Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-10-31
CUBAN SITUATION
At PRESENT TINE
Other Treaties Will Be Taken
Up Ahead of Those Of
Reciprocity.
WHY CUBA STILL HOLDS AlOOF
II Is Claimed by the Cubans That tho
United States Demands Too Much I'm
Gle Sam May Remain Inactive, Forcing
Cuba to Yield

Washington, Oct 29.--The fact re.
corded in the news dispatches from
Havana that President Palma has re-
turned to Washington, the draft of
the reciprocity treaty without his ap-
prevail has not shaken the belief of the
officials here that they will have a
treaty ready to submit to congress 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. Negotia-
tons will then be continued on the
basis OF the original draft.
Generally stated, the Cuban objec-
tions are based on the belief that the
United States has demanded undue
concessions in the remission of da.
les on all products entering Cuba,
ranging all the way from 10 to 80 per
cent. in return for 20 per cent cut
on Cuban sugar and tobacco coming
into the United States. AS the diff.
ference is one strictly of figures and
not Of principle. it is the opinion at the
state department that it can be set
tied amicably. If not, and the Cuban
government insists on terms that the
state department cannot grant, the two
countries will simply drift along with.
out any trade treaty Of this kind. AS
Cuba will undoubtedly be the principal
sufferer it is believed that she will
be the first to make another advance
toward treaty.
There has been an important change
in the program respecting the whole
fabric of Cuban treaties. It had been
originally intended to perfect reel
procity treaty before undertaking to
deal with other relations that must be
defined by treay. AS it is now seen
that the subject of reciprocity is one
that will require considerable time
for it's disposition, the government
here is about to undertake negotia-
tiOns looking to an arrangement of an
extradition treaty. which is very much
needed. inasmuch as Cuba threatens
to become a sink-hole for American
criminals. All the navy is pressing
for the coaling stations promised un-
der the terms of the Platt amendment.
and the near approach of Culebran
maneuvers have stimulated the de-
sire as it has been shown that such
stations would be of great strategic
value during the movements. There.
fore the Cuban government will be at
once invited to open negotiations on
this point. 1t is not expected that this
can be done without some friction, be-
cause there has been a growing dis
inclination on the part Of the Cubans
to the idea of surrendering coaling
stations to the United States. Proper
sites for coaling stations were select.
ed tentatively several months ago by
Admiral Bradford Of the ordnance bu-
reau. who is directly in charge of naval
coaling stations, but of the four points
selected. one, Havana harbor, has
been abandoned from regard for Gu
ban 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 island, will be
chosen as permanent locations.