Evening star., 1902-08-09
A TRANsPAc|FIC CABLE CUBA TO ROOSEVELT
Important Conference at Oys Appeal to Be Made Again
ter Bay. for Reciprocity.
ATTY GEN'L'S REPORT NEW TREATY WANTED
CONDITIONS EXTRA SESSION
COMPANY. ASKED
Full Cuban ocials
Ac by Congress
Appeal to Be Made Again
for Reciprocity.
NEW TREATY WANTED
EXTRA SESSION OF SENATE TO BE
ASKED FOR.
Cuban oficials Laying Plans Ahead In
Event United States Refuses
to Sanction Loan.


Friends OF Cuba in the United States see
no promise of future financial stability and
Industrial prosperity for that island by sim
ply allowing 1t to go into debt at this tirno
to the extent OF s400oo.oo0. particularly
when this burden Is assumed without any
corresponding relief being given to the pro
ducers of the island in the way OF open
| markets for their products.
This is the practical situation which con-
fronts government officials whose duty It IL
to consider through the authority OF the
Platt amendment. the actual and contem-
plated fiscal operations OF the new republic.
Officials of the Cuban government have
had an intimation that their proposition TO
float loan of so large dimensions is not
being regarded as a sound policy by this
government
Will Ask Extra Session.
It is known that officials of the Cuban
government are now seriously considering
the making Of a direct and amphatic ap-
peal to President Roosevelt to call the
Senate OF the United States in extra session
to the end that treaty may be negotiated
whereby the main products OF Cuba-sugar
and tobacco - may be marketed I'm the
United States under favorable tariff con-
cessions, in exchange for which liberal
tariff reductions will be made by the island
government on American goods going there
Just how or when this appeal will be
made has not yet been determined That ID
is now the question before the Cuban offi-
Gals there Is every reason TO believe. Also
how President Roosevelt will receive such
an appeal from Cuba is a question of great
problematical interest. That IT would be
t othe great personal d!spleasure of every
senator to be compelled to come to Wash
lngton two months before the December
Congress
That there would be many strong pro-
tests from the members of the upper house
of Congress should such a plan be seri-
ouSly considered Is also certain. In view OF
this ii is seen that the President would not
only have to encounter the combined op-
position of the body from which he would
expect action favorable to his desires, from
the standpoint of personal discomfort but
that he would also be acting in opposition
to the demonstrated disinclination of the
Senate to do anything for Cuba in the
matter of tariff reduction.
Probable Attitude of Senate.
1t was in the Senate that the Cuban bill
failed. and 1t was the opposition OF re-
publican senator's that caused this failure.
To ratify treaty which had for its pur-
pose precisely the same end as the bill
which failed would not only require the
full party strength of that body. but also
several democratic votes, as the ratification
has to be made by two-thirds majority.
To this extent the democrats figure In the
equation which the President will be called
upon to solve. Will the members of this
party be willing to wet the powder in their
campaign guns which are primed with
thunder bolts OF administration non-action
for Cuba" and come to Washington to s.
sist the administration In taking this action
Just before election?
If President Roosevelt should decide on
such a course, however, the democrats, as
we'll as the republican members, of the
Senate will have other things to consider
| than their personal convenience and their
campaign oratory. State conventions. pub
lie opinion and the difficulty which men,
bers of Congress who opposed Cuban reel
procity in the House are having for renomi-
nation all indicate that the President: in
| taking unusual measures for the relief OF
the island republic, would have the Ameri-
can people back OF him.
Ample Justification for Action.
That the President would have ample
justification for this step, both through
the pledged word of the late President MIC
Kinley to the delegates to the Cuban con-
stitutional convention and in the paralyZed
condition of Cuban industries as well as the
bankrupt state of her finances. would be
conceded by the great American mind
1t is not unlikely that the indications of the
state of the public mind, as well as the re-
ports from Cuba, have made more impress
sive than ever the arguments which were
advanced in Cubas behalf during the con-
sideration of the relief measure in the last
session of Congress, and II Is not unlikely,
alse, that these things have made a deep
impression upon the minds Of certain sem
ators who could not at that time see be-
yond the horizon of what they believed to
be the interests of their own state indus
tries.
However this may be, It Is nevertheless
fact that the Cuban loan proposition which
Is now pending has revived the Cuban ques-
tion and the continued deplorable indus
trial conditions in the island would seem to
make 1t impossible for American officials
apparent unsound character as the bond
ing of the island TO the extent Of Sto,oo0ooo
On the other hand. Cuba's only alterna-
tive In the event that the United states
government refuses to allow the loan to be
made, In the exercise of the jurisdiction
given through the Platt amendment, is to
renew her request for immediate action In
the way of trade relation with the United
States. whereby she may, through her own
resources, work out her financial salvation
She can back up this request by more
distressing exhibit than ever OF Industrial
and financial depression.
No announced decisions regarding the
Cuban loan have yet been made by any
official of the United States government.
The matter was referred to Secretary
| Shaw of the treasury several days ago by
the State Department. Secretary Shaw is
making the matter a subject of close study.
| 1t is not unlikely that when his conclusions
have been announced to the President the
| Attorney General will be asked to take up
the question also.