The St. Louis Republic., 1902-01-30
CONGRESSES Course on Relief Meas
ure May Force Question
on Administration.
HOUSE COMMITTEE DALL!ES.
Those Familiar With Politics Of
Cuba Say Tariff Concessions
Must Be Made or the Is
land Taken In.

| REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Washington, Jan. 29-Immediate annexa-
tion of Cuba. If the House Committee on
Ways and Means follows the policy ascribed
to them In certain Interested quarters, and
dallies with the question of relief for me
island wards of America. is thing the
administration may have to face at much
earlier day than any one in Congress I'M
agines.
Annexation in the course of time is what
Is looked for by the great mass of the
American people. Annexation in a few
years Is what is expected by Secretary OF
War Root, General Wood and the leaders
of the Cubans. But annexation WITHIN
few months almost coincident with the
formation OF a stable independent Govern
ment of the island. Is what some of the best
informed and wisest observers of the pres
ent situation see coming inevitably with the
refusal of the Ways and Means COMMIT
tee to act.
This thought is not given out by the rep
resentatives of the Cubans here. nor is IL
encouraged by the War Department.. be-
cause Secretary Root thinks Congress Will
afford the relief so necessary to the tran
guilty of the island. But men familiar with
the policies of Cuba see but two ways out
concessions to Cuba of 90 per cent tarlil
cut on her products or annexation as soon
1t becomes clear that those concessions
are to be denied.
How this will come no one can tell. There
was strong feeling in Congress in favor
OF starving the Cubans into annexation.
This sentiment has died out 10 a consider
able extent under the vigorous talk against
it put forth by President Roosevelt. On
the other hand there is feeling in CUBA
that, If the United States will not grant
ba "a hest thing that
can be done Will be to ask the United States
10 take the Island in.
Aim For Administration.
The possibility of T. Estrada Palma re-
Republic in the face of Industrial ruin has
been discussed. This does not seem likely.
on the other hand the prospect of disturb
,S, anees on the island 80 soon as the sugar
vassed. Some have gone so far as to say
that, If the United States do not come TO
the aid i OF Ssha VIII bs on
the island If the present industrial depres-
sion is not relieved. That there will be a
revolution is not believed by those in posi-
tion to get good informat ton. But disturb
ances which the local authorities could not
quelI would compel the United States to
send troops back to Cuba.
A War-Department authority. in speaking
of the matter to-day, said that the aim
of the administration had been to put off
for the future all thought of annexation.
No hasty annexation would be fostered by
the United States. All overtu-es should come
from the Cubans. 1t was desired to have
the Government of Cuba go along as it
had been mapped out by The Constitutional
Convention and the Platt amendment for
some years. and in time annexation would
come as a matter of course 1t would be
no fault of the administration If this ques-
tion was forced now! Indeed. he thought
all interests in the United States-beet
sugar. as well as cane-would be better
served. if concessions were granted now
and Cuba ran along as a Republic separate
from the United States for three or four
years.