneficial to US for
some months to come. The signIh-
canoe of the matter in its commercial
and political aspects IS fully realized
1t IS said SPAN Will be careful not
to relinquish her sovereignty over the
island, nor to permit this to become
the first ste q toward Gu bian indie pc nd
ence. For that reason the cOntem-
plated privilege viii not include full
sthome rule" There will be no
Cuban parliament with independent
authority to make laws, similar to
Canada's colon al system under Great
Britain On the contrary the general
purpose is TO give Cuba advisory pow
ers. Her local officials will take up
the economic necessities of the island,
estimate the needed revenue from
tariff duties and advise the Spanish
government of duties that should be
levied and of other measures which
ought to be takin in order to secure
the best resul is for the island. " lille
Spain would thus retain complete SOW
ereignty over Cuba, both commercial
~ and politically, 1t is suggested that
the home government would as a rule
approve Cuba's revenue budget with
the United States
IN the present contention between
Spain and the United States the
Cubans are sOlicitOus of retaining
their American markets for sugar,
and it is urged for this reason the
local officials would undoubtedly ad-
wise a lowering of tariff duties with
the United States. and it IS pr~ba bic
SPANS approval would follow almost
certainly. her approval in really be-
ing largely fOrmallty desired to
show her purpose Of retaining SOW
ere ignty over their land
While it is recognized in Official cir
cles here that this change doubtless
would be beneficial to the United
States it is feared such ex -ensive
changes in the relations between
Spain and Cuba cannot be made with
in a reasonable time and that before
the nited States can thus secure a
reduction of tariffs our trade with
Cuba and Porto Rico viii be irrepar-
ably injured. The great importing
houses of the Atlantic cities are
clanOring at the doors of the
state de partment and threaten
to appeal to congress for
some speedy action to protect
their business. They re present that
at present the United States is losing
Il trade of 700 900 barrels of -four per
annum. all Of our commerce in ma
chinery formerly purchased by the
Cubans exclusively in the United
States, all of the hard ware and a
large proportion of the potato trade,
every portant part of our exports
to the West Indies
The total reduction in our exports
to Cuba for the year since the lapse of
the reciprocity agree ment Will
amount to not less than fifty per cent.
a detailed statement of the exports to
Cuba during the months of Septem-
Der. October and November last year,
as compared with the same months
in this year, makes the shrinkage
very plain Taking October in each
wear, the exports Of -four shrunk from
%, 1877 barrels to 4,631; Of corn from
2 $50 bushels to 1,OT2: Of lard from
3,O3I.219 pounds to 799 421; of hams
from 477.26l pounds to 344, 232; of
bacon from $40, 72O to 269. 462 pounds.
The ia bles prepared by the export
ers show the extent of the discrimin-
alton against the United States pro
duets under the minimum tariff
Gently imposed by Spain have satisfied
the state department that there is no
opportunity for Americans unless the
tariffs are abated.