The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-01-26
URGES CONCESSIONS TO CUBA.
COLLECTOR BLISS DESCRIBES
CONDITIONS IN THE ISLAND.
without Aid Many Planters VIII he Ruinc
The Desire for Annexation is Rap
Idly Growing. and VIII Soon he over
wheImins Unless Rccipr ocIty Is Granted

WASHINGTON. Jan. 25.-Col. Trsker H.
Bliss, Collector OF Customs at Havana, ap-
peared before the Ways and Means Conf
mittee this morning to present the pohtloal
side of the Cuban reciprocity question. Vol
bliss represents Governor-General WOOD
and was authorized to speak for him. he
said to the committee that the Cuban
planters who had suffered so disastrously
through the destruction Of their mills ana
the depression Of business during the war,
now had an opportunity to get on their
feet, and II the United States would assist
them they would prosper. without such
assistance many OF the planters who were
now lowering on the verge OF bankruptcy
would be- totally ruined.
In reply to questions concerning the
possibility OF annexation, Col Bliss said the
desire for annexation was rapidly growing
and would soon be overwhelming II the
Cubans could not secure favorable trade
relations with the United States the demand
for annexation would be increased. Cuba,
he declared, was willing and anxious to
enter the Union as a State or as a Territory,
under civil or military government or in any
other way open to IL. He was not sure that
annexation was desirable from an American
standpoint.
Col. Bliss said that at the present tint
the banks in Havana would not lend money
TO the planters and had N that atti-
ude after the sale of last years sugar crop:
The planters were greatly in debt, the total
Indebtedness of the island being timat
at sl0O,OOO 900. He estimated the value OF
Cuban imports at see. 900, 600. only SIS, 100000
OF which came from the United States, which
consisted principally OF articles not IN com.
petition with other countries. IL appeared
from his statement That the majority oil
the merchants in Cuba we're SIaniards,
who also acted as bankers in advancing
money to planters.
Col. Bliss said that there was no distress
apparent in the island now, but he thought
there would be great privation should Con-
gress tail to make some concessions 10
Cuba.
Senor Mendoza, a leading PLANTER of
Cuba. read a statement. supplementary
to his presentation of the case several
days ago. S,nor Mendoza agreed with
Col. Bliss that annexation would be hastened
If the Cubans did not receive some tari1
concessions. He said the Cuhans were
anxious to send their trade to the United
States hut could not do so al present.
All that was necessary for the United
States TO secure the trade, was free sugar.
Cuba would not increase its output OF
sugar materially, he said, for year to come.
To increase the output ii would he neccs-
sary TO import labor and the Cubans did
not wish To do this. They had had eX-
p%erience with coolie labor and wanted no
more of that. SChor Mendoza estimated
that Cuba would not reach IA point where
II would produce more than 100000 tons
yearly for ten years, and by that time
the United states would be- consuming 1901
600 tons, leaving 2,OOO.OOO for United states
planters TO produce
Secretary Root has received a cable
gram from Pedro A. Perez, representing
the a~yuntamiento 81 Guantanamo, cuba,
urging tariff concessions to Cuba and de-
claring that unless this il lone -frigltiul
will seize this place, which lives
exclusively on the sugar industry. The
despatch adds that work Is being suspended
and II Il continues -the country will
lose confidence and peace. and n stable
government, which II the desire al Wash
will be impossible