Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-12-05
Reciprocity With Cuba.
Philadelphia Press.

Reciprocity With Cuba.
Philadelphia Press.
The Frank direct and weighty plea for
reciprocity with Cuba on sugar and tobac-
CO duties made by Secretary Root in his
annual repor; has been met by opposition
as frank from Mr.. Payne, in the last
House, chairman of the COMMITTEE OF
Ways and Means, and MIR. Grosvenor, a
distinguished leale. in the Republican
par y from Ohio.
Both the Secretary of War and Messrs
Payne and Grosvenor are earnest Repub'
licans, al three are sincere protectlonlsts'
each supported both the National RepuD'
lican Convention and President Mckinley,
in their declarations in favor of policy OF
reciprocity. No one them would be pre-
pared either to attack all plans for reel
procity or to urge any such plan which APP
peared likely to be injurious to American
industries already established and still
need and deserving protection.
If under this general agreement as to
principle and practice differences arise az
to details, in applying either principle or
practice to Cuba, 1t is we'll to remember
that exactly such difficulties arose two
years ago as to Porto Rico. A 10 per
cent. tempest in teapot was aroused over
an alleged irreconcilable difference Of
opinion between earnest Republicans
There were extremists who were never
going to admit Porto Rico to free access
to our markets and other extremists
equally determined that not an hour de-
lay should pass before Porto Rico was
made one with the United States in tariff
and legal and constitutional rights. Nor
were there lacking then, as now, those
outside of the Republican party anxious
to make factions or party capital of these
divisions within its ranks.
These differences and divisions were all
adjusted. The principle of exclusion was
maintained The practice of exclusion
was reduced to a minimum of 10 per cent.
Long before the appointed term in the
compromise adopted, Porto Rico was ad-
mitted to full and unrestricted trade with
the United States. No one suffered.
Porto Rico lost nothing by the delay. No
interest or industry in the United States
has suffered by the full admission of all
the products of an island smaller than
Connecticut to the traffic and commerce
of 8, 000,000 square miles which create an
internal trade, dWar6ng most inter nation
al exchange.
This result and this experience may
well lead every one to be patient, judicious
aud to practice wise delay in extreme
comment on the proposal of Secretary
Root, proposal not that all the duty on
Cuban sugar and tobacco be abolished,
but that such measure of this duty be re
moved as the conditions of the case rem
der wise for the United States and judi
cious for Cuba. AS with Porto Rico, the
balance of public opinion is toward a
freer trade with Cuba. The majority
of Republicans desire this. The current
of events moves in that direction. AZ
with the lesser island, it may be wise to
delay and necessary for a season to modify
a free interchange of products; but In the
end the United States on some mutual
plan will enjoy the markets of Cuba and
Cuban tobacco and sugar will be entering
the markets of the United States free from
some or all of the duties they now bear.
A steady, memorable movement draw
ing closer and closer together the develop
ment and the trade of Cuba and this coun'
try has been long plain. He must BE-
! blind who does not see that with no spe
cial purpose Cuba has been swept by the
whirlpool of events nearer and nearer to
the embracing commerce of the United
States. How or when the policy urged by
Secretary Root is carried out no one can
today tell. The problem has many as
pecis, some serious difficulties and several
thorny obstacles to its solution; but in the
end this question will be solved, as was
that of Porto Rico, by wise, judicioue
compromise along the line of evident de
velopment, duty and destiny. The reve-
nue. and industries Of this country, the
needs and policy of Cuba and the political
and international relations Of both the
larger and the lesser land must all be con
sidered, and when they have been consid'
cred the Republican party will be found
acting on one harmonious plan which will
command national support and approval.