The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-22
CALIFORNIAN PROTEST.
Loud Objection to Reciprocal Trade
Relations with Cuba.

San Francisco Post.
No more convincing testimony conirma-
tory of the Posts declaration that any
treaty of reciprocity with Cuba would
work ruin TO the leading Industries of Cal
ifOrnia could have been offered than the
expert opinion of EIwood Cooper. presi-
dent of the State Board of Horticulture.
After enumerating the advantages that
would enable the Cuban shipper to control
the Eastern markets. Mr.. Cooper informs
us that 1.-THE tariff is calculated at this
time upon such a figure i'm our advantage
only as is necessary TO make UP the diff
ference in freight which we pay in ex-
cess of what the Cuban pays. In other
words, the tariff benefits us only to the ex-
tent that We are able to lay our fruit down
in the East on an equal condition with
TO be knocked from under the California
grower of fruits to compete with Cuban
fruits, it takes no prophet to foresee the
result.
California State Board of Trade, s.equaiiy
pronounced In opposition to the proposed
treaty with Cuba. This authority says:
country free of duty it will certainly SER
iously affect many of CALIFORNIA; prod
uets. especially her oranges and lemons
to the island reciprocity | cannot under
stand
But others can understand. Cuba is
capable of producing fruit equal to that
produced by California or Florida. If the
duty on Cuban products is removed Amer
lean capital will at once invest in Cuban
orchards and plantations, for there will be
vast profit in the fruit, sugar and vegeta-
bles of the island. Cuban labor I'm the
sugar mills costs but is cents a day, and
the women work for II cents a day. This
labor is even cheaper in the orchards, fields
and packing houses. The distance between
Cuba and the American market does not
exceed 500 miles. The distance between
California and New York Il more than 2 OOO
miles. The product of Cuba can be laid
down in the markets of the Eastern States
at a price less than 80 per cent. of the cost
of California production. If free trade is
granted TO Cuba there will be no demand
for California products. That is why the
spectators and hnaneiers of the Eastern
States are clamoring for reciprocity with
Cuba; that is why IL is proposed to ruin
the industries of California.
The commercial intent OF the Cuban spec
ulators is masked in an appeal on behalf
of the down-trodden, oppressed, poverty
to sacrifice California in ''the fulhllment
of our duty to the beggarly population
of a country that could never have achieved
its independence unaided-a country that
must now subsist on the aims and charity
of the American people or cease to exist
as an Independent nation.
This charity is offered i'm a policy of reci-
prOcity that only includes the most profit
able Industries of California. CalifOrnians
are proverbially generous. and it is pro-
posed TO make them clOthe. feed and shell
ter these poor beggars, who declare that
they cannot care for themselves and who,
as we all know. would not care for them
selves II they could-a people better off in
q condition of abjeet servitude than they
can ever be as a self-gOverning common
wealth-a people who will resort TO the
congenial occupation of cutting the threats
of one another and plundering the chattels
of their ~neighbOrS the instant they are re-
lieved of American police supervision.