The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-12-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10Th, 1902.
Word has been received by Secretary
Hay that General Tasker H. Bliss has
accomplished, in Havana, the task for
which he was sent to Cuba and has either
negotiated reciprocity treaty or has
procured a protocol which provides for
such treaty. AS heretofore stated in these
letters, the new treaty provides for a re-
duction of the Dingley duties on imports
from Cuba of 20 per cent and secures in
return therefor material concessions from
Cuba. Cuba is to adopt maximum and
minimum tariff schedules, the former to
be assessed on imports from all countries
other than the United States. In exem-
pliication of the new treaty it is stated
that at present Cuba imports more cotton
goods, oil which she is large consumer,
from Europe than from the United States.
The new tariff will give the United States
an advantage in tariff of from 80 IA to 90
per cent and will thus insure a monopoly
Of the Cuban market The same is yir
tually true Of linen goods, ETC. The Pres
ident is said to have secured pledges from
many senators to support the new treaty
and the administration does not believe
it will meet with strong opposition. The
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
| has determined TO insert clause in the
ratification of the treaty requiring the
| IF tho Io1co b,,i
leaders say that will not be hard to obtain.
*x*
The Venezuelan situation is the occa-
sion of some anxiety on the part Of the
administration although it is believed the
fact that Great Britain is party to the
belligerent forces will have tendency to
restrain Germany from the high handed
proceedings she might attempt were she
alone engaged. The sinking of Venezue-
Ian ships by the German Admiral has led
to suspicion of the attitude of the latter
country, however, and the President and
his Cabinet are watching the situation
with closest interest. The gunboat Mar
ietta has been ordered to La Guayra to
protect American interests. The Pres
ident has made it very clear that he will
not interfere with the most drastic meas
ures for collecting the debt which Ven
ezuela owes her foreign creditors, but will
promptly protest at any attempt at ter
ritorial acquisition.
| M
Both the President and Secretary Hay
are much pleased at the good offices per-
formed by United States Minister Bowen
at Caracas the latter having secured the
release of the English and German con-
suls and citizens who President Castro at
first imprisoned, and having been made
the medium for an arbitration proposition
by the Venezuelan President, PROPOSE
ton which it is feared comes too late for
acceptance by Germany and Great Brit
ain. 1t has, however, been submitted to
both nations through the State Depart
ment.
~
The disregard of the little niceties of
diplomacy, to which this country has in
the past been prone. caused some EN-
barrassment during the past week. Min
lister Buck having resigned his post at
Tokyo, the President appointed Mr.. John
Barrett, now Minister to Siam to succeed
him. Immediately it became known, not
as result of formal protest but by less
direct methods common among diplo,
mats, that Mr.. Barrett would be to some
extent persona non grata at Tokyo. For
tunately, the newspapers had ascertained
the Presidents intentions before they
were formally made known and thus pre-
cipitated the criticism from the Japanese
Legation. 1t became known that the
chief objection to Mr.. Barrett was the fact
that he had, in public speech, stated
that Aguinaldo and his Filipino col
Japanese. Recognizing that the fact that
Mr.. Barrett did not command the respect
of the Japanese would diminish his USE
fulness, Secretary Hay notified Mr.. Bar
rett of the Presidents wish but also adj
vised him that it might be wise for him to
decline the appointment. which he has
done. 1t is predicted that he will later
receive promotion to some court where he
may prove more acceptable and in the
meantime it is believed that Mr.. Lloyd G.
GrisconI, now Minister to Persia, will be
transferred IN ToEvo
~
Little has been accomplished in the
senate during the past week. The bill
appropriating $4,000 for the expenses,
etc., Of the Anthracite Coal Strike CON-
mission was passed on Thursday after an
interesting debate, several Senators OPP
posing the measure because they consid-
cred the President had exceeded the con-
stitution i'll designating government Of
fcers for work not authorized by
Congress.
80
Thursday also witnessed in the Senate
brief but exciting skirmish between
Senator Quay and those senators opposed
to the admission of the territories aspiring
| to statehood. The Pennsylvania Senator
frankly stated that it had been common
talk in committee room and lob y that
the bill was to be killed by dilatory tao