Evening star., 1907-05-05
NO BILL To JAMAICA
Secretary Taft Denies We Ever
Charged for Charity.
LETTER TO J. H. MOORE
Official Statement as to Relief Of
Kingston.
FALSE REPORT IN ISLAND PRESS
Correspondence Relating to the Send
ing of Supplies Made Public by
the War Department.
FALSE REPORT IN ISLAND PRESS

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, May 4-Congress-
man J. Hampton Moore of this city tonight
gave out letter from Secretary of War
Taft in which the Secretary denies the re-
newspapers that the United States govern
ment rendered bill to Jamaica for sup
plies furnished at the time of the earth
quake. Representative Moore gathered the
clippings while on the recent tour of the
West Indies and Panama with Speaker
Cannon's party, and as he was interested
in the matter made direct inquiry of Secre-
tary Taft as to the truthfuness of the
statements. The Secretary's letter Is as
follows:
Taft's Letter to Moore.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
Washington, May /, 1907
MY Dear Sir:
Il have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 10Th ultimo, in
which you 1nclose clipping from a Pan
anna newspaper bearing the caption 18TH
m1an Canal Commission Sends Bill to ia
maica, and request information as to
whether % the War Department or the
isthmian canal commission, either or both,
sent tents and provisions to the earthquake
sufferers In Jamaica; and (2) If tents and
sproVislons were forwarded, was a bill sent
as indicated In the clipping, or otherwise,
to cover the cost of such tents and pro-
visions, and If SO, what the reason there
for?
In reply l would state that it has been
found upon investigation that the chair
man of the isthmian canal commission, un-
der date of January 10, 1897, Immediately
on hearing of the earthquake at Kingston,
and realizing that supplies could be sent
from the isthmus and reach Kingston as
quickly If not quicker than from other
points, and knowing that first aid to the in
jured and suffering would be of the utmost
Importance sent food supplies, which were
the property of the Panama railroad, of
the value of $7,31625, and also tents wood
en- plates and cots, the property of the
isthmian canal commission, of the value of
$,OS415. On January 23 the governor of
Jamaica wrote a letter of acknowledgment
and thanks to the chairman of the isthmian
canal commission for the supplies, and
stated that this government will be found
ready to assent to whatever adjustment
the United States government will permit
No bill. however. has been rendered to the
jamaican government for the payment of
these supplies; therefore. the allegation
made in the clipping inclosed by you is in
error.
@4 Offer Made to Pay. e,.,
''In addition to the above this department,
upon the request of the British legation at
Havana. sent from United States quarter
masters stores in Cuba to Kingston tent
age of the value of $2.971.7s On February
the British charge d'affaires at Havana In
a letter to the provisional governor Of Cuba
stated that he had been requested by the
governor Of Jamaica to convey the thanks
Of the jamaican government for the sup
that, as some of the recipients Of the tents
will be called upon to pay their cost to the
general relief fund, the government of ia
maica will be glad If it be permitted the privi-
lege of repaying the invoice values of the
property to the United States government,
as otherwise 1t would be in the very invidi-
GUS position of making money for the fund
out OF the generosity OF the United States
government or of standing neutral while
the relief committee grants tents to persons
able to pay for them.
No Payment Ever Made.
1.-The matter was submitted to me by the
provisional governor of Cuba for instruc-
tions and in view Of the circumstances un-
der which the request was made, l author
lied the provisional governor to say to the
British charge d'affares that if the gover-
nor Of Jamaica desired to repay the invoice
values of the property to the United States
government the commanding general of the
army of Cuban pacifeation, by whom the
tents were sent, could make statement of
the same, receive the money and cover 1t
into the treasury of the United States. Up
to the present time, however, no payment
has been made, and no bill has been pre-
sented to the Jamaican government for the
tents.
Il might further add that. pursuant to
cabled request from the governor of ia
maica to the provisional governor of Cuba
asking that he send Immediately bandages,
lint and wool for those injured by the
earthquake at the cost CT the colony, the
Navy Department sent medical supplies of
the value of $1S6. The British charge
d. 'affaires at Havana has recently requested
information as to the amount for which the
government Of Jamaica is responsible on
account Of these stores. II has been decided
that no charge for these stores shall lie
against the Jamaican government, and the
provisional governor OF Cuba has been in
structed to so inform the British charge
d affaires at Havana"
FOR GOOD ROADS.