The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-02
CHAIRMAN PAYNE's STATEMENT.


Means Committee is very anxious &c
have 1t understood that the decision OF
that committee in deciding to take ur
| the question of repeating all of the war
| taxes before proceeding further with
the question of reducing the customs
duties on Cuban sugar and tobacco was
not influenced by a purpose to block
the way for reciprocity with Cuba. 1t
seems that it is generally understood
that the action of the committee was
for that purpose.
1t does look a little strange that
though Congress had been in session
for two months, it did nothing towards
repeating the war taxes until the pres
sure in behalf of aid for Cuba began
to be felt. 1t is true, of course, that
there has been no meeting of the MEM
bers of the Ways and Means Commit
tee or of the Republican members of
that committee on the subject of aid
for Cuba in the shape of lower duties
on her sugar and tobacco. but it does
not follow on that account that there
has been no understanding on the Gu
ban aid question between the ;tepubli-
can members of the committee.
1t is evident that if all of the war
taxes should be repealed there wouW
be little, if any, surplus revenue left.
In that case a strong argument against
making any reduction in the customs
duties on Cuban sugar and tobacco
would be that the revenues of the gov
ment would not permit of it. The i'm
portation of Cuban sugar and tobacco
is very large, and a reduction of our
customs duties to be of real benefit to
Cuba would have to be at least so per
cent. 1t can be readily seen, there
fore, that helpful concessions to Cuba
would make a big difference Ia the
amount Of our revenues.
While the President and Secretary of
War strongly favor concessions to
Cuba, there is a very influential ele-
ment in the Republican party that is
opposed to giving her any help at all.
There are two reasons for this. one
is that certain of our own agricultural
interests would be injured if cur GUS
tom duties We're to be reduced on
Cuba's chief products, and the other is
the belief that if no aid is extended
Cuba will be forced to ask for afnexa-
ton, and in that way the Cuban prob
lem will be finally, promptly and for
ever solved.
1t does seem, however, as if the Gu
bans should be given a chance to try
self-government. They have been
striving for independence for so many
years that it would be almost cruel
not to help them to trial of it, par
ticularly since 1t is now almost within
their grasp. They might succeed as n
lf-governing community, but there is
no doubt that they would have diff
cult road to travel before they reached
the point of safety, if, in fact, they ever
reached it. While struggling to estab-
lish a stable governme at they might
burden themselves with obligations
which they could not pay in half a
century. a.
A ROYAL BOX CAUSES TROUBLE.
1T is going to require a great deal
of diplomacy to smooth away the rough
places that will be encountered during
Prince Henry's visit. Some tall Asaar-
lean talk has already been called out
by the effort of the committee that has
charge of his entertainment in New
ia 60 Gxra hN~au in he
conspicuous place in the Metropolitan
Opera House for Prince Henry and
those who accompany him for a gala
operatic performance on the night of
Feb. 25. One of the boxes wanted be-
longs to Mr.. Thomas Hitchcock
When asked for it's use by the commit
tee he promptly declined, though he
was assured that he would be furnished
with another box in a conspicuous part
of the house. He wanted it under
American, and that he did not intend
to give up his box to Prince Henry
or any other prince. He said that
Prince Henry was only little snip OF
royalty anyway. and that he didn't
represent anybody. He doesn't come
to this country in representative ca
pacity, he said, and there was no rea-
son why. anybody should put himself
out on his account.
He nointed out that when President
Roosevelt comes to New York a royal
box at the opera is not set aside for
him and he did not see why a royal
box should be set aside for Prince
Henry. He thought the whole busi-
ness was out of place and simply re-
suited from Mayor Lows snobbishness
In his opinion Mayor Low is green in
such matters. and in need of the ad-
vice of somebody capable of telling
what is right and proper under such
circumstances. If Prince Henry were
to be the guest of the city it would
be another matter. but the hurrah over
the Prince was gotten up by a few rich
merchants to bring themselves into
social prominence.
This squabble over a royal box must
amuse Prince Henry. for. of course,
what is being said in the newspapers IS
cabled to him. AS a matter of fact
what does he care for a royal box
1t is probable that II would please
him If the committee of entertain