Commercial relations

Under stress of special circumstances the Spanish Government might be compelled to raise, in a general way, the duties on imports in Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Although it is apparently in the mind of both branches of Congress to abrogate the reciprocity clause of the McKinley bill, the Spanish Government does not desire to revoke the mutually existing agreement without ascertaining previously the views of the Government of the United States on the subject.

Can any alterations be brought to the various schedules of the convention of July 28, 1891, whether free or under scale reductions without changing essentially its actual commercial conditions between Spain and the United States, provided no other or higher duties were imposed on American imports than those attached to national products? If the existing prosperous condition of trade could be maintained without serious prejudice to the revenues of both countries, the Spanish Government would gladly concur in any agreement, temporary or permanent, which might further develop the commercial binding interests of Spain and the United States.