Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-22
The New Congress Treated
With Grave Respect.
REPORTS ARE EXTENDED
ITS ULTRA-coNsERvATIsM is
CRITICISED.
Enlarged Tolerance of the Island Gov
eminent by the Spanish Glasses
Trade Relations.


The Cuban newspapers give very fun re-
ports of the proceedings of the congress
as complete as those made by the Engilsh
newsnaners of parliament. The American
statesman who thinks that instead OF
daily column or two the newspapers should
print the full details of the debates would
find comfort in Cuba. 1t is a new experience
here to have a congress- and that BODY Is
treated with grave respect. The editorial
comment is dignifed and the value OF both
the reports and the comment Is great De-
cause the influence on the public is dlrect.
In the newspapers the government, or the
Palma administration, Is also given gooo
deal of space. Some of the criticism is
pure fault finding. Some of it is analytic
and suggestive. The opposition press,
which does not like to be too pointed In at
tacxing the president, gets after the mem,
bers of his cabinet. The tone Is ironicai
and regretful rather than abusive In one
or two cases it is quite personal. Inc car
ICONS have real humor in them, and are not
as brutal as in the United States.
While the administration may be fretted'
II is philosophical and the liberty OF the
press is not interfered with. various ON
cials seek redress in the courts, and the
newspapers themselves have controversies
which they also seek to settle by 1udlcial
process In this they differ from the Jour-
nails of the United States. L do not recall
an instance of an American editor VINO does
not feel able to meet the attacks or MS es-
teemed contemporary by giving as gooo
as he gets and leaves the courts to keep
the peace between ordinary citizens VINO,
have not the advantage of inkpots and pens,
Criticism of Congress.
Though the president and the administra'
ton get plenty of advice from the cril-
cisms in the newspapers, congress also re-
ceiyes it's portion. The tendency Of the
oil ore
But the congressman themselves while they
may smart under this objection, are likely
10 continue ultra conservative In legislation.
They are urged to take up fundamental
measures and make effective the provisions
Of the constitution by a series OF organic
laws. But they approach these questions
slowly. Current matters give them all they
want to do, and for the next few weeks the
budget or the appropriations, Is likely to De
the main topic. That will afford the means
OF criticising the administration by those
who lean to the opposition And II also
will bring some developments of the policy
OF the executive. To collect and disburse
the revenues is still the chief function of
the Cuban government, ana that goes on
about in the United States.
More Tolerance by the Spanish.
One feature of the growth of the govern
rnerst In public confidence is In the en-
larged tolerance by the Spanish classes. A
ish interests told me that ne did not find
the congress such a dangerous body as he
had thought. He had been led to believe
that 1t would be every day upsetting values
and making commerce impossible Some OF
the merchants and importers complain that
congress has not sought their advice about
tariff duties and other subjects in which
they have the deepest concern But the
congress has done very little tariff tinker
Ing and the Spanish business man has yet
to learn that in order to be heard in mat
tiers affecting his interests he himself must
make a noise.
The Spanish classes generally, while not
enthusiastic partisans of the Cuban repub-
lie, feel kindly toward the Palma admins
tration. They still fail to understand how
there can be such thing as a Cuban gov
eminent when they always said 1t was i'm
possible, and most of them sincerely be-
lIeved what they said. Their social and
charitable organizations, which were the
first to recognize the new conditions, are
growing a little more pro-Cuban and are
likely to become a source of strength. The
good will of these societies Is of immense
benefit So far they have kept clear of
Cuban politics
A Minister From Spain.
The Spanish government has remedied one
of It's early mistakes While all the diplo-
matte proprieties were observed in recog-
nizing the Cuban republic when other ma
lions recognized It, the feeling in Madrid
was too strong to permit minister to be
accredited to Cuba at once. That course
was urged by influential Spaniards in Ha-
vana who wanted to keep the influence of
their country and who saw chance to do
this by gratifying Cuban sentiment. Their
wishes were not followed and Spain simply
was represented IN Cuba by a charge
d'affares The Cuban government, with
+he cooperation Of the congress, provided
In It's diplomatic service for a legation at
Madrid. taking no notice of the slight. This
was good sense and good taste. Now Spain
has arranged to send a minister to Cuba.
The Spanish commercial classes in Ha-
vana have been used in the European In
trigue to prevent reciprocity with the Unit
ed States, but IN their case there Is more
excuse than in that OF England and Ger
many. Spain has not much commerce left
with Cuba 1t is natural that she should
try to hold what she has, and that CON-
mercial houses who for century have been
doing business between Spain and Cuba
should seek to keep it. The United States
will bear them no grUdge on that account.
But these merchants themselves recognize
that any diversion is only going to be a
temporary one.
Trade Relations.
This whole matter of trade relations Is
coming up In dozen forms Some of the
journals which politically and sentimental
ly have been a little apti-American give It
up when the question Is raised of being
anti-American in trade relations. To an
appeal to keep alive the Latin traditions
against the absorbing Americans" the re-
ply Is made that Cuba wants to partake OF
the fruit rather than the foliage of the
tree. The foliage Is European trade offers
The fruit is actual American trade Mean
while the jealous British minister keeps Up
his work OF creating opposition to Ameri-
can reciprocity. Now he has mild threat
for the planters. 1t is that reciprocity rates
between Cuba and the United States may
be interpreted by Great Britain as In the
nature of bounty and the provisions of the
brussels convention be applied by her as &c
Cuba. The reasoning Is involved but II Is
interesting. CHARLES M. PEPPER
Tipman Easy for Daily.
What proved to be one of the shortest