Show 1 CUBAN SUGAR INDUSTRY Question Discussed by Collector = Col-lector at Havana J TALKS TO HOUSE COMMITTEE I Estimates the Industry of Lho Island at Largo Figure Havana Banks Have Refused Credits to Planters and This Was Sure Evidence of Distress on the Plantations Cost of Production of Haw Sugar in Cuba About Two Cents Per Pound Selling Price Less Than That I Washington Jan 25Col Tanker Bliss the United States army officer detailed as collector of customs at Havana Ha-vana was before the Ways and Means committee today concerning Cuban reciprocity In opening his statement he disclaimed being a sugar expert ands and-s ld his knowledge was confined to that of an observer In an official po iklon dealing with the Hade of Cuba This had led him to hope that if there was any change In the tariff It would be such an adjustment as would throw Into the hands of the United Statca the large amount of Cuban trade now taken by foreign countries CUBAN INDUSTRY DEPRESSED Speaking first of the condition of the Cuban sugar Industry he said It was greatly depressed The Havana banks were refusing further credits to the planters and when this occurred it wasa sure evidence of the distress of the plantations He estimatedthe sugar su-gar industry of the Island at 200000 000 and said about threefourths of the people were dependent in one way or another on the sugar Industry QUESTION BY MR PAYNE Chairman Payne asked Col Bliss to specify what advantages the United States could gain from Cuba and Mr Payne also called attention to the low tariff rate Cuba Imposed against the United States Col Bliss said the average ad valor cm rate was about 21 per cent and he presented tables designed to show how i a tariff readjustment could throw practically all of the Cuban trade into the hands of American producers PLAN OF WAR DEPARTMENT He also submitted a list of articles on which a differential of about 33 per cent favorable to the United Stales as against other foreign countries would give us1 the trade In reporting on this to the War department the condition had been imposed upon him not to reduce re-duce the revenues of Cuba Under such circumstances he thought it would be necessary llrst to raise Cu bas tariff rates for purposes of revenue rev-enue and then readjust them with a sufficient differential to give the United States control of the trade This he put forward only tentatively as one of several plans proposed to the War department PLIED WITH QUESTIONS The members of the committee plied Col Bliss on the details of the proposed pro-posed readjustment In the course of the examination Representative New lands of Neada suggested that without with-out our political control of Cuba there might be servile labor U compete with American labor He added Are the Cuban people prepared to came Into political relations with the United States I READY TO COME IN I think a great majority of the Cubans Cu-bans are ready to come in Col Bliss replied As a Territory or State asked Mr Newlands They would be glad to come In as a States or Territory under the military authorityalmost any way In order to come under the authority of the United States If Invited to come In first as a Ter iltory then as a State would this be accepted I think it would AS TO COMMERCIAL UNION Continuing on this topic Col Bliss said he thought commercial union with Cuba would postpone political union Pcdsonally he was convinced of the wisdom of annexation The feeling In Cuba was one of readiness to accept any conditions the United States might Impose I Asked whether there was much poverty pov-erty and dlstrosH among the Cubans Col Bliss said there was not But the condition was like that of a bank about to bieak and the people did not know what wpuld become of them three months hence COST OF PRODUCING SUGAR Col Bliss gave the cost of producing raw sugar In Cuba at about 1 cents a pound the selling price In Havana at about Ii cents Mr Louis Place head of the Cuban delegation made an carngst statement conti overling the claim that the reciprocity movement watt Instigated by the United States sugar Interests and contending that the Cubans had long urged and expected these concessions conces-sions Cuba is fighting Us own cau con I c-on Us own merits declared Mr Place HEARING GOES OVER Mr Mendoza also of thc theCuban delegation l del-egation added the statement that the Platt amendment hfid been accepted by Cuba on assurances from President McKinley that hly Influence would be exerted with Congress to secure economic eco-nomic concessions for the island These assurances were relied on Mr Mendoza Men-doza said and without their execution the Platt amendment would bring no advantage to Cuba The Cuban hearing hear-ing then went over until Tuesday when the beet 1lgal men and several Cubans Mill be heard |