Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-30
BLISS SAYS CUBANS
ARE NOW EAGER
FOR j. s. FLAG
COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS AT HA-
VANA DECLARES REPUBLIC
WANTS TO BE A PART OF
UNITED STATES.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27-Colonel Lasker
Bliss, the United States army officer de-
tailed as collector of customs at Havana
was before the ways and means commit
tee SATURDAY concerning Cuban reel
procity.
He said his knowledge was confined to
that of an observer for three years in an
official position dealing with the trade of
Cuba. This had led him to hope that if
there was any change in the tariff 1t would
be such an adjustment as would throw
into the hands of the United States the
large amount of Cuban trade now taken
by foreign countries.
He said the Cuban sugar industry was
greatly depressed. The Havana. banks
were refusing further credits to the plant
ers and when this occurred it was a sure
evidence of the distress of the plantations
He roughly estimated the sugar industry
of the island at 5000 100000 and said about
three-fourths of the people were depen-
dent in one way or another upon the
sugar industry.
Colonel Bliss said the average ad
valorem rate was about p per cent, and
he presented tables designed to show how
a tariff readjTstment could throw practi-
cally all of the Cuban trade into the
hands of the American producers.
At present, he said, Cuba bought $685.
100000, of which the United States fur
nished SOS, 475, 900 and the balance of about
$37 100000 came from foreign countries
On many articles, such as fresh beef, rail-
road iron and other specified articles, the
United States had a practical monopoly
of the trade. But on many other arti-
cles, totaling about $i5.00O00O, the United
States had but $40, 100000 of the trade.
by a reasonable modification of the
Cuban tariff" said Colonel Bliss, "at
least Sc per cent of this trade can be
thrown to the United States"
He thought it would be necessary first
to raise Cuba's tariff rates for purposes
of revenue and then readjust them with
a sufficient differential to give the United
States control of the trade.
Representative Newlands, of Nevada,
suggested that without our political con-
troll of Cuba there might be servile labor
to compete with American labor. He
added:
Are the Cuban people prepared to come
into. political relations with the United
States?"
81 think great majority of the Cubans
are" Colonel Bliss replied.
"As a territory or state?" asked Mr..
,Newlands
"They would be glad to come in as a
state or territory or under the military
authority-almost any way, in order to
come under the authority of the United
States"
"If invited to come in first as a terri
tory, then as a state, would this be &C
cepted?"
''I think IT would
He thought commercial union with Cuba
would postpone political union.
The feeling in Cuba was one of readi-
ness to accept any conditions the United
States might impose.
Asked whether there was much poverty
and distress among the Cubans, Colonel
Bliss said there was not. But the condi-
ton was like that of a bank about to
break and the people did not know what
would become of them three months
hence.
Colonel Bliss gave the cost of produc-
ing raw sugar i'm Cuba at about cents
pound, the selling price in Havana about
1-2 cents.
Mr.. Louis Place, head of the Cuban
delegation, made an earnest statement
controverting the claim that the reci-
procity movement was instigated by the
United States sugar interests and con-
tending that the Cubans had long urged
and expected these concessions.
CUBA is fighting its own cause on its
own merits" declared Mr.. Place.