New-York tribune., 1901-12-12
Rect SUGAR MEN FAIL.
THE PRESIDENT GIVES THEN
NO ENCOURAG CEMENT.
WILL NOT REVERSE HIS ATTITUDE ON
THE QUESTION OF KEEPING
FAITH WITH CUBA
fBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l

FAITH WITH CUBA
fBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.I
washington Dec. 1I-Senator Burrows, of
Michigan this afternoon escorted big party
If beet sugar magnates to the White House.
where they made plea to the President not
rrre on Congress compliance with that part of
his message which says:
In the case of Cuba, there are weighty reasons
NJ morality and of national interest why the
policy Of reciprocity should be held to have
necuiiar application, and 1 must earnestly ask
vour attention to the wisdom, indeed. the vital
need, of providing for substantial reduction
IN the tariff duties on Cuban imports into the
United States. Cuba has in her constitution af-
Nrmed what desired, that she should stand
in International matters IN closer and more
friendly relations with than with any other
power. and we are bound by every considera-
ton OF honor and expediency to pass CONNER
cial measures in the interest of her material
welbeng.
PRESIDENT FIRM FOR RECIPROCITY.
Senator Burrows accompanied the beet sugar
negnates the White House merely an act
Of courtesy, as several of them are citizens Of
hi. State and not in his capacity member
of the Senate Finance Committee to request the
President TO reverse himself the bold and
humane stand the Executive has taken with re
gard TO Cuba. Aside from introducing the dele
CATION to the President, the Michigan senator
took no part in the conversation that occurred.
and which was disappointing and unsatisfactory
10 the beet sugar barons- With a frankness
that in most instances is called effrontery, the
Presidents visitors told him in effect that he
had made serious mistake in recommending
reciprocity with Cuba. They also. OF course.
descanted on the extreme infancy" of the in
dustry they represent and declared that save
for the S36 ton tariff duty which the Dingley
law allows them they would be compelled 10 go
ont OF business
There were in the party well known capital
lists and lawyers from nearly all of the beet
sugar States, including California, Oregon, Ne
braska Washington, Minnesota, Michigan and
New-York all of whom, it goes without saying,
get part of the nearly S5,5o0,o0O which is an
nually paid by American sugar consumers TO
the wet nurses Of this infant industry They
did not remind the President that they are the
sole benehc:aries O. this mun:hcent annual gift.
which in the four years since its inauguration
has amounted TO about S2o.ooo,oGn- Nor did
they think TO remind the President that their
,-ot;uct represents less thar oretwertieth of the
total consumption Of domestic sugar, aud that
the producers of the great bulk of sugar are no
longer 'clemoring for the maintenance or the
system which shuts out from the United States
Cuba's principal product
The President listened respectfully TO the plea
of his visitors but gave them no encourage
lrent to hope that he would abate his matufeo
determination to insist Congress keeping
faith with the Cubans in the matter OF the es-
iablisfrnent of reciprocal trade relations with
them as soon rs their government is formed
THREATS FOR CONGREssMEN.
From the White House the beet root mag
rates returned to the hotel. where they are held
ing their annual conference. which il is interest
ing to observe il held in Washington just about
the time a new Congress assemblies. While they
are averse making public any of their pro-
ceedings. except that part which consists Of LOUD
lamentations over what would happen I" mem
should Cuban sugar be admitted to this coun-
try at a reduced rate. il is known that they are
already beginning TO threaten certain Repubh-
ca Representatives from close districts in the
West with political annihilation in the next
Congress elections If the Presidents recommen-
datiGns s Cuba are enacted into law at this
or the next session. II IS not believed, however,
that their threats will have the desired effect.
II is true that Chairman Payne. General Gros-
and one or two other members OF the
House Ways and Means Committee have cN-
pressed opposition to the proposition to grant
concessions to Cuba, but it is known that n ma
ioritv of that organization favor the most lib-
eral policy toward the island. In fact. can
vass of the committee shows that, should the
question of Cuban reciprocity be left wholly to
it. a bill would he framed allowing such a reduc-
ton on sugar from Cuba would rehabilitate
that industry and thus give the idle people or
the island something else TO do when tneir
government is formed than plotting revolution
as the easiest and most direct cure for economic
Ills
WOULD NOT HARM THE INDUSTRY
While this is true, it is also true that there
ss no disposition in Congress to enact any legis-
lafion or enter into any treaties that would IN
fict injury on the beet sugar industry 1t Is
demon f,le that the beet root industry could
very well meet the small competition that
might be caused by a liberal reciprocity ar
rangernent with Cuba 1t is not proposed 10
take the protection off beet sugar. The PROPOSE
ton concerns itself solely with the problem or
how hest 10 promote the interests of Cuba With
out interfering in any way with domestic enter
prses Nearly the entire crop OF CUBAN sugar
is now marketed in the United States without
hurt to the beet root industry A reduction OF
the present tariff would not so materially IN
crease import ations from Cuba as TO drive the
beet root men OF business. 1t is not doupt-
&c that if the benefits which IL is proposeu to
extend to Cuba should be made general IN scope
there would be such heavy increase IN sugar
importations from Germany and Russia as 10
lower the prices of the commodity 10 Such d
figure as to make the production OF oeet sugar
in the United States unprohtabie-, tout II -
contenGed that the small increase Whlch Noulu
follow concessions TO Cuba would not prlng lhat
ruin and bankruptcy to the beet sugar peope
which their representatives in Washington are
now loudly predicting