611.3731/1066
Press Release Issued by the Department of State, August 24, 1934
Statement by His Excellency Dr. Cosme de la Torriente, Secretary of State of Cuba
Many years before Cuba gained her Independence from Spain, her commercial relations with the United States of America were already great and her prosperity or poverty on many occasions depended upon the American tariffs.
When Cuba, with the assistance of the United States, gained her independence, the Government at Washington became aware of the fact that there should exist a commercial Treaty between the two countries which would guarantee preferential rates to the products of the people and industry of the two nations, and this led to the negotiation of the Treaty of December 11, 1902, which is still in force at the present time and which has proved to be highly useful in furthering the commercial relations of Cuba and the United States, although its modification has for some time been considered necessary for the mutual protection of the interests of both peoples.
In order that a new Treaty might be negotiated as early as possible, two things were necessary: 1. A Government such as that of President Roosevelt, which would appreciate the great need and convenience of such negotiation, and 2. an American Congress capable of facilitating the negotiation of treaties like the one which has just been signed by their Excellencies Secretary of State Hull, Assistant Secretary of State Welles, Ambassadors Caffery and Márquez Sterling, and by myself as Secretary of State of Cuba.
I wish to honestly say that although the new Treaty is of mutual benefit to the two countries, it represents a substantial help for Cuba, a country which has so greatly suffered during the last few years owing to the high tariffs which have been applied by the United States to the products of the soil and industry of our Island.
And for that noble act, in the name of the Cuban people, and at the special request of President Mendieta and of his Government, I express our sincere gratitude to President Roosevelt and to the American people.