New-York tribune., 1901-11-26
FREE TRADE WITH CUBA
DELEGATES PRESENT DEMANDS TO
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
PREFERENTIAL SUGAR AND TOBACCO d.
TIES MAY BE GRANTED, BUT NOT TILL
THE ISLANDS NEW GOVERN
MENT IS FORMED.
by TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

ga res representing the large business lIiIeie1S
Of Cuba have at last arrived in Washington
and laid before the President that country
| demands for immediate relief the question
| naturally arises as what part of their oe-
/ nands" will be complied with and the date OF
| the compliance.
It can De stated on the very best authority
! that not until the Cuban government Is or
ganized and in actual operation will any ar
/ rangements be made whereby any advantage
will be given to Cuban products in the mar
! kets Of the United States, and on the same au-
thorfty it can also be stated that this advantage
| will be merely in the form of preferential
| tariff rate on sugar and tobacco and not Tree
/ trade
! NO PROBABILITY OF IMMEDIATE ACIIO>-
| According to the best thought of the Senate
! there is absolutely no probability of imlnediate
! action by Congress demanded by the VlsIl-
| ing Cubans a leader of the Senate who mas
| given the Cuban question much thought. ana
who has especially devoted himself 10 that phase
| of il which is calling for haste on the
| part Of this government through the ORGANIZE
| tions Of business interests on the island salu
! to The Tribune correspondent to-day that Con-
! eress can do nothing for Cuba until there IS an
| independent and responsible government at
/ Havana with which the treaty making power oI
! the United States can deal Furthermore TINS
| Senator declared that the Cubans who are no"
| here must know this to be the case. and, know
| fne it, he is convinced that they have come here
more for the purpose Of working up annexation
| sentiment in this country than for anything
| else
| These Cubans are shrewd fellows" said an
! other Senator They represent the large prop
| erty owning element, which is really suffering
from heavy debts and mortgages. If they could
| stampede Congress TO admit Cuban sugar free
! TTrI-a haV
| thereby get an immediate market for their SIX
| hundred thousand pounds OF raw sugar at an
| advance price Of about cent and two-thlrds'
| which represents the present tariff Inls "ouIu
! enable many OF the planters TO pay on theH
| mortgages and thus get out of debt However
/ sorry We may feel for the persons in CUBA IN
| this unfortunate plight. at the same time II Is
| impossible for to help them as they WISH -
| be helped They will just have to wait until
their government is organized. and then We can
deal with them and render the aid needed
/ While these leading Cubans are here, though IL
might not be arniss II they would let US know
| WHY il IS that our trade with the island SIDE
| creasing instead Of increasing Doubtless they
| can explain why the trade Of Germany anu
| England is growing in Cuba under the new order
/ of things and ours is diminishing Perhaps
/ also they may have some remedy to suggest
! for this unlocked for turn in Cuban trade reia-
| tions-"
| THE PRESIDENT GIVES NO ASSURANCES.
The delegation is headed by ex-State Senator
/ Frank D. Pavey, Of New-York. and consists OF
/ Francisco Gambia. president OF the General 50
ctetv OF Merchants and Business Men of the
Island OF Cuba; Miguel Mendoza. Simon Durnois.
/ Louis Frarcke. Gustav Book, Dioniso Neiasco,
| Juan Pedro Alfonso Peasant, Octavto Davis and
! L V De Abad Mr. Pavey is the American
counsel Of the general society. The delegates
/ called on President Roosevelt az 10 o'clock this
! morning and were very cordially received
While the President listened attenttvely TO their
representations he gave them no assurances OF
the immediate relief they asked for. From the
| White House they went 10 the War Depart
| uent and had pleasant interview with secre-
tary Root. Tomorrow they will have a confer
ence with Senator Platt. Of Connecticut; Sen
ator Aldrich Of Rhode Island, and other MEM
bers OF the Senate now IN the city. They Will
open permanent headquarters in washington
for the winter and II is supposed that they will
start an active agitation Of national scope in
favor Of free trade for Cuban sugar and tobacco
without waiting for the organization Of their
government.
WHAT THE CUBANS WANT
Their demands are set forth in the following
| statement, given out by Mr.. Pavey after being
| presented to the President:
Ffrst-That rnolasses and raw sugars up 70
No. 10 OF the Dutch standard. manufactured IN
Cuba be admitted free of all duties.
Second-That tobacco leaf grown in Cuba ana
classified under Paragraph No 213, of the
United States customs tariffs. on being imported
| into the United States. pay, If wrappers, duty
| OF 81 pound, and that unspeCihed. unsteUTned
| filters pay 20 cents pound.
Third-That on cigars, cigarettes and cherootS
! of all sorts manufactured in Cuba and men
! toned in Paragraph No 21I. of the United
| States customs tariffs q duty of 81 90 a pound
he ed nd additional
| per cent ad valorem be suppressed altogether.
Fourth-That a reduction be made on the
| alcohol spirits and runs (by-produCts Of sugar
/ manufactured in Cuba. with Cuban fruits. of ~
| per cent OF their respective duties as classhed
! under the respective paragraphs IN the Unlted
| States customs tariffs.
| Fifth-That internal revenue tax or i'm
| posts annulltng the concessions above solicited
| be established in the United States
! The petition goes on say that the industrial
situation in Cuba is such that the remedies ad-
| vised admit of no delay. If their application is
10 be postponed until the definite organization Of
| an independent State however rapidly the pre-
| lirnfnary preparations therefor may be carried
! into effect it will be impossible calculate the
| derriulent such delay will cause, and the diff
| culties created by the acute economic crisis
! from which Cuba is suffering will ipso facto
! cucumber the road OF the government The
| petttion closes follows:
| We therefore, respectfully entreat you. either
nv virtue of the constitutional authority vested
| IN YOU or by requesting Congress in your hrsl
| MESA ge to grant you the necessary authorlty;
| 70 Immediately establish ample commercidI
| privileges between the United States-tne
| almost exclusive market for our products-diiI
| Cuba based on the foregoing petition, as d
! measure of urgent necessity and indlspe1lsdoio
! for the salvation OF the island.