The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-01-04
RELATIohs WITH SPAIN.

Concessions to he Made to Cuba-The State
Department Perfe4lng RetalIatory Meas.
urcs.
WASHINGTON, Dec. es.-The govern
ment of Spain, in an earnest desire tc
evade the threatened tariff wars be.
tween Cuba and the United States, has
under serious and favorab BILE considera-
ton the cession to Cuba of the priv
ilege of arranging her own revenue
budget, including tariffs with the
United States This Cuban budget is
to be subject to the approval of Spain.
The negotiations now progressing at
Madrid are partly on these lines, but
the state department authorities are
proceeding nevertheless with their re-
taliatc-y plans, as they do not believe
Spain's concessions to Cuba can be car
ried out and made beneficial to us for
some months to come. The signifi-
canoe of the matter in its commercial
and political aspects is fully realized.
1t is 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
lege will not include full nome rule. -
There will be no Cuban parliament,
with Independent authority to make
laws, similar to Canada's colonial sys-
TEN under Great Britain. On the con-
trary the general purpose is to give
Cuba advisory powers. Her local Off
Gals will take up the economic neces-
sites 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 taken in order to Sc
cure the best results for the island.
While Spain would thus retain COM
plete sovereignty over Cuba, both COM
mercial and political, it is suggested
that the home government would as
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 Ameri-
can markets for sugar. and it is urged
for this reason the local officials would
undoubtedly advise a lowering of tariff
duties with the United States, and it is
probable Spain's approval would follow
almost certainly her approval in reality
being largely formality desired to
show her purpose of retaining SOW
creignty over their land
While it IS recognized in official cir
Giles here that this change doubtless
would be beneficial to the United
States. it is feared such extensive
changes in the relations between Spain
and Cuba cannot be made within a
reasonable time and that before the
United States can thus secure a reduc-
ton of tariffs our trade with Cuba and
Porto Rico wiz be irreparably in
jured. 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 100000 barrels of flour per an
mum, all of our commerce in ma chinery
formerly purchased by the Cubans eX-
in the United StateS all of
the hardware and a large proportion
of the potato trade, every important
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 agreement will amount to
not less than 80 Der cent