Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-12
CUBA RATIFIES TREATY
MORE THAN THE NECESSARY
Two-THIRDs VOTE.
Bustamente Makes a Forceful Appeal
to Senate-0pposition Was
Perfunctory.

A dispatch from Havana yesterday says:
Inc senate today, by vote of 16 to 5, rati-
fled the reciprocity treaty with the United
States
The treaty was thus ratified by exactly
two-thirds Of the vote of the senate. Fiji
teen republican conservatives, or admins
tration senators, and one nationalist voted
In favor of the treaty and five nationalists
against It, There were three absentees, all
Of whom, IT is believed, favored the treaty.
The ratification required only q majority
vote, so that there were three votes to
spare. Senior Zayas, the only nationalist
who voted for ratification, explaining his
vote, said it was his desire to amend the
treaty with reference to the exchange of
similar commodities produced in both coun-
tries, but he had no intention of opposing
the treaty itself
Senior Sanguily, the leader Of the opposi-
ton, explained that his opposition was de-
signed chiefly to draw out whatever could
be advanced in support OF the treaty, and
that the arguments of Senator Bustamente,
as put forward in the senate yesterday.
convinced him that the country would be
more prosperous with reciprocity than with
out it, but nevertheless his attitude of OPP
position and disapproval of the acts of the
executive department of the government
forbade him voting yes.
The vote was taken Immediately on the
conclusion of a forceful appeal by Senior
Bustamente. He insisted that whether the
trust or the producers were the chief benc-
ficiaries of the 20 per cent reduction of GUS
toms duties on Cuban sugar shipped to the
United States it was not possible that such
differential treatment favoring Cuban sugar
in competition with that of Europe could
result other than favorably to Cuba's trade.
Under the treaty, he said, the European
producer would be unable to compete with
Cuba. If the European nations were really
seeking to prevent the ratification of the
treaty in the United States Senate 1t was
not on account of the little they would lose
in the Cuban markets, but because they
would no longer be able to send sugar to
he INIT I'D rot 10
provide the protection that Cuba needed Oh
tobacco.
Viewed in another aspect. continued Senior
Bustamente, the treaty would give Cuba
national entity and allow her to enter into
commercial relations with the nation which
was hitherto considered only her guardian
Il VOTE" said the speaker, for the treaty
with the conviction that we, in so doing,
are rendering a patriotic duty to Cuba
even If the treaty is not approved by the
United States Senate. 1 do not intend to
retire tonight with my mind disqsieted by
thoughts of a weak and hungry Cuba
selling her independence for a bag or
money but rather with the knowledge that
through our assistance she has taken pro-
gressive steps toward prosperity, power
and the protection of her independence and
liberties a
Senator Bustamente's speech was loudly
applauded. The custom of approving the
treaty by articles was dispensed with, and
the recommendations of the committee
were approved in their entirety.
So many members Of the house OF rep
resentatives have visited the senate dur
ing the past two days that the sessions
of the house have been suspended.
According to the views of many senator's,
the approaching adjournment OF the con-
gressional session renders 1t improbable
that the naval stations agreement will
be ratified before the beginning of the new
session in April. resolution pending in
the house Of representatives sets the ad-
journment for Saturday, and the senate
will end in any case next week. The SEN
ators infer that the United States is In
no hurry to occupy the naval stations in
the Caribbean sea since the Venezuelan
troubles have quieted down. The foreign
relations committee, to which the agree
ment was referred, has not yet considered
it. President Palma's reference of the
agreement to the senate is considered as
rather a matter Of preference than legal
requirement..
Senior Quesada, the Cuban minister to the
United States, has received dispatch from
his home government saying:
THE reciprocity treaty was approved by
the senate by 16 votes against g."