The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1903-10-23
CUBAN RECIPROCITY
SiTuATioN AND OUTLOOK SEEM
TO HAVE CHANGED.
American interests Arc Pressing for
the Ratification of the Treaty While
Cuba Cares Little or Nctk;ng About
the Matter.


Washington correspondent OF the New
York Sun. under date OF Sept. 16,
treats at some length The Outlook
for Cuban Reciprocity" 1t is taken
for granted at the outset that an eX-
ira session of congress will be called
for Nov. 8 to consider and act upon the
proposed reciprocity treaty, and it is
assumed that after few days spent in
organizing and maneuvering, and per
EapS IN filibustering, the legislators
will go home for Thanksgiving week
without having made any progress
with the Cuban business. This will
bring them close to the first Monday
in December. the date for the first
regular session of the Fifty-eighth
Co.'S, ass-So Close, in fact, that IL is
extremely doubtful whether definite
action will be had on the treaty prior
TO the regular session. The corre-
Spondent thinks that in the very brief
space between the end of the Thanks
giving recess and the beginning Of the
regular session Congress will again
tackle the Cuban reciprocity ques-
ton, which has for many months
been a sore disturber of our political
peace" 1t would not, however, be at
all strange or unreasonable il the
Thanksgiving recess should be pro-
longed until the first Monday in De-
cember In that event the time spent
il the extra session would be time
wasted. Should this view of the prob
abilities commend itself to the mind
CT the President, it may be that the
extra session will not be called, and
that the Cuban question will be per
-nitted to take it's turn in the regular
Legislative proceedings of the regular
session Many senators and represen-
tatiyes favor this course, and not with
out good reason.
1t is very generally agreed that
action by congress on the Cuban reel
procity question long since passed out
OF the emergency stage, and that the
grounds for hasty procedure, here
tofore so strenuously urged, no longer
exist. That is evidently the view Of
the Suns correspondent, for he says:
That which was perhaps the strong
est argument in favor of a generous
policy toward Cuba is no longer an
active factor. That consisted in the
presentation of Cubas dire needs and
in the declaration of our responsibility
for their relief. Though very much
pose them to be, the Cubans are not
Immediately threatened with economic
distress and financial disaster. They
have quietly and patiently pulled them
selves together, faced the misfortune
which confronted them two years ago
and have virtually conquered it. They
are getting along as best they can,
but they are getting along. Their self
congratulation upon and public an
nouncement of the healthy condition
a mistaken belief in the general pros
perity of the people. They are not now
suffering, but they are far from pros
porous. The argument of dire need
and American responsibility will have
little or no place in the coming discus
SION
AS a matter of absolute fact, "the
argument of dire need and American
never should have had
any place in the discussion, since it
never was based upon actual Cuban
needs or actual American RESPONSE
bility. This being the case, the Sun
rightly concludes that
the issue will turn upon the point of
American and not Of Cuban inter
ests.'' The tissue has from the be-
ginning turned wholly upon the point |
of American interests. 1t started pri- |
marily in a Sugar trust game Of grab, |
artfully reinforced by the spurious pre- !
text of relief for Cuba" The philan- |
thropic feature caught on" so hard |
that the grab game was overlooked |
and lost sight of Now, however. the |
charity element disappears and Amer |
lean interest" is all that is left.
The Sun correspondent further de- |
scribes the situation and outlook as !
follows:
In former discussions the noise OF |
the campaign has been made by the |
beet sugar interests of the United /
States. 1t now seems probable that |
this factor will have little or no prom
inence. 1t is generally admitted that I.
the proposed treaty, limited as it is to
a brief term, will be of less injury to
them than would a continued agita-
ton. with its disturbance of market /
conditions 1t is currently reported !
that the active opposition Of the beet
sugar interests will be withdrawn.
Although these interests were gen
orally supposed to be the controlling
force in the opposition heretofore,
such is not at all the fact R@nind
the noise and the vociferatiOn Q; that
element there stood another group
less noisy but more effective. really
the situation. This con
sisted of those who opposed any break
in our, present tariff barriers. They
feared that a treaty with Cuba would
De a breach in the walls through which
would follow treaties with France
the Argentine, Canada, !