The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-09-04
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
CUBA SUFFERING FROM U. S.
TARIFF LAWS.

Woods report as Governor General of
Cuba, has just been made to the War
Department. It reviews the admins
tration of the affairs of the islands
during the last past fiscal year, paying
attention to resources, education,
the judiciary, the steps taken for a
new civil government. etc. But the
most, significant portion of the whole
document contains an unconscious ar
fragment of the high tariff policy of
the u. S. Government. He said that
the present system does not favor good
commercial facilities on account of un-
favorable duties on tobacco and sugar.
They keep the prices up in this coun-
try and if they are persisted in in re-
gard to Cuba it will mean that devei-
opment Of Cuba will be slow if at all, as
the changed conditions in commercial
relations since the time Of the Spanish
War make her now market her princi-
pal products in the United States, and
she must have lower duties "if she is
to live and prosper. Comments like
this are the best arguments that low
tariff can have, and they are particu-
larly forcible when they concern the
vital welfare of an island that our
promises and our national honor COM
pei us to foster and protect.
The summer is Uncle Sans house
cleaning time, when there is nothing
else in Washington of sufficient impor-
tance to distract his attention from
this imperative task. During the hot
months the annual renovation takes
place, and about the first of Septem-
Der sees the work completedd. This
year the changes have been particular
ly sweeping, almost all of the interior
of the Capitol building being repaired
and made modern. The Supreme
court room was about to emerge from
chaos of plaster, when only few
days ago the temporary plaster ceiling,
under the new steel one, fell and hurt
several workmen. 4 party of tourists
under the direction of one of the Cap
itol guides, got out in the nick OF
time. One Of the most ticklish jobs
has been the putting in Of steel coun-
terpart of the plaster ceiling of Stat
uary Hall. This hall has peculiar ac-
coustic properties, there being many
whispering galleries" that are the
delight of the young married couples
that make Washington their honey
moon Mecca. These galleries are also
prolific sources of income to the Capt.
tol guides who reveal their mysteries
to the uninitiateds On account of all
this there was clause in the ceiling
builders contract that the change
should in no wise impair the whisper
ing properties. A recent test shows
the mystic echoes still intact. The
usual new carpets will appear in the
Senate and House, the old ones hav-
ing been removed. Absolutely unique
carpet designs-though always in red
are luxuries that Uncle Sam allows
his legislators.
The SchIey-Sampson controversy is
attracting but little attention now,
and everybody is letting it drop for a
breathing spell until the Court of In
quiry convenes at the Navy Yard, Sep
tember u. On account of the dearth
of news just now the yellow journals
are trying to keep the feud alive, but
the public is apathetic.
The politics of Virginia are attract
ing some local attention for one Of the
candidates for lieutenant governor Mr..
Willard who is furnishing the cam
paign "bar'l'' is business man OF
this city and the owner of the his
toric Wizards hotel. He gained q
legal residence in the Old Dominion,
it is said for the express purpose OF
getting into politics, and seems to
have succeeded.
The Treasury Bureau Of Statistics,
and the other departments of the gov
ernment service, continues to receive
proofs of the growing foreign trade OF
this country, and OF the increase OF
cordial relations between this and
| other nations. This neighborliness Is
shown particularly in regard to the
adjacent island of the West Indies.
Information from the Treasury De
partment shows growing disposition
on the part OF the island of Jamaica to
trade with the United States, until
now we have the bulk of the islands
commerce. The facts and figures given
out have an added interest because
Jamaica is a British colony, and the
data comes from the British colonial
Tho ro1uo of oyportS elbows