Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-30


Some OF them even prefessed to believe
that Congress would repudiate the Prest-
dents position. aud aH of them wanted
Congress to define Its position. They got
expected, and If II Was not entirely salts
factory, at least they no longer have cause
to complain Of the~lack of definite policy
on the part OF the, United States. For
several months previously this lack of def
initeness had been a just subject OF criti-
cism.
Among the Havana newspapers there
has been some perplexity over the diver
some sarcastic comment, yet this comment
was hardly justihabfe. for on the leading
point that the Platt amendment was final
there has been no real divergence Some
OF the interviews were analysed with great
subtility. in order to find encouragement
for the belief that the Cubans would gain
anything by appealing to another Congress.
but such Interpretations were farfetched
has been shown by the congressman In
Cuba. and almost without exception they
have given the Cubans good advice.
The Havana Newspapers.
Most of the Americans form their own I'M
pressions from the Havana papers. One OF
these has page printed in English. The
chance visitor would not know that there
were more than three four dailies III the
city. and of some of the most important
ones he never would hear. This is espe-
ciaily true OF those representing the SPAN
tsh classes. Only two of the Havana news
papers are sold ON the streets or at news
stands. The others can be had only through
subscription. and it is a complicated mat
ter to subscribe. something like diplo-
matte negotiation which may end In a
treaty. The oldest of the Spanish news
papers takes pains to see that the copies
are not sold. Its readers are a select cir
Gle. and when one is privileged to be en-
hn haG "a faali of
belonging to an exclusive family.
None of the Havana Journals has a
large circulation Their influence Is out of
proportion to the number of copies which
are printed. New Journals are springing
up constantly. while others cease publica-
ton unnoticed. At present the newspaper
which Is advocating the acceptance of the
Plat amendment. and which is supported
by the conservative element, is making
Roadway. There are others which advocate
the main provisions of the Platt amend
ment, sugar-coated. One of these is pub
lished by Gen. Collazo, a partisan of free
Cuba, who wants an American protector
ate. A friend of the generals dropped in
on him one day to make an editorial call.
He was beaming with pleasure over a let
ter which he had received from Washing
ton. 1t was an order for a years SubScrip
ton to his paper. and directed that the bill
be sent to a given address in Washington.
Said the warrior editor: I'VE will send the
paper. but we will send no bill W hen an
American does us the honor to subscribe to
our journal, We appreciate it. and We shall
show our appreciation of his courtesy"
Other Havana newspapers are almost as
courteous, for they never bother their sub
ScriberS with duns
Societies in Havana.
Mr. Cooper of the insular committee OF
the House was impressed with one feature
of Havana life This was the beneficial
society known the Centro-Asturiano.
This society is all that Mr.. Cooper found
it to be and more. Its marble hall is not
eXcelled by any similar structure on the
continent. It's 1000 members are made up
of the clerks, the draymen, the cooks, the
laborers and the great merchants of Ha-
vana. Among them there is absolute So
clal equality. At the annual ball the only
means of admission is the treasurers re-
ceipt showing that the last monthly dues
have been paid. The Asturians are the
growing Spanish element in Havana and
in time they will become political as well
as social and commercial power
There is also the Centre Gallego or So
ciety of natives of Galicia, which has a
fine hall, and is noted for it's philanthropic
work among its own members A number
Of smaller societies exist. The guiding
principle among them all is mutual help
and they are managed with great business
ability. One of the leading Spaniards of
Havana told me last winter that when the
men who were at the head of these Spanish
societies could be got to take an interest in
public affairs there would be no danger of
the failure of good government.
Aside from the social and political OBJ
SerVatlOnS some Of the congressman during
their stay in Cuba seem to have Crashed a
factor of even greater Importance which is
the economic one. During two wears no
such open expressions of opinion on the
commercial relations of the two countries
have been had as We're recorded during
the last month For the first time the
spanish merchants have shown some ex-
pansiveneSs and willingness to discuss
md RE
Private information is that the Spanish
commercial classes are not only becoming
active In asserting their interest but that
they have INDUCED IN a little politics in
urging the delegates to the convention not
to accept the Platt amendment until it can
be made the basis of commercial reciproc-
ity. W
Question of ImpOrtatiOns
Though they pretend not to know that
the President cannot change the import
duties in the United States they do know
it, but they want to strengthen their posi-
ton by securing an expression of opinion
favorable to such policy. This is a great
advance on the part of the Spanish com
mercial colony. Heretofore their chief Of
fort has been to maintain the existing
commerce with Spain Their first progress
was when they came out openly and ad-
Vocated the adoption of American money
as the basis of Cuban commerce. This
meant the outlawry of Spanish silver and
the reimbursement of the present inflate ed
value of Spanish gold coinage. Now they
have gotten further along with their propa-
ganda and are ready to work with the
Cubans in the constitutional convention
The Cuban tariff is bound to be an issue
in the future, as the congressman who have
visited the island have discovered Should
an Independent Cuban government be es-
tablished during the present year it would
then take several months to determine the
new tariff, so that the schedules which will
be recommended by the present commission
Is likely to last for eighteen months or
two years. This tariff commission has
among it's members Colonel Bliss, the col
lector OF customs, and General Ramon O.
Williams, who was for many years consul
general General Williams during his term
of office made scores of reports on the
economic law" which simply meant that
in his view the future of Cuba was
commercial one and the island could not
exist if it's products did not find a market
in the United States. AS the commission
will be empowered only to fix the i1npcrt
duties in Cuba it might be assumed that
it's tariff schedules would not effect it's re-
lations with the United States. but it is a
fair presumption that these schedules will
be adjusted with a view to reciprocity.
Congressman who have found that to-
bacco and sugar are good reasons for dis