The Indianapolis journal., 1903-03-29
Time Limit Amendment, to Which
Secretary Hay Objected Wig
orously, Eliminated.
PROMISES MADE TO PALMA
UNITED STATES CONGRESS WILL BE
CALLED BEFORE DEC. L,
And the Lower House Given an OPP
portunity to Pass ON the Measure,
as Provided for I'm the Treaty.

HAVANA, March 2s.-The treaty of reci-
procity between Cuba and the United
States, as amended by the Senate OF the
United States. was approved at o'clock
tonight in the Cuban Senate by a vote of
IL to 9. This approval is absolute and is
not hampered by any conditions, the ques-
tionable time limit amendment having been
dispensed with through the receipt of ca
BILE message from Secretary Hay, in which
1t was positively declared that President
Roosevelt would call a special session of
Congress prior to Dec. 1. The purport of
this assurance was transmitted to the Sen
by President Palma and read at the begin
ming of the session. an understanding hav-
ing been reached previously with Senators
Bustamente. Capote and Dolz, composing
the majority of the foreign relations COM
mittee, 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 acceptance contained in the
original report.
Final action was delayed for long time
by the discussion of an amendment offered
by Senators Sanguilly. Tamayo and Recio
requiring the House to pass upon the
treaty. Senator Sanguilly argued. that,
while the Constitution was not explicit
upon this point, that the representatives in
Congress of the people ought to be consult
ed as well the commercial interests,
whose opinions the committee had sought
eagerly. He cited the actions of the United
States as a precedent and said the commit
tee evidently was afraid that the treaty
would be defeated If submitted to the
House. Senator Dolz admitted that this
was a good reason, and quoted the Consti-
tuition to show that reference to the House
was not required. The amendment requir-
ing the House to pass on the treaty was
defeated by a vote of TO Is.
An amendment, or a substitute, for the
committees majority report was then Of
Betancourt. This approved and ratified all
the amendments of the Senate at Wash
ington and recommended that the Cuban
executive take action conducive to OBJ
tanning effective reciprocity soon as
possible. To this substitute report was
added the following: This recommends
to or a modification of the treaty."
Senators Bustamente. Capote and Dolz
announced their acceptance of the sub
report, while Senator Zayas and another
committeeman argued against it. The chief
contention of the last named was the un-
certainty as to the action Of the American
Congress.
Senator Sanguilly in a long and impas-
stoned speech against the ratification of
the treaty impressively pictured the gradual
absorption OF Cuba by the United States,
in which he said the present action was
one step. He argued that IL was practically
disgraceful for Cuba to be party TO such
a scheme. The speakers wit and eloquence
caused occasional bursts of applause from
the spectators, and when he concluded he
was greeted with a roar OF applause IA
which all the senators joined.
Senator Bustamente I'm brief and able
final speech cited various Incidents of his
tory to show that neither weak nor wicked