The Washington times., 1905-10-15
NEW CUBAN TREATY
STANDS POOR SHOW
Pact With England Menace
to America.
NO DOUBT OF REJECTION
Though Tacitly Favored by Govern
ment, People and Senate Will Not
Accept Agreement.

HAVANA. Oct. 14.-That the treaty
OF commerce, navigation. and friendship
between Great Britain and the republic
of Cuba, the terms of which have Just
been made public. will be rejected by
the Cuban senate there is but little
/ doubt.
Both the press and the public strongly
. oppose 1t, and cnly the government or
: gans, inspired by the administration, are
in favor of It's ratification.
Should the treaty be ratified both the
: American and Spanish interests will
suffer, and as the commerce of Cuba is
( chiefly in the hands OF Spanish and
American merchants, their opposition
: carries considerable weight
Prior to the celebration by Cuba of
. the reciprocity treaty with the United
: States, now existing most of the i'm
portations were made from Spain.
So complete was the MONOPOLY exer-
cised by the former metropolis upon the
newly born republic that even the four
consumed in Cuba was imported from
Spanish ports
1t is weil-known fact that for many
years Spain has not produced enough
flour to meet It's own necessities, It be-
ing required to import enormous GUAM
titles of American flour into Spain.
Brought Flour From Spain.
AS Cuba was forced to buy most of
her imports in the mother country, and
Spain did not grow enough flour to srnd
10 the island, 1t was a common and
highly comicsl occurrence 10 see in the
docks of Havana and other Cuban ports
large shipments of American -four, .rn-
ported from Spain.
As soon as the reciprocity treaty with
the United States was promulgated the
Spanish merchants of Cuba abandoned
the Spanish market. which no longer
offered them any advantage, and made
most OF their purchases in the United
States.
That the treaty OF reciprocity has
been advantageous 20 them is shown by
the ever-growing commercial prosperity
of the island.
Now merchants all over the world are
extremely conservative, and in this re-
spect the Spaniards are perhaps the
most conservative men In the world
They have seen practical benefits in
their relations with the United States,
and they fear TO make any change.
1t Is claimed by the friends of thej
Anglo-Cuban treaty, that the benefits II
would bring about would be even great
er than those derived from the CONNER
cial pact with the United States; but
this IS altogether too problematic, and
what the merchants and the general
public here want are facts, not possi-
bilities.
Political Situation.
The political situation of the republici
has experienced a notable change for
the better. since the primary elections
took place.
The result at the polls showed the
strength OF the government aHd even
the most excited Liberals now admit
that President Estrada Palma'g re-
election is assured.
A great deal has been said about the
possibilities OF revolution starting in
the island as a result of the political
disturbances which have occurred. but
there is no foundation for all such re-
ports.
The great mass of the Cuban popula-
tion is law-abiding and peaceful and
would not second any movement tending
TO disturb the public peace.
Possibly there are a few who would