Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-01-27
CONCESSIONS TU-COBA.
The Reciprocity Bill Is Now Ready
For t0ayresS.
COLONEL BLISS ARGUMENTS.
,y.y. and Means Committee Hears
An,..Is of InxuIar Nnhves-The
whole Administr"ti"" Back OF
war DEPARTMENTS Measure.

New York, Jan. 27.-The Tribune
.,vs that it has been learned that the
war department has completed IT'S bill
for reciprocity with Cuba. which pro-
,idos for concessions in excess Of %
Nor cent. and it is believed that ms
will no sent TO the house Immediately.
II goes without saying. states The IriD-
me that the whole force OF the admin
istration will be back of the measure.
The WAYS and means committee has
listened to some plain facts, touched
with a tinge Of pathos, concerning the
necessity, economic. political and NOR
nj of making liberal tariff concessions
to Cuba. The hearing was devoted
wholly to representations in favor OF !.
policv on the part Of this country to"
ward Cuba which would serve the dou-
bic purpose Of rehabilitating the island
and preventing annexation.
Colonel Tasker Ii. Bliss, an officer Of
the United States army. who has been
collector of customs at Havana ever
since American occupation was estab-
ished, told the committee that there
could be such a REIMBURSEMENT OF tho
tariff relations between Cuba ana the
United States as would give to this
country practical monopoly OF thu
trade and commerce of the island and
! thus destroy German and English dom.
nation of that trade. He described the
terrible depression that now exists III
the Cuban sugar business and declared
that this could be relieved only by the
tariff concessions sought.
The leading bankers of Havana were
refusing further credit to the planters,
said Colonel Bliss, and when this oc.
Cured it was Il sure sign Of the dis
1ress of the planters. He roughly esti~
mated the value of the sugar industry
of the island at $200,OOOOOO and de-
elared that about three-fourths of the
people depended in one way or another
on the sugar business.
How We Can Get the Trade. =,
Colonel Bliss submitted list of arti-
ces on which litferential of about 3a
per cent In favor of the United States
as against other countries would give
ms country the trade of the island.
ne explained that III reporting this TO-
the war department the condition had
neeh imposed on him not to reduce the
revenues of Cuba. Under such circum.
stances he thought it would be neces
sarv hrst to raise Cuba's tariff rates.
or purposes of revenue and then read
Just tieln with sufficient differeutal
u give the United States control of the
iaoe lAls he said, was only one Of
ne pans proposed by the war depart
nent.
"hen asked if he thought the people
u Nupa would vote for annexation,
7oionei Bliss said he thought thew
'ouiu' Dut that a commercial union
I'M the United States would satisfy
1eh even better than annexation His
'atement seemed to make deener
10y N.s'on oh the committee than that
'aoe mus far by any one else.
! o'o''ei Bliss was followed by sever.
'neilioers OF the Cuban delegation
ere representing various lines of in.
's'rv IN the island. Senior Place ora,v.
o9uent ana pathetic in his nlea for
up 10 the island. For every doIIo,
ask from you we are wilinS 70 givs
~ one IN return he said.
senior Mendoza called ottertion 70
u, wen Alown fact that before the
.p"n constitutional convention incor.
IVY" .iie fiatt amendment info tho
eL;. ID" OF the island President
:, N''iiev and members of the cabinet
u promised the concessions now
n.y. ash.' ana therefore the object of the
49, na. amendment would not be effect.
n n' han tnese concessions are made.
n u 'eslnnlng his statement 'Colone,
,a s u'seialmed authority as a sugar
,ena ana said his knowledge wac
,nne ,. to that of an observer f for
~ years In an office dealing with
~ t ta OF Cuba. This led HIM f.
'e Una tnat If there was any chan 'la i"
ot farm u It,. IT would be such an adjust.
Il, la, as would throw into the ha "5us 81
INIT, United States the largest amn,u ot
n nu1an trade now taken by foreign