Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-04-10
OPPOSED 70 The BILL
Alti-Reciprocity Republicans Occupy
Most of the Day in Debate
in the House.
Smith Of Michigan Talks Against the
Measure Declaring it Against
y American Interests.
Morris of Minnesota Says Shylocks
aud Sugar Trusts are the
Only, Benefciaries.

Only Benefciaries.
Washington, April 10.-Before tle
debate upon the Cuban reciprocity bill
was resumed in the house some rou
tine business was transacted.
When the reciprocity bill was talse1
up William Alden Smith (Mich.) was
the first speaker. He spoke against
the bill. He presented the question
from the view point of the Republic
ans who have opposed Cuban recipro
city on account of the beet sugar in
terests and said in part:
81 would not for anything have yol
believe that we, who have for two
months been battling for what We
believe to be right, were animated BY
any hostility or unfriendliness towart
the Island of Cuba. Such is far from
the truth. We have always aided anc
sustained her in her struggle for inde
pendence. We glory in her approach
ing sovereignty. But we must not for
get that while we may sympathizs
with Cuba, our first duty is toward oul
ows people, and everything that tends
to strengthen and develop our multi
piled resources at home and add to the
measure OF our national strength anc
independence should be the object Oh
our profoundest solicitude.
Il am opposed to this measure be
cause believe it is calculated to breed
strife and dissatisfaction with the
other sugar countries of the world
which are thus Disseminated against
l believe it will have a tendency to pro
woke commercial hostility among the
other West India islands and ou
neighbors in South America.
American interests First.
81 am opposed to this measure be
cause in order to give it effect it be
comes necessary to violate a solemn
promise of the Republican party delib
erately made in solemn convention tt
the American people; because I be
lieve it will be harmful to the agricul
tural and industrial classes of the
United States whose great interests
have been confided to our care; be
cause l believe it will be harmful il
the extreme to the Island of Cuba; be
cause believe that the principal ben
efciary will be the American Sugar
Refining company, who do not neeC
our sympathy; because I believe thai
the people of the Island of Cuba viii
receive no benefit therefrom.'
In the course of Mr.. Smiths speech
Mr.. Underwood (Ala) asked Mr.
Smith if he would vote to take the diff
ferential off refined sugar coming from
Cuba. Mr.. Smith replied that no re
fined sugar came from Cuba and in his
turn he asked Mr.. Underwood if his
(the Democratic) side would vote tc
overrule the chair and join in voting
to take the differential Off the sugar
of the world.
After some sparring, during which
Mr. Underwood showed disposition
to evade the question, in response tc
the promptings OF the Democrats
around him he finally ventured the
prediction that there would be an op
portunity to vote upon the proposition
to take the differentiaI off the sugar o.
the world.
eff there u.s." observed Mr.. Smith, &c.
will watch your vote with great inter
est"
Repeatedly during the delivery O.
Mr.. Smiths remarks his Republican
supporters on the floor applauded him
A number of Michigan beet sugar man
ufacturers in the galleries joined il
the demonstration of approval. Whe1
he concluded with an eloquent perora
tion in eulogy of the policy of protec
tion the whole Republican side burs
into applause. rT
Mr.. Sparkman (Fa.) followed, alst
| making an argument against the bill
Morris of Minnesota Speaks.
Mr.. Morris (Minn), another Repub
lican opposed to the bill and the all
thor Of the rebate plan of relievins
| Cuba, which was rejected by the Re
| publican caucus, made an eXhaustiv,
argument against the measure He in
sisted that if any persons would re
| ceive benefit from the concession t,
| Cuba except the sugar trust it woult
be the Cuban Shylocks'' to whom tn,
| planters had pledged their crops. ..
| Mr.. Morris cited the evidence of wit
! nesses before the committee. whom b.
| describes as ''disinterested," to shov
that the cost of producing sugar i,
| Cuba had been exaggerated; that in
| stead of being 2 cents per pound it wa
| IL cents and that, therefore, at tn
! present price in Havana, 1.S1, the Gu
bans would receive a profit Of .31 cen
per pound. He further argued tha
I there was no moral obligation upo1
the United States to make the pre-
4 posed concession. No country ha
i done more for another than the Unit
/ ed States had for Cuba.
4 II that was necessary, Mr.. Morri
4 said, he was willing to go further an
relieve Cuba by the rebate plan, which
he declared, was the only method b.
4 which the relief would reach those 70
i whom it was intended.
i He produced figures to show tha
relatively the Porto Rican sugar grow
ers received 3S cents per hundre
/ pounds less from the sugar trust tha
the trust paid for German sugars an
that the Hawaiian and Cuban planter
! fared in practically the same wa,