Evening star., 1901-11-25
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
A Cuban Delegation Visits the
President.
PETITION FOR REDUCTION OF DUTIES
Immediate Action Urged to Pre-
vent ! .nancial Distress.
OTHER CALLERS TODAY
TlTION FOR REDUCTION OF DUTIES
OTHER CALLERS TO-DAY

American tariff upon Cuban products, par
ticularly upon sugar and tobacco, the two
great staple products of Cuba.
The delegation consisted of Francisco
GAMBIA, president of the General Society of
Merchants and Business Men of the Island
of Cuba; Miguel Mendoza, Simon Dumois,
Louis Francke, Gustav Book, Dionisio We
lasco, Juan Pedro and Alfonso Pesant. The
delegation was accompanied by State SEN
ator Frank d. Pavey, the American counsel
of the general society; Octavio Davis. the
secretary to the delegation, and L. V. de
Abad a member of the former Cuban dele
cation on economic affairs. which visited
Washington last winter.
The Origin of the Delegation.
The appointment of these men as dele
gates has been the result of an economic
campaign. The officers of the General So
ciety of Merchants and Business Men took
the lead by preparing a petition asking
for the reductions desired by the Cubans.
The general society then sent copies of this
petition to all the chambers of commerce
and Industrial organizations of the Island
of Cuba, with the request that it be ap-
proved by them. 1t was then arranged
that all of the chambers of commerce,
trades unions and other commercial. ir-
dustrial and economic organizations in the
Island of Cuba, as well as the municipal and
provincial councils. should hold special
meetings on the third day of October to
express their opinion upon the petition. On
that day all of those bodies met and passed
resolutions and addresses indorsing the pc
tition which had been previously prepared
by the officers of the general society. To
show that the matter was in no sense po-
Htlcal mOVene ent. but a purely economic
one, the political parties of every shade of
political opinion held meetings upon the
same day and indOTsed the petition. These
Endorsements and resolutions were collated
and presented, together with the petition
to General Wood, who forwarded it to
Washington 1t is now before the Pres-
dent.
The object of the visit of the Cuban dele
gates was to make a personal appeal to
the President, the Secretary of War and
other officials in Washington as well as
senators and representatives. for their sup
port and approval of the reductions asked
for by the Cubans.
The Reductions Asked For.
After stating in a general way the
economic situation in the Island of Cuba
at the present time, the petition asks for
th7 following reductions in the American
tariff on Cuban products:
First. That molasses and raw sugars up
TO No. 16 of the Dutch standard, manufac-
tured in Cuba be admitted free of all
duties.
Second. That tobacco leaf grown in
Cuba and classified under paragraph No
213 of the United States customs tariffs
on being imported into the United States
pay. if wrappers, a duty of 81 a pound and
that unspecifed unstemmed filters pay 20
cents per pound.
Third. That on cigars, cigarettes and
cheroots of all sorts manufactured in Cuba
and mentioned in paragraph No. PIT of the
United States customs tariffs duty Of s. 80
per pound be levied. and the present addi-
tioDal tax OF % per cent ad valorem be sup
pressed altogether.
Fourth. That a reduction be made on
the alcohol, spirits and runs (by-products
Of sugar cane) and on preserves, sweet
meats and sweets manufactured in Cuba
with Cuban fruits, of 40 per cent of their
respective duties as classified under the rel
spective paragraphs in the United States
customs tariffs.
Fifth That no internal revenue tax or
inpost annulling the concessions above So
Hcited be established in the United States
The petition goes on TO say that the
economical situation in Cuba Is such that
the remedies advised admit of no delay
II their application is to be postponed until
the definite organization of an independent
state, however rapidly the preliminary
preparations therefor may be carried into
effect ii Will be impossible to calculate the
detriment such delay will cause, and the
difficulties created by the acute economic
crisis from which Cuba is suffering will
ipsO facto, cucumber the road of the new
government The petition then concludes:
We therefore respectfully entreat YOU
either by virtue of the constitutional au-
thOrity vested in you or by requesting Con-
gress in your first message to grant you
the necessary authority, to Immediately es-
tablfsh ample commercial privileges be-
tween the United StateS-the almost exclu-
siye market for our products-and Cuba
based on the foregoing petition meas
Nd trA1te Il
for the salvation of the island"
The Presidents Reply.
The President listened to the statements
Of the various Cubans who cared to say
anything, spoke of his kind feelings toward
Cuba and said that he had given the sub
tect put before him full consideration in his
message. He made no statement of signffi-
eance unless fl was that he thought his
treatment of the subject in the message
would be fair and just.
Called at the War Department.
After paying their respects to President
Roosevelt, the members of the delegation
went to the War Department and met Sec
retary Root, to whom they briefly explain
ed the purpose of their call. The meeting
between Secretary Root and the delegates
lasted only a few minutes, and about all
that could be said TO result was the inti-
nation conveyed to the Cubans that the
war department is in sympathy with their
purposes and will do what it can to give
them effect.
To Harmonize on Irrigation.
Representative E. ]. Burkett of Nebra ska
talked 10 the President this morning about
irrigation of western arid lands He fo,na
the President hearty advocate of national
aid for this purpose. The western represen-
tatives in Congress have held several con-
ferences the past summer to try to har-
monize on an acceptable measure for pre-
sentation to Congress. Mr.. Burkett has
been the president of the gatherings whicn
have resulted in understanding that the
western congressman are TO press irrigation
legislation from start TO finish. Another
meeting of the westerners will be held in
ths city on Monday night, when there will
De further effort to get together upon some
ashnite plan that will prevent division of
FORCES. So many suggestions have been
made about irrigation and there have been
30 many bills before Congress that there
vas never before any chance for action
The western congressman are going to do
Better from now on and are In high hopes
OF being successful. All the plans look TO