Evening star., 1902-03-22
GENERAL WOOD HERE
Main Object Of His Visit to
Washington.
TRANSFER OF CONTROL
WILL CONFER WITH PRESIDENT
AND SECRETARY OF WAR.
He Does Not Believe a Reduction of
20 Per Cent is Sufficient
for Cuba.
TRANSFER OF CONTROL

General Leonard Wood. who arrived in
Washingt9 9n from Cuba this morning. called
at the White House for a few minutes be-
fore going to the War Department to re-
port and to confer with Secretary Root
and other officials. After paying his re-
spects General Wood went To the War De-
partment. He returned TO the White House
for lunch with the President. While in
Washington General Wood will spend much
time with the President. socially and Off
cially. He is guest of the President and
will remain at the White House while here.
Gen. Wood said that he did not care to
say much as to the Cuban tariff PROPOSE
tions until after he had conferred with the
President and Secretary Root. He ear
nestly hoped. however. that Congress would
reduce the duties more than 20 per cent
Gen. Woods own opinion was that any
thing less than SO per cent would be inef
fectual so far as sugar Is concerned, and
would be a hardship on the Cubans.
Main Object of His Visit.
The main object of his visit to Washing
ton at this time is to arrange with the
President and the Secretary of War for the
transfer of the active control of affairs in
Cuba to the Cuban republic. May 1 next.
Soon after his arrival Gen. Wood went
over to the War Department and had
long talk with Secretary Root regarding
the condition of affairs in Cuba. Subse-
quently the two officials went to the White
House and had a conference with the
President. The principal arrangements for
the military evacuation of the island will
be quickly made. Gen. Woods plans re-
quire that he shall leave here not later
than Tuesday on his way back to Havana
to carry into execution the program pre-
pared by the administration for the formal
transfer of government affairs. He will re-
turn to the Cuban capital by way of New
York, in order that he may meet and con-
suit fully with President elect Palma and
agree upon the joint program of action.
An arrangement has been made for such
meeting in New York.
President Palma will be inaugurated at
Havana May I, and American control in
the island will terminate on that date
Owing to the short time Intervening and
the extent and Importance Of the work In
volved It will be necessary for all officials
concerned to act promptly and without un-
necessary delay.
Gen. Woods Views.
Since coming to this country Gen. Wood
has made an interesting statement In
gard to the situation in Cuba, and expressed
the strong hope that Congress would make
more liberal concessions to Cuba than those
proposed by the republican caucus. The
general says that unless a greater reduc-
ton in the tariff on sugar than 20 per cent
Is made a crisis may soon be reached in the
islands affairs. The people are depending
upon the United States to give them a
market for their two principal crops-sugar
and tobacco-and they have every reason
to expect that the government Will afford
them the relief.
The general looks upon the Cuban people
as his charges, and Is going to see that they
get the best terms possible from the United
q ahSOlnte1V
to the welfare OF the island that the tariff
on sugar be reduced not less than 33 1-3 per
cent We may as well make up our minds
to that II the island Is to prosper, and We
are responsible for the future Of the island
and its prosperity. We have promised to
see the people through. and We must do it.
He says II is not a question OF a territory
thousands Of miles away, but of land right
at our doors. and must have our aid and
protection. There Is but one way for the
island TO remain prosperous and healthy,
and that is through the revenue gained
from It's sugar and tobacco. Its remaining
interests are not of much Importance.
He doesn't believe a reduction Of 33 1-3
per cent on Cuban sugar and tobacco would
be detrimental to any one in the United
States. The reciprocal arrangements which
would follow would give us trade the
benefit of which would be felt by a greater
number OF Americans than are engaged in
the sugar industry The trade Of the Unit
ed States with Cuba is now SOS. 600, 600
year, and with moderate encouragement
to the sugar and tobacco Industries it
would soon be two or three times that
amount.
He says that practically all the trade of
the island would come to us under a reci-
proctty arrangement. The people believe
absolutely that the United States will make
liberal reduction on the ground Of just
and fair treatment to the island which has
accepted the Platt amendment and assum-
ed responsibilities that will require liberal
income to sustain and carry out. such as
sanitation, schools, the avoidance Of bor-
rowing money and the maintenance of a
stable government with all the machinery
II requires
He believes the people of Louisiana will
have an unlimited market for :neir rice if
reciprocity arrangements are made with
Cuba. The rice and cotton goods trade
would soon become enormous. That in rice
is now worth $3,U1.WD a year and almost
all OF IT comes from Java and the East
Indies. 1t would be the same way with the
wines OF California. and Cuba consumes an
nually $3,OD.oOO of wines such as are pro-
duced there. In three years this country
would furnish them ALL
All Cuba's cotton goods would come from
the south. Last year Cuba bought So
100000 worth OF cotton goods from Europe
More than 81, OOO.O 600 worth of leather goods
was bought from Europe In 1901. The
United States can get all this trade by reci-
prOcity.