The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-02-08
Oil Trust Anxious For Free Trade
With France.
WHERE HAS MONEY GONE
War Department to Explain What Became
of S20,O00,00O Collected in Cuba.

Special Washington Correspondence to Signal.
1t now seems that there is another
side to the French reciprocity treaty
Almost ever since it was sent to
congress, Mr. Kasson, the reciprocity
commissioner, has been i'll in Florida
and there has been no one to answer
the attacks made on it by its enemies.
The result was that sentiment seemed
to be running strongly against it and
it was practically conceded that it
would fail. Mr.. Kasson, however,
has now recovered his health and re-
turned to this city, prepared to make
hard fight for his treaty. Under
his marshalship the interests which
will be benefited by its provisions are
coming to the front and taking the
places of those who think that they
will be injured Letters from them
are pouring IN upon senators and re-
representatives., and as result the tide
seems to have already turned. For
instance, the manufacturers of cot
ton seed oil and of petroleum are now
strongly advocating the treaty. At
present France imposes only the
minimum rates of her tripe tariff
scale on these articles when imported
from America, giving the United
States command of her markets.
She does this in anticipation of the
ratification of the treaty. If it fails
of passage she will impose the maxi
mum duties, and by this means shut
out American oils entirely, obtaining
her petroleum from Russia, and her
vegetable oil from Africa and Italy
At present France is the largest con-
sumer of cotton seed oil in the world
outside of the United State, and Mr.
Kasson thinks that when this fact is
understood the southern senators will
rally to the support of the treaty.
AT the same time, strong appeals are
being made to the President to with
draw the treaties.
The war department is preparing 8
full and complete answer to the
senate in answer to its resolution
asking as to the collection and ex
penditure of funds in Cuba, Porto Rice
and the Philippines. Some $40, 900,
600 have been collected in these is
lands and expended under authority
of the war department by order o
the various generals in command
and there is very general desire tx
learn where it has gone There
have been vague rumors of lmprope
uses having been made of portion
of it; all of which will almost Ger
tainly be set at rest by the publica
ton of the accounts. These funds
so collected, are in one sense, con
sidered trust funds for the benefit 0
the islands and in another sense, ar
the property of the United State
government. In either case it is o
the utmost importance that the
should be properly conducted an
that there should be no underhan
work about them.
The remarkable increase of S27,
5S4. 90 (26.7S per cent. in the valu
of postage due stamps issued by tn
department during the quarter enc
ed December 81, 1899, over the COZ
responding quarter of 1898, taken i
connection with postmasters' report
of short-paid matter received, ind
Gates very gratifying, commendabl
vigilance in detecting and properl
collecting due postage, one offic
alone-San Francisco Cal. ,-repor
ing the receipt of over 20, 900 short
paid letters and the collection S65, sc