The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-02
asgs,s,s taeass

amendments maHe Nv ira CuiHn sen.
ats's tammiiiee IN FdFslm Relations
eithef havs beeH w will h. ratified
Theae amendments ara intsndet ~
elthhotd ffom TREAT Rfitaln sc'ns NJ the
privileges which sithef have been ~ nav
~ euncedei ~ iba United a'atea tho
praition N which latter country with
feaprrt a. Cuba h espfeaaly deciared ~
10 unique II H. evident that ma 1t"a.
ton NJ adopting The amendments ~
regarded not ~ q party question but NJ
q national one, for thu majority, hum
herring eleven, included SONS liberals
~ we'll ~ many Modefatea, ~ the sup
portsrs ot the Palma Government ara
called, while tho minority of four ootn-
prlasd two Modsrstea. ous Liberal and
onc Independent. whether Great Brit
ain will accept the treaty In Ia amended
form Ia doubtful, but II h evident that
q large majority 81 Cubans prefer the
friendship Of ths United States 10 any
commercial advantage derivable from
European countries.
II Ia unqueatlonably true that the
ratification Of the Cuban British treaty
might have rendered difficult the extern
sion Of the present reciprocity treaty
between the island and the United States
or the eventual substitution Of reciprocal
arrangements moro favorable 70 Cuba.
The Cuban-British treaty No II orig
inally stood would have exposed Cuba's
mercantile marine, AZ yet In It's infancy,
to the competition Of English ships;
would have authorized British war ves-
sells to coal in Cuban ports In war time
az well a. in time of peace, and would
have authorized the Jamaicans, az
British subjects, to fish In Cuban waters.
On two at least Of these three points il
might be e~xpedient, during the decade
in which the Cuban-British treaty was
to be operative, TO grant specific pom
cessions to the United States in return
for a new reciprocity treaty further
reducing the Dingley rates on Cuban
sugars 1t might be wise, as one Of the
Senators remarked in debate, for Cuba
to keep something that might be re-
garded by the Washingtsn Government
as a valuable consideration for addi-
tional favors.
The important thing TO note is that
while Sehor SANGUILY asserted that Cuba
needed to defend herself against the
United States, and even went so far as to
say thatnone Of his countrymen had m
fidenoe In the intentions of the Washing
ton Government, he was contradicted
emphatioally by the spokesmen Of a
large majority. On behalf Of the Lib
erals, who constitute the opposition to
the Moderates now In power, Senator
zAYAs declared that his political asspci-
ates continued grateful. to the United
States for its help in the war with Spain
and for its subsequent services. The
Liberals were convinced, he said, that
the United States would never do any
thing to ~endanger the independence
of Cuba. Hearty concurrence in this
conviction was expressed by Senator
BUsTAMENTE, an eminent Moderate,
who is chairman of the Foreign Rela-
lions Committee. The days Of suspi-
cion had ended with Spanish domination
and there was no reason for viewing the
United States with suspicion. For his own
part he reposed absolute confidence in the
great American people and knewnot why
any Cuban should entertain m~isgivings
regarding the future conduct Of a nation
from which Cuba had never received
anything but kindness. Why eye
askance, he asked, q Government to
whose self denying Intervention must
be credited such momentous chapters
in Cuban history? He reminded his
auditors that in her final war for indie
pendence Cuba stood side by side with
the United States, and he, for his part,
was confident that she would stand by
the side Of her iberator to the end. 1t
was exclusively to the good will Of the
United States that the Cubans owed
such well being as they now enjoyed,
and to the same source only could they
look for a further augmentation Of
prosperity.
All this is perfectly true, but the truth
is not always recognized by those whom
it most concerns. The wisdom, fore
sight and discretion exhibited by the
great majority Of the Cuban Senators
with reference to the proposed treaty
with Great Britain bear witness to their
fitness for self-government. They are
justified in believing that while the
friendship of the United States is mer-
tied and appreciated, Cuba needs no
other friend. The cavillings and doubts
imputed to Sehor SANGULY and his few
conductors are such as could only emanate
from men Of little faith. Even for them
self -interest should help to clarity the
vision. 1t should be patent that only
in the American market a Cuba look
for a Of her sugar crop.
Statistician Hyde and the Census