Evening star., 1901-07-27

to confer with the President is Of itself
significant. The question Of constitutional
power VIII be raised Just as It Is ha,ora safssa
Congress. Yet the question In prlncipie
does not seem to be different from that In
volved In the powers given the President
by the Secretary Of the Treasury In deter
mining whether bounties are paid by for
eign governments for beet sugar. and IN
fixing counteryailing duties to offset those
bounties. II the notion Of general reel
procity legislation on the basis maximum
and minimum tariff schedules acquires mo-
mentum, the constitutional phase OF the
discussion will not be new.
On the practical side, in formulating
party policy the advantage would be great
If instead of having to secure two-th1rus
most trifing reciprocity agreement broad
basis should be established by botn
branches Of Congress. In some quarters
perhaps these suggestions will be received
with Indifference and in others with re-
monstrance, but this will not alter the
main fact that the subject is being dis
cussed, and discussed seriously. Possibly 1t
will be simply a republican family discus
sion, yet the popular interest is not likely
to be limited to party lines. SOME or the
Ohio democrats have been threatening TO
bring the question into the state campaign,
SO as to show what they imagine to be re-
publican family differences. They will do
nothing of the kind, because they are in
tensely anxious to have only state issues
anything that has national bearing.
However, as the Ohio republicans Intend
to make national issues feature OF tbs
campaign, some Of them may emphasize
reciprocity and give clear Interpretation
to the declaration Of the platform with
reference to 1t. Such action would make
clear what the tendency Of the party is.
Relations With Cuba
Back of Porto Rico and back Of the
reciprocity agreements with the British
West Indies Is Cuba. 1t looms up like
mountain and is bound to overshadow them
ALL If there were any disposition on the
part of the national administration to
abandon reciprocity, which there Is not,
Cuba would bar the way.
The general subject might be ignored
temporarily only, to be sprung upon Con-
gress as suddenly and as forcibly as was
the question Of Cuba's political relation
to the United States last spring. Liberal
reciprocity for Cuba has been both the
promise and the pledge OF the United
States All the committees which came
from Havana received that assurance from
the public men with whom they conferred;
They went back to Havana and repeated
1t. After their own manner they are like
1y to bring it forcibly and unexpectedly
before the United States whenever their
own political conditions demand that Sucn
q course be taken.
infer 1t is the expectation OF President
Mckinley and his advisers that before the
end of the long session OF Congress the Gu
bans will have set up in accordance with
the terms of the Platt amendment the
framework of a government which Will be
capable of negotiating reciprocity treaty.
That Is also the expectation and the insen-
ton in Cuba. In itself this would render
abortive all efforts of the party which is
in power to run away from the issue which
is looming up. While with Cuba reci-
procity is mainly question of sugar, this
helps to fix the necessity for general
ha
The certainty that Cuban reciprocity
must be met within the next twelve months
may be one explanation of the willingness
Of the President and his advisers to have
the whole matter discussed in all it's bear
ings. Apparently, they are looking for
ward to a popular discussion which also
will be in the nature Of party education.
The Presidents Cuban Policy.
It is not in any way secret that Presi-
dent Mckinley is intensely gratified at the
manner IN which his Cuban policy is work
ing out In privale he speaks appreciative-
ly of the cooperation which political oppo-
nents such as Senators Morgan and Cock
rell have given his administration In es-
tablishing a policy which has looked to no
partisan advantage. The President feels
very kindly toward the Cuban leaders and
is more hopeful of their ability to work
out the destiny of the island than perhaps
the majority of American public men. He
has been impressed with the conservatism
they have shown when confronted with
grave responsibilities, and is confident that
as the responsibilities multiply this con-
seryatism will continue to manifest itself.
In all the visits that have been made by
Cuban leaders to the United States. from
the members of the constitutional conVen-
tion to General Gomez, the predominant
idea with which they have been impressed |
has been that of the business of this coun- |
try OF it's bigness they have been fully |
aware. Entertaining such kindly senti-
ments toward the Cubans, and hopeful as
he is of their discharge of their response |
bilities, 1 do not imagine that any domes- |
tic question would cause the President to |
swerve from his intention to advocate lib |
eral reciprocity for Cuba. with Porto |
Rico products enjoying not simply reci-
procity, but free trade with the United |
States the reflex action is bound to be |
felt in Cuba. While the island can have |
no immediate hope of enjoying the same |
privileges there is no disposition to deny |
her all tariff concessions. What they shall |
be and how they shall be arranged is a |
matter for the future, but the general |
principle Of reciprocity for cuba is going |
to be recognized as a means of helping to |
secure stable government. Discrimination |
against her products a means Of caus- |
ing industrial distress in order to coerce |
q certain line of political policy meets with |
no encouragement
Regard for Popular Sentiment.
Nor does the national administration, SO |
lar dS CdH SdlHSl, pidSC loo iAuSAA ~ |
lance on what is called the wealth and In |
telligence Of the island, though It's claims
to consideration are not ignored. OF |
course, the wealth of Cuba means sugar. |
but there is disposition to look to the |
sentiment of the mass of the people as |
well as to the classes whose sentiments are |
dependent solely on their material inter-
eSts.
After time In Cuba may come a bigger |
question than that of reciprocity. / do not |
know any one in public life who at present is |
thinking Of admitting the products of Cuba |
on the basis Of free trade. such as Porto |
Rico enjoys, unless the political relation |
is also similar to that of Porto Rico. This |
would mean ultimate annexation, but only |
through the voluntary action Of the Gu |
bans themselves When the President was |
in Texas he told the Texans, some of |
whom had helped to establish its inde- |
pendence, that being independent seemed to |
have made them eager to become state |
in the American Union. I imagine that II |
the President were a private citizen and |
thus free to express his opinions he might |
give utterance to the same sentiment with |
regard to Cuba. 1t Is certain that no act |
of his administration Is going to encour- |
age those who from whatever motive want |
to prevent giving the experiment Of Cuban |
independence fair trial. That the Gu |