The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-18
CUBA AND RECIPROCITY.

have been helped as Cuba wants 10 D.,
and hence we should be kind enough TO
give a competitor a chance. Beautiful
as such sentiments are, they do not ap-
peal 10 the practical mind in this ma
teriaI day with the force they might at
tain in the millennium. They are nIu-
lnEficent but they are not business 1t
Is the commercial rule in this world not
to weaken ones advantages, and those
which Hawaii enjoys she would be
Quixotic to share with some other deal
er across the way Nor is the question
one Of patriotism. Competitive methods
imply no disloyalty. If they did the
United States today would be n seeth-
ing cauIdron Of unpatriotic schemes.
| Self-preservation is the drst law of
nature. Cuba has 45.872 square miles
against our $40. Her soil is rot worn
out: labo- seems to he abundant; the-t
| Is no lack of water and Cuba's latitude
! is the same as our own. The Antilles
are 1000 miles nearer the mainland thar
we: they are within 800 miles OF the
market with which Hawaii trades at Z
distance Of 5000 miles direct o. II more
than double that span via the .3orn
To compete with her will he costly and
perlous Self-preservAtion requires
that we keep her out Of a fee Ameri-
can business II we can.
What are the prospects? 1t seams
true that If all things were left to the
President. Cuba would come in. but rec
iprocity treaties must be passed upon
first by the Senate and notifications OF
the tariff call for the collective wisdom
OF both houses. The temper Cf the
leaders Of legislation is more significant
for the time, therefore. than the temper
of the executive. On that account, we
attach to the views of the Hon. Serene |
Payne. chairman Of the House Commit |
tee on Ways and Means. an Importance
exceeded by those of no other public |
man who has thus far spoken on the !
Cuban subject. He says in an Inter
view:
IF we revised our tariff law TO allow
Cuban sugar to come in free, or at re-
duced rate, we would, by reason of the I
most favored nation clause, have to ad-
nit sugar at the same rate from every
nation with which we have a treaty That
would mean practically the same reduc-
ton to all sugar producing countries. On
the other hand, Cuba has no government
with which we can make reciprocal ar
and 1t is not to be expected
that our people are going to give her n
on her sugar, tobacco and spir- !.
its without getting something in return.
But with whom are we to treat in nego-
lAaIlnS a RECIPROCITY arrangement
Mr.. Payne expressed some surprise at
the demands which the committee now in
this country from Cuba are making in
the way of tariff concessions. He said I
that when like committee was here last
year its members called on him as chair
man of the ways and means committee.
They said at that time that they wanted {
some reciprocal arrangement on sugar." {
continued Mr.. Payne. They spoke of the
Kasson treaty with some of the
West India Islands, which made n re- ,
auction of 10 per cent on sugar, and sad ,
they ought to get as much as that. ,
told them a that time that If we made
my treaty with any country reducing the
tuty on sugar 1 had no doubt that Cuba
would fare equally well, although that !
vas question for the future. The COM I
nittee expressed itself as entirely salts I
led with the outlook. Although I have I
not seen any Of the members of the COM
mittee that is here now, I understand I
through the newspapers that they are I
asking for free raw sugar and that all or :
1 greater part of the duties on tobacco !
be taken Off; also that the duty on spirits
De entirely taken off, and that the spirits
here from Cuba be exempt from \
The internal revenue duties, which our c
own manufacturers have to pay" In this '
Mr.. Payne remarked that It 7
seemed that the Cubans had progressed g
in their desires since last I
year. s
While pointing out the supreme diff
,ulties in the way Of tariff aid u Cuba, Z
Mr. Payne implies. of course, that
treaty may come when CuDa ,
gets a government. That political sys-
tenn is now in it's primary stages and =
Maso and Estrada Palma are rival as {
Dirants for the Presidential post But I
N the course of Mr.. Payne's talk ne
raises one point which may prove Z pO-
tent weapon of defense in the hands of
the American sugar men. IIe S;:oT s
that other great interests, besIies !
those of mainland sugar growers are {
lrrayed against Cuban reciprocity; that y
he tobacco and spirits men are alarme I
and propose to fight. True, the Cubans
may drop the tobacco and liquor issue
Tor the nonce so as to reduce the pres
ent strength of the enemy; but II IS 50 G
plain. II the Cubans succeed in getting
Tree entry for sugar they will make use G
If the precedent thus established To :
seek like privileges for their other sta c
,les. that the tobacco and liquor men '
will have to make their battle nov. Is d
{ not fair TO believe that their COM Il
,ined leverage will prevail against the e
purely sentimental plea for Cuba?
The views of General Grosvenor are
llso OF striking interest. In the course !,
II a Washington Star interview he :
Iays: r
II fail to see that we are under obliga- +
ions TO shower benefits upon the Gu c
,ans at the expense of our own people," II
he said in response to request for his d
opinion upon proposed Cuban reciprocity. V
After Cuba has organized a government 7
which is national in scope and RESPONSE e
lie, am willing 10 do whatever may be Il
wise In the way of helping the Cubans, d
Z IN so doing no American industry now Il
by our tariff policy Is harmed. E
am and will be in the future a support u
r OF the national policy OF the admins Il
ration. But speaking for the present. a
nd Independently, I see no reason to "
asten to aid Cuba's commerce. 81
I'VE have certainly done a great deal fl
or the Cubans and do not see that we o,
We them anything. We released them d