The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-25
CUBANS AT CAPITAL
GEN. WOOD BEATS THEM TO THE
WAR DEPARTMENT.
AND C0NFERS WITH ROOT
OFFICIAL CoURTEsIEs PAID THE
DELEGATES.
The cubans Talk Spanish and DE.

cline TO BE Interviewed-Gcn.
Wood Knows What They Want
and Gave the Secretary a Full Ex-
position of the State of Affairs.
Intervention and COaIing stations
Come First, but the Delegates De-
sire Lower Tariff for Cuban Sugar
and Tobacco.
Washington, April 2i.-The commission
of five delegates to the Cuban Constitu-
tional Convention, consisting of Domingo
Mendez Capote, Pedro e. Betancourt,
Rafael NJ. Portuondo, Diego Tamayo and
Pedro Gonzales Llerento, who were sent
TO Washington to confer with the Presi-
dent regarding the Cuban relations with
this country, arrived here this morning,
together with an interpreter and repre-
sentatives of the Havana press. They
were met at the station by Assistant Sec
retary of State HILL Assistant Secretary
of War Sanger, Capt. Sawtelle and Lieut.
Overton of the United States army, de-
tailed for that purpose, and escorted to the
Shoreham. The delegates conversed with
the Reception COMMITTEES through an in
terpreter, though most of them speak
English very well. II was stated that ar
rangements for their visit to the Presi-
dent would be made through the War De-
partment.
The delegates remained at their hotel
most of the morning, as they were
fatigued by the long railroad trip. from
Florida. Quite a number of officials call
ed, including Assistant Secretary Hill for
the State Department and Assistant Sec
retary Sanger for the War Department,
who left cards individually for each men,
Der of the delegation.
Are Not Talking at Present.
When inquiry was made of Mr.. Diego
Tamayo, one of the delegates, as to the
plans of the party he answered through
the interpreter, Mr.. Entendea, that the
delegation felt it would be discourteous to
enter upon a discussion of their business
before they had called on the Secretary
of War.
Arrangements have been made at the
War Department by which the Secretary
of War will receive the delegation at II
o'clock tomorrow morning and probably
will escort them to the White House
about that time.
General Wood, military governor of
Cuba, arrived this morning with his fam
lily, and took apartments at the Richmond
He came to the War Department and had
q conference with Assistant Secretary
Sanger He sent his secretary TO call on
the Cuban delegation 10 ascertain their
desires for the day, in order that he might
be able to act as their escort, either to
the White House or to the War Depart
ment Gen. Wood has had no direct in
formation from Gen. Whitside regarding
the reported. troubles at Santiago, but be-
fore he left Cuba he had been advised by
Gen. Whitside that party strife was max
ing some trouble in that municipality, and
that disorders might be anticipated during
the spring elections in other sections of
the island. After that, however, 1t is
expected that the usual tranquility of the
island viii be resumed.
Gen, Wood COnfers with Mr.. Root.
General Wood reached the War Depart
ment shortly after 8 o'clock and after
brief talk with Adjutant General Corbin
was shown into Secretary Roots office,
where a conference respecting Cuban af-
fairs was held. Senator Platt of Connecti-
cutt chairman of the committee charged
with the care of Cuban affairs, was pres
ent. as was also Admiral Bradford, chief
department. The latter's presence was
desired as the location of coaling sta
tions in Cuba is to be made upon his
recommendation.
The secretarys door was closed to all
callers as soon as General Wood, Senator
Platt and Admiral Bradford joined him I'm
his office, though within few minutes
Assistant Secretary Sanger was sent for
and Joined the conference. 1t was UNDER
stood that General Wood entered at once
into a thorough exposition of the compli-
Gated Cuban situation. He was perfectly
informed as to the desires of the visiting
commission and apprised Secretary Root
of the nature of their errand.
want Sugar Duty Removed.
1t is gathered that next to the subjects
Of coaling stations, and the right of the
limited States to intervene in Cuba in the
interests of peace and order, the Cubans
attach most importance to the subject of
sugar duties. The, commission is trying
m secure "A remission of the United States
duty on Cuban sugar. 1t is suggested that
IL this cannot be done at once, then the
duty may be removed gradually, reducing
a certain percentage each year until the
sugar is duty free.
The President cannot grant this request
as II involves a change in the tariff laws
and therefore application must be had to
Congress- This may take the shape of
direct joint legislation by the two houses
or II can be accomplished by the negotia>
tion of a reciprocity treaty The Cubans.
II is believed, prefer the latter form.
Tobacco. too, is another subject which
the Secretary of War will be Obliged to
discuss with the commissioners and on
that point he wanted advice. The Cubans
are extremely desirous of securing con-
tsn4 mt In fav0r nf fhnir
tobacco. of the extremely high tariff i'm
posed by the Dingley act upon all i'm
ported tobaccos.
After a conference lasting for more than
three hours Secretary Root and General
Wood left the War Department together
FOR uncn. Ii was stated that there was
nothing regarding the conference that
could be made public, and that the mat
ters discussed covered many subjects In
Cuba, not alone the visit OF the Cuban
delegation, but everything connected with
- ,o.arnrnpnt of the island.