The Indianapolis journal., 1902-10-29
CUBAN RECIPROCITY TREATY.
PaIma's Reasons for Returning the
Docunent without Approval.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2s.-The fact re-
corded in the news dispatches from Ha-
vana that President Palma has returned
to Washington the draft of the reciprocity
treaty without his approval, has not shaken
the belief of the officials here that they
will have a treaty ready to submit to Con-
gress by the date of it's next meeting. AS
soon as Mr.. Quesada, the Cuban minister
here receives the document he will submit
1t to Secretary Hay. The latter already
has knowledge of the general nature of the
objections found by the Cuban govern
ment. The negotiations will be continued
on the basis of the original draft for it is
explicitly stated that the proposition SUBJ
mitted by the State Department was in no
sense an ultimatum and the matter is still
open to adjustment.
Generally stated, the Cuban objections
are based on belief that the United States
has commanded undue concessions in the
remission Of duties on United States prod
ucts entering Cuba, ranging all the way
from 10 to so per cent, in return for 20
per cent. cut on Cuban sugar and tobacco
coming into the United States. AS the
difference Is one strictly of figures, and not
of principle, Ii is the opinion at the State
Department that it can be settled amicably.
If not, and the Cuban government insists
upon terms that the State Department can
not grant, the two countries will simply
drift along without a trade treaty of this
| kind. AS Cuba Will undoubtedly be the
| principal sufferer 1t is expected here that
she will be the first to make another ad-
| vance toward a treaty.
| There has been an important change in
| the programme respecting the whole fabric
| of Cuban treaties. 1t had been originally
| intended to perfect reciprocity treaty
before undertaking to deal with other re-
| lations that must be defined by treaty.
| AS 1t Is now seen that the subject of reel
| procity is one that will require considerable
| time for it's disposition, the government
| looking to the arrangement of an extradi-
| tion treaty, which Is very much needed,
! inasmuch as Cuba threatens TO become a
| snkhole for American criminals. Also the
| navy is pressing for the coailng stations
| promised under the terms of the Platt
| amendment, and the near approach of Cule-
bran maneuvers has stimulated this desire,
| as IT has been shown that such stations
would be Of great strategic value during
| ernment will be at once invited to open
| negotiations on this point. II is not ex-
| pected that this be done without some
| friction, because there has been a growing
| disinclination on the part of the Cubans
1 to the idea of surrendering coalng stations
| to the United States. Proper sites for coal
| ing stations were selected tentatively
| chief of the Equipment Bureau, who is di-
rectly in charge of naval coaling stations,
| but of the four points selected one, Havana
| harbor, has been abandcl ned from rega I'd
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
! island. will be chosen as permanent loca-
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