Show TO ANNEX CUBA I I the Aim of Blames Reciprocity Reci-procity Scheme A Remarkable Combination of Facts that Justifies Answering In the Affirmative The Position Is Which Spain Placed Speclalto THE HERALD Examiner Dispatch i NEW YORK Feb 21A Washington special says Is Secretary Blaine plotting to annex Cuba to the United States Is the reciprocity clause of the tariff act but the cover to a deep laid scheme to put the planters of Cuba in a position where they must throw off the Spanish yoke or await an industrial union These are sensational questions but there is a remarkable combination of facts to justify answering both in the affirmative Spain is debarred from making any arrangement ar-rangement under thoreciprocity clause of the tariff because sho has treaties with European nations which bind her to give them all the privileges of the most favored nation She cannot therefore therefcro maintain the market for Cuban sugar by treaty with the United States The planters of Cuba have therefore to defy Spanish authority and make authorty treaties for Cuba as an indepen dent power or find their crops rotting on I their hands and their plantations useless refuges of starving and rebellious work men Independence or annexation will be 1 come essential to the industrial existence of the Queen of the Antilles The prob lem for Spain is whether she can afford to hazard her relations with aford relatons nearly every power of Europe for the sake of preserving Cuba It is I true the gen erally accepted view of the most favored nation clause does pot preclude reciprocity treaties in which there is a special favor granted for one received but this view does require that the same opportunity shall be extended to the shal favored nations to make a similar exchange of favors If this country demands fair reciprocity I trade with Cuba it forces Spain into ina most embarrassing position Secretary Blaine must have known this when he pro pared his reciprocity programme It is not j a new idea that Mr Blaine believes in the I acquisition of Cuba by the United States I was an open secret among his trier ids long before he entered the cabinetof Presi dent Harrison that he he believed Cuba should become one of the jewels of the union Ho believes and has often said that Cuba will come to us before Canada wi comes and proper diplomatic methods might brine her 1 very quickly with Spain in a position where she has to choose between embroil ing herself with Europe or losing her western isle She may be much more ready to accept a reasonable price than she would have been under other circumstances circum-stances |