The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-30
The CUBAN TREATY.

From the New York Tribune.
The essence of American commercial
treaties is reciprocity, and the essence
of reciprocity Is mutual advantage. The
advantage which the United States seeks
is that paramount place in the Cuban
market to which it is naturally entitled
by geographical proximity and by init
macy of political and other relationships
between the two countries. The advant-
age which Cuba seeks is twofold: In
crease of revenue to meet the needs of
her government and development of her
industries and commerce through access
to the American market. These appear
to be safely promised by the terms of
the treaty now in process of negotiation.
This country will gain it's advantage
through the operation of a preferential
Cuban tariff, not altogether unlike that
provided for the island of Spain, but
with this radical difference-that where
as the one was intended and was, in fact,
operated for SPANS sole benefit and ac-
tually to the disadvantage of Cuba, this
one is to be for Cubas benefit as much
as for our own. The end will be reached
not by reducing tariff rates to this coun-
try, but by increasing them to all other
countries. The latter will suit the United
States about as we'll as the former It
will give our goods a profitable advant-
age over the goods of other lands, and
that is all we ask. The question as to
how much duty they must pay is of
minor Importance. For Cuba must have
the goods from somewhere, and if our
competitors are handicapped by a prefer
entail tariff she must get them from us.
Instead, therefore, of our supplying only
a minor fraction of her wants, as at
present, we shall supply the vast ma
jority of them, as we did under the BEN
Efficient operations of the Mckinley law,
which gave us a practical monopoly of
the Cuban market, and at the same time
gave Cuba so great prosperity that for
the first time in half century dissatis-
faction was silent and Instruction un-
attempted and undesired
Cuba. too, will gain her advantage
through lowering of our tariff on her
goods. and thus freer opening of our
markets to her and a stimulation of her
industries and commerce. That state of
affairs will cause prosperity among her
people such as that which they enjoyed
ten years ago. and they will be able to
pay the taxes. direct or indirect, which
are necessary for government revenue.
The Cuban government is not and cannot
De cheap one. The United States, in
the Platt amendment, has required 1t to
be costly one. The maintenance of
sanitation, the prosecution of public
works. the providing Of free public in
struction and the doing of a thousand
things which the Spanish administra-
ton neglected to do will all cost money.
They must be done or Cuba will be re-
preached for barbarism and will lose
half of the blessings of independence,
and, therefore, money must be provided
for doing them. The island has now a
tariff of its own. devising, such as will
doubtless give 1t a sufficient revenue,
and such as 1t will be well able to endure
under the restored prosperity which an
opening of the United States market will
give 1t. All that now remains is that
the treaty shall be perfected on the lines
indicated and be ratified and put into
force at the earliest possible date