Evening journal., 1903-03-28
Nh. HAY SENDS
WARNING To CUBA
Slightest Amendment to the
Reciprocity Treaty Will
Break 1t
FOREIGN INFLUENCES AT WORK

Washington, March 2S.-Secretary
Hay has sent a warning to Cuba that
the slightest amendment of the Cuban
reciprocity treaty by the Cuban con
gress. even that which proposes to
make its ratification conditional on the
treaty going into effect during the cur
rent calendar year. certainly would de-
feat the convention itself, since any
amendment must be submitted to the
United States senate. and before that
can be done the date fixed for the final
exchange Of ratifications, March 81,
will have been passed Mr.. Squiers,
the United States minister at Havana,
has transmitted this note to the Cuban
foreign minister, and he is hopeful that
it will be sufficient to curb the desire
to amend the treaty.
1t is fully realized here that foreign
influences in Havana, which would be
affected injuriously by the treaty, are
working upon Cuban pride to defeat
the ratification by attaching amend
ments to the treaty This was fully
expected, and Is regarded as within
the legitimate duties of diplomatic rep
resentatives in such cases, but it is be
lieved that the effort will prove un-
successful.
Three Reports On Treaty.
Havana, March 2s.-Three separate
reports on the reciprocity treaty with
the United States were presented to
the senate yesterday afternoon by the
foreign relations committee. One
signed by the chairman, Senior Bustc-
mente; the president of the senate.
Senor Capote, and by Senator Dolz,
recommended the approval of all the
amendments adopted by the United
States senate. Senior zayas presented
a report against the ratification on ac-
count of the action OF the Unite1
States senate in conining the 20 per
cent reduction on the duty on Cuban
sugar TO the basis os the tariff rates in
the law of 1897.
Senior Tamayo submitted the third
and adverse report upon all the
amendments. Both the minority re-
ports were rejected by the senate. The
majority report will be discussed to-
day, and It is expected that it will be
approved by a small majority. It's
provision requiring the adoption of the
treaty by the United States congress
before December /, however. Is gen
orally believed to be fatal 10 the
treaty, since the acceptance by the
United States senate Of this provision
is impossible.
President Palma had a two-hour
conference at the palace yester-
day with the entire foreign re-
lations committee of the Cuban SEN
ate, at which every endeavor was made
to take definite action in regard to the
limit of time in which the reciprocity
treaty is to become effective. The mi
nority, however, persisted in it's opposi-
ton. OF the three majority senator's
on the committee, Senors Capote and
Doise appeared willing to ratify the
treaty ithOut the time limit condition,
provided Chairman Bustamente. the
chairman, would consent; but the lat
ter as obdurate.
President Palma and Senior Zaldo,
secretary of foreign affairs, offered to
inform the United States government
officially that the treaty would be rati-
fed on the understanding that it would
be operative by the date desired, but
Senor Bustamente insisted that it
should be made legal condition of ac-
ceptance.
All three of the majority senators
persisted in the belief that the time
limit condition would not damage the
ultimate ratification of the treaty itself.
President Palma and his cabinet be.
lieve the majority Of the senate will
adopt the committees majority report.