Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-10-29
CUBA IS NOT SATISFIED
To Reduce Her Duties 80 Per
Cent, in Return for Our
20 Per Gent.
THINKS THE PROPOSAL LoP-sIDED
Therefore Reciprocity Has Halted for
Awhile, and Other Matters
Are in Front.

Washington, Oct. 29.-The fact rec
orded i'll the news dispatches from Ha-
vana that President Palma has re-
| turned to Washington the draft of the
reciprocity treaty without his approval
has not shaken the belief of the Off
cials here that they will have a treaty
ready to submit to congress by the
| date of its next meeting. As soon aS
| QueSada. the Cuban minister here re-
ceives the document he will submit
it to Secretary Hay. The latter al
ready has knowledge of the general
nature of the objections found by the
Cuban government. Then negotiations
will be continued on the basis of the
original draft. For it is explicitly
stated that TIE proposition submitted
by the state department was in no
sense an ultmatum, and the matter
is still open to adjustment.
Thinks We Want the Earth.
Generally stated the Cuban obiec-
tions are based on belief that the
United States has demanded undue
concessions i'll the remissions of duties
on United States products entering
Cuba, ranging all the way from 10 per
cent. to 80 per cent, in return for Il
20 per cent. cut on Cuban sugar and
tobacco coming into the United States.
AS the difference is one strictly of fig
ures, and not of principle, it is the
opinion ut the state department that II
can be settled amicably. If not, and
the Cuban government insists upon
terms that The state department cam
not grant the two countries will sim
ply drift along without n trade treaty
of this kind.
We Have Changed the Programme.
There has been an important change
in the programme respecting the whole
fabric of Cuban treaties. 1t had been
originally intended to perfect n reci-
procity treaty before undertaking to
deal with other relations that must be
defined by treaty. AS it is now seen
that the subject of reciprocity is one
that will require considerable time for
its disposition the government here is
about to undertake negotiations look
ing to the arrangement of an eXtradi-
ton treaty. which is very much need
ed inasmuch as Cuba threatens to be
come sink hole for United States
criminals.
Those Navy CoalIng Stations.
Also the navy is pressing for the
coaling stations promised under the
terms of the Platt amendment. and the
near approach of Culebran manOeuvers
has stimulated this desire. as it has
been shown that such stations would
be of great strategic value during the
movements. Therefore the Cuban gov
ernment will he at once invited to open
negotiations on this point. 1t is not eN-
pected that this can be done without
some friction. because there has been
Il growing disinclinatiyn on the part
of the CubanS to the idea of surrender
ing coaling stations to the United
States.
No More Regard for Cuban Sensibilities.
Proper sites for coaling stations were
selected tentatively many months ago
by Admiral Bradford. chief of the
equipment bureau. who is directly in
charge of naval coaling stations, but
of the four points selected one. Ha-
vana harbOr. has been abandoned from |
regard for Cuban sensibility. 1t is not |
likely that further sacrifices of that |
kind will be made and the other three
points namely. Nipe on the north |
coast and Cienfuegos and Guantanamo
on the south coast of the fSland-will |
be chosen as permanent locations.