Arizona republican., 1901-10-10
CUBANS MUST WAIT
Agitation for Reduction of
 Duties Useless
Dingley Bill Provides for Concessions Only to Foreign Countries-What Cuba Desires Must Come From Congress.

Washington Oct. 9-The public meetings of Cubans in Havana, Santi- ago and elsewhere, yesterday, to urge the United States to lower the import duties on Cuban sugar and tobacco, while serving to keep the demand for lower duties before the people of this country. are utterly without effect upon the military administration of the island The Cubans are naturally anxious to obtain a liberal concession for the benefit of this years crop.
 There will not be a large crop of sugar, hardly more than half million tons, as against nearly a million prior to the years of revolution and pillage; but it is for this very reason that the Cuhans want the concession of 20 per cent authorized in certain contingent cies by the Dingley tariff The most potent argument of the islanders is that they would only supplant the bounty aided beet sugar of Germany. and would not interfere with the status of the American sugar market. They claim that the United States can better afford to help them than help the Ger man beet growers.
 These arguments, however, arc for congress and not the war department. The war department cannot move finger toward aiding Cuba in her pres ent distress. Under the Dingley bill. a concession might be made to the Gu ban producers of sugar and tobacco. if this government recognized Cuba "s q foreign power. Of course. the war department. acting through the divis- ion of insular affairs. will not take any steps that even seem to recognize py implication the independence of Cuba. The position was emphatically taken today when attention was called to the public demonstrations in Cuba. The po- sition of the war department is not generally understood in this country and not at all in Cuba. It is absolutely powerless. on it's own statements. It's actions. for instance. in the lowering of duties on railway supplies and sugar making machinery were based entirely upon its military authority. They had nothing to do with the Dirgley tariff act. The concessions authorized by the Dingley bill apply entirely to foreign powers. Cuba cannot be considered foreign power so long as the American flag flies over the island.
 It Is the belief of the war department that an action reducing the import du- ties on sugar or tobacco would he a practlcaf recognition cf thS inGcpea1- ence of Cuba. and. of course. such ac tion is sciely in the purvfew of the con gross and of the president. It Is thought here that the earliest date ou which Cuba could organize a respons- ibIe government. to which the United States might turn over it's military ad- 1ainistration, is next May. That date is, of course. by no means fixture, but it is considered the earliest time in which Cuba would bs in position to be entitled to the concessions conten- plated and authorized by the Dingley bill.
 This is too late for any assistance to the present crop. and the war depar.- nent would discourage these Cuban demonstrations and demands. as it has no authority to go to the aid of the distressed sugar and tobacco growers of the island.