The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-04-01
GuBANs RAT|FY TREATY.
Their Senate Approves the Treaty
Without Change.
VOTE NOT UNANIMOUS.
TO Put 1t Into Effect President
Roosevelt Will Have TO Call an
Extra Session of Congress
This Fall.

Habana, March 29.-The treaty of
reciprocity between Cuba and the
United States as amended by the SEN
ate of the United States was approved
at s O'Clock tonight in the Cuban SEN
ate by vote of 12 to 9. This appoval
is absolute and is not hampered by
any conditions, the questionable time
limit having been dispensed with
through the receipt of the cable mes
sage from Secretary Hay, in which it
was positively declared that President
Roosevelt would call special session
of congress prior to Dec. l. The pur-
port of his assurance was transmitted
to the senate by President Palma and
read at the beginning of the session,
an understanding having been reached
previously with Senators Bustamente,
Capote nd Dolz, composing the major
ity of the foreign relations committee,
that the Objectionable condition in the
report be eliminated. This was done
by the offering of amendments by other
administration senators substituting
the unconditional adoption of the
amendments to the treaty by the
American senate for the qualified ac-
ceptance contained in the original re-
port.
final action was delayed for a long
time by the discussion Of an amend
ment offered by Senors Sanguilly,
Tamayo and Reel, requiring the house
to pass upon the treaty. This was
voted down, 5 to Is.
An amendment to or a substitute
for the committees report was then
offered by Senators Frias, Monteagudo,
and Betancourt. This approved and
ratified all the amendments of the SEN
ate at Washington and recommended
that the Cuban executive take action
conducive to obtaining effective re-
ciprocity as soon as possible. To this
substitute report was added the fol-
lowing:
s.This recommendation must not be
taken as an amendment to or modi-
fcation of the treaty.
Senators Bustamente, Capot and
Dolz announced their acceptance Of
the substitute report, while Senators
Zayas and another committee man
argued against it. The chief conten-
tion of the last named was the uncer
tainty as to the action of the Ameri-
can congress.
Senator Sanguilly, in a long and i'm
passioned speech against the rati6ca-
tion of the treaty, impressively pic
tured the gradual absorption of Cuba
by the United States, in which he said
the present action was one step. He
argued that it was disgraceful for
Cuba to be a party to such scheme.
Senator Bustamente, in brief and
able final speech, cited various Incl
dents of history to show that neither
weak or wicked nations make COM
mercial treaties, and predicted with
certainty the results in this case.
The vote was taken separately on
each section of the substitute report.
The vote on the unconditional ratifca-
tion of the treaty was IL to 9; on the
recommendation to the executive it
was IL to9.
The present session of the senate
then adjourned. The ratihcations Will
be exchanged by cable.
United States Minister Squires said
this evening to the representative OF
the Associated Press:
"The ratification of the treaty with
out amendment is due almost entirely
to the assurances given by President
Roosevelt that he will call an extra
session of congress before Dec. 1. This
action of the president will be ap-
preciated and accepted by the Cuban
government and people as an addition
al evidence of most sincere friendship
and interest on the part of man in
whom they have ever had unbounded
faith and confidence.