The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-02
WON'T HELP CUBANS
COL. LESTER SAYS SUGAR REIN
ERs WILL PROFIT MOST.
RECIPROCITY PLUMS THEIRS.
WILL BUY RAW SUGAR CHEAP AND
SELL FOR BIG MONEY.

Concessions to CUBA as the Cubahs
ThemseIves-CoI. Testers Views of
the Bridge, If They Are Correct
Make II Improbable the River at
savannah viii Ever Be Spawned.
says War Department will Not APP
prove a Bill with Piers in the
stream and Terminal Company
Has said II would Build Only This
Type.
CONGRESSMAN Lester reached the city
yesterday morning from Washington.
He brought with him interesting views
upon local and national affairs, among
them the conviction that the reciproc-
ity for which the Cubans are clamor-
ing viii not bring them that degree
of prosperity their ardent imaginations
have bodied forth.
Col. Lester had said he thought Con-
gress would give Cuba a reduction In
the tariff schedules, obtaining as to
ether Countries reduction that would
amount to about 20 per cent. He did
not think Cuba would get the 80 l-3
per cent. reduction to which its people
thought themselves entitled, but that
IneN MOuIQ Dc SHONll SoliAN SOAASAN~A~
ton by Congress he did not doubt.
But / don't think it's going to do
the people of Cuba much good" added
Col Lester. The principal benefic-
iaries of the tariff reduction will be the
refners. of cane sugar in this country
who will be able to buy the raw sugar
output of Cuba al a reduced price, re-
fine it and then hold it in competition
with the sugar OF the world. The SUI
gar refners are as clamorous that
consideration be shown the Cubans in
this respect as the Cubans themselves
and in my opinion with much better
reason. They know very well that the
duty on refined sugar will be kept
where it is and that their interests
can't suffer. If Congress would reduce
the duty on refined sugar, it might
lead to the establishment of refineries
in the island and help it's people and
our own at the same time"
According to Col. Lester there Will
be no bridge built across the Savannah
river This conclusion is the newt
able result reached by comparing his
views on the subject with the an
nounced plans of the Alabama Terni-
nal Company as to the construction of
the bridge. The company wants to
build a bridge with two piers in ths
river and Col. Lester says the con-
struction of such a bridge is a posi-
biIty too remote for consideration.
IF they will build a brige without
piers-one that viii span the river from
shore to Shore" he said, why then [
believe it will be permit
ted. But l have no idea in the
world that the War Department will
sanction the construction of a bridge
involving the use of piers, and it's
sanction and approval, in accordance
with.the terms of the bill, must neces-
sarily be had before the bridge can be
built
such a bridge wsAld be too dam
gerous to navigation. 1t would cause
sheering and result in accidents. l
am convinced the engineers of the
War Department will reach this con-
clusion and that they will not approve
bill plans involving the use of piers
in construction.
Company VIII BE Cautious.
even if they did and the bridge
were built, the first accident that re-
suited would be the proximate cause
of it's removal. The bill is always sub
ject TO repeal, by one of its own eX-
press provisions, and the repeal of the
bill and the consequent removal of the
bridge would follow an accident for
which the bridge could be held respons-
ible, almost as a matter of course. Such
a howl would go up that Congress
could do nothing else.
''Now 1 don't think that the terminal
company is going to take the chance of
putting it's money into a bridge that
would be a constant source of danger,
when 1t understands that the removal
of the bridge will follow the first acct
dent that results. There are two rea-
sons for my doubt that such bridge
will be built-my confidence in the fact
that the government engineers will not
approve it and my assurance that if
they did the officials of the company
would think long and ponder earnestly
before they took the chances of heavy
loss by its enforced removal its con-
struction would entail.
LAS matter of fact" said Col. Les
ter, there is no reason why such
bridge should be built. The construc-
ton of a bridge with a single span
across the river is easily within the
range of engineering possibility, and
with the exception of the question of
expense, which 1 am not competent to
: judge there is nothing to stand in its
way. If they will submit plans for
such a bridge, which they have never
done in Washington. whatever they
have announced as their purpose here,
l believe the bill will become a law,
and the War Department will approve
the plans"
If Col. Lester is correct in his con-
illusions the prospect of the construc
ton of the bridge is decidedly gloomy
The promoters of the enterprise have
practically declared they have no in
tention of building the type of bridge
Col Lester holds up as the only pos
sibility.
The congressman is not enthusiasts
tic: about Savannahs chances for a
ub-treasury. He does not think the
case is hopeless. but the policy At
lanta has recently seen fit to follow,
has lessened Savannah's chances very
decidedly.
Col. Lester was accompanied on his
trip South by Mrs. Lester, who has
recently been ill. Col. Lester said
that both of them were looking for a
change of scene and air, and these
they could not find anywhere more to
their taste than at home. They will
be in the city, possible for two weeks.
MA - "a "a .