New-York tribune., 1902-02-06
@. H. PLATT FOR RECIPROCITY
TARIFF CONCESSIONS TO CUBA, HE SAYS, WILL NOT AP-
PRECIABLY LJURE ANY AMERICAN INDUSTRY.


Ways and Means Committee. Therefore, his
statement is not regarded of any considerable
Importance by the Senate leaders. In fact
there is excellent reason to believe that the
Ways and Means Committee will report a bill
for tariff concessions to Cuba under broad
and practical reciprocity arrangement that will
not conflict with the favored nation clause in
all the treaties Of amity between the United
States and other nations. There is also excel
lent reason to believe that this will be done by
the Ways and Means Committee as soon after
the Revenue Reduction bill passes the House as
practicable. and there is room for doubt that
the Cuban bill will get through in spite Of the
claims being made by agents Of the beet
root lobby that sufficient number of Republi-
can members have been pledged by petition to
defeat the measure.
Before the debate on the Revenue Reduction
bill closes in the House it will be shown that
even if that measure becomes a law just as
framed by the Ways and Means Committee
tariff concessions still can be made to Cuba
without endangering the Treasury's ability to
meet all national obligations and then have
substantial surplus left Should the Senate not
amend the Payne bill by retaining any of the
taxes that measure seeks to abolish. the total
reduction of revenues would not exceed So,
100000. roughly estimated. There is in
the Treasury the enormous surplus of S175,-
tees bill should become law it would not lop
off enough revenue to check the accumulation
of a surplus in excess of that required for the
maintenance Of the currency a safe basis.
Estimating the loss in revenues that would
follow tariff concessions TO Cuba at S1O,0O0,O0O
"a figure much tco high, in the opinion of
perts-there would still be room for a large
surplus based on present estimates of Treasury
receipts and expenditures. When the benefits
that would accrue to the general commerce of
the country from increased trade with Cuba that
would follow reciprocity are counted it is seen
that all the arguments even from the strict
business point of view are the side of those
who are contending for substantial tariff reduc-
tions TO Cuba. And il has been shown re-
Cuban sugar would not reduce the price OF
sugar one cent in the United States, the clamOr
OF the beet root magnateS that concessions to
Cuba would injure their industry has about lost
its force in Washington.
WILL NOT REPRIMAND GENERAL WOOD.
At the same time it cannot be said that the
beet root people have given up the fight They
are still loud in their assertions of victory, and
through their lobby yesterday started q report
that was intended intimidate everybody in
the military service in Cuba with the view
of shutting off concession arguments from that
source. This report was to the effect that the
President and Secretary of War had decided
10 reprimand Governor General Wood for plead
carefully wOrded statement he has sent from
Havana to members of the Senate. 1t was
said, both at the White House and the War De-
partment to-day, that there was no thought at
either place of reprimanding General Wood for
showing the necessity of tariff concessions to
Cuba.