Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-17
CUBAN TREATY SIGNED.
Relations Between Island and United
States More Cordial.

|
| washington, Dec. 17.--It is an ex-
tremely significant thing that since the
Venezuelan situation has became acute
the relations between the Gnlted
States and Cuba have grown more ana
more cordial, until now there is a pros
pect of a complete agreement Inc
present plans involve sending to the
senate before the adjournment at the
end of this week the regularly negotf-
ated treaty of reciprocity between the
United States and Cuba. The work or
| negotiating the treaty has all been COM
pleted, and there remains only the nee
essary forrnality of engrossment ana
| signature.
| There is now no doubt at all of the
fact that German and British influences
lin Cuba were persistently exercised TO
preyent the establishment of exclusive
commercial relations between the new
republic of Cuba and it's foster mother,
| the United States.
! when things began to move in Ven-
| ezuela the British and German nome
| governments were too busy IN iookins
over the field of the southern continent
4 to nay much attention to the aifa.rs Oh
an island, tha result being that he OBJ
tstacles constantly thrown in the way OF
| the reciprocity treaty by European m
| fiuences began to disappear. In Iact, II
| it is said Great Britain and Germany
realized that the United States held the
kew to the Venezuelan situation, and for
this reason, If for no other 1t was DEEM
ed to be unwise to provoke the UNITED
States by any interference with Cuba.
The improvements of the relations
hatveen this country and the new re-
nubIic has been in an inverse ratio to
| the friendliness between Europe and
| Venezuela. The more defiant Castro
became the more piiable the Cubans
proved themselves to be, and now the
reciprocity treaty is a settled fact. 1t
will be ratified by the senate, IN all
probability, and it will be submitted to
the house, not because that is actuany
necessary, but as a coutesy TO the lower
branch of congress.
| NOT only have the Cubans proved
themselves amenable to reason SO lar
as regards reciprocity, but as soon as
the malign influences of European gov
ernments were Withdrawn they also
began to see new light on the subject
of coaling stations.
| There has been great opposition
among the Cubans, largely on a sentl-
mental basis, against any grant TO the
United States for q coaling station OF
land on the shore of Havana bay. Pres
ident Palma has represented that II
would be a constant humiliation to his
peopIe to see a foreign flag Hoatlng
over an independent plot of ground
within sight of his own palace. Presi-
dent Roosevelt and his advisers mere
have come around to this same way OF
thinking. They do not desire to humii-
late the Cubans in any way. and 1t now
has been practically agreed that so far
as the north shore of Cuba Is concerned
only one coaling station will be asked
for and 1t will not be at Havana. 1t
may be on the shore of Nipe bay, on the
extreme northeastern coast, or possibly
in the vicinity of Matanzas.
Really, a coaling station on the north
coast of Cuba is not particularly valu-
able, because the Florida coast is not
far away and it is home territory. So
far as the south coast of Cuba is con-
cerned. the United States will be grant
ed opportunities to establish at least
one and probably two naval stations.
Guantanamo bay. This, 1T will be re-
membered, was the real base of opera
tions for the attack on Santiago, and
the harbor was proved to be not only
the best in Cuba but the best fitted for
a rendezvous and for coaling opera
tions.
1t is quite likely also that a coaling
station will be arranged for at Cienfue-
gos. This is a landlocked harbor, like
that at Santiago, and it has short, di-
rect communication by rail with Ha-
vana.
President Palma has intimated that
as soon as the reciprocity treaty is ratf-
fed he will be ready to agree to any
thing reasonable in the way of coaling
stations, providing Havana bay is
eliminated from the problem. He will
also negotiate a treaty with the United
States putting into solemn form the
conditions of the Platt amendment, and
thus notifying all the nations of the
world of the peculiar relations existing
between the United States and Cuba.
When this is done, coupled with the
close commercial relations established
under the reciprocity treaty. there will
be established connection between the
United States and Cuba which will be
as close as anything could be short OF
actual annexation