The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-31
ANNEXATION OF CUBA.
Islanders May Ask It If Tariff Con-

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 sessions are Denied. 1 New York, Jan. 30-A Washington spe- l cial to The Herald says:
 Immediate annexation of Cuba, if the l House Committee on Ways and Means
 follows the policy ascribed to 1t in certain l interested quarters and. further dalles | with the question of relief for the island | ward of America. Is thing the admin | istration may have to face at much | earlier day than the public has had req son to believe.
 Annexation in the course of time is ex- pected by the mass of the American people: annexation in few years Is what is expected hv Secretary of War Root. General Wood and the leaders of the Cubans: but annexation within q few months-almost concident with the for
 nation of an Independent government of the island-js what some of the best in-
 inevitably with .hc refusal of the Ways and Means Committee to act promptly.
 This thought Is not given out by the rep resentatives of the Cubans here. nor is it encouraged by the War Department.
 Those familiar with the politics of Cuba see but two ways-concession to Cuba of 50 per cent tariff reductions. or annexa-
 tion as soon as it becomes clear that the
 concession is to be denied.
 There was a strong feeling in Congress
 in favor of starving the Cubans into an-
 nexation. This sentiment died out under vigorous talk. against it by President Roosevelt There is feeling in Cuba. however. that if the United States will not grant the desired tariff reduction the hest thing that can be done will be to ask the United States to take the island in. ~
 The possibility that T, Estrada Palma may refuse to accept the Presidency of | the new republic in the face of industrial ruin haa been discussed but does not seem likely. On the other hand the pros 1 pect of disturbances on the island as soon | as the sugar mills cease to grind cane | has been seriously considered. Disturb ances which the local authorities could not quell would compel the United States | to send troops back to Cuba.
 Cuba's electoral college will meet Feb | ruary 4 to formally elect a President and | the transfer of the government to Cuban | officials. If Congress should fail by the | time of this transfer to give Cuba relief. | sugar growers declare, the mills will shut l down and a majority of the laborers of l Cuba will be idle.
 1 News has been received here that two | of the largest mills in Matanzas prov l ince have already stopped grinding. These
 are the Valante and Mercedes mills. each with q capacity of about 5000 tons. A letter received here says that the crisis ' in the affairs of Cuba will come in the
 second week in February when more of 1 the most important mills will shut down. l prominent student of affairs in Cuba
 said today that petition from President l Palma and the Cuban Congress asking | for annexation in the face of the refusal | of Congress to grant relief would proba- | hly compel the immediate acquiescence of the United States. He predicted that If Congress did not give the 50 per cent re-
 duction asked by the 0ibans i've would have Cuba on our hands in six months. 
 Duty on Austrian Sugar
 Washington, Jan SO-The Treasury De-