The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-12
CUBAN RECIPROCITY.
Chairman Payne Of Ways and
Means Makes an Authorized
Statement.

Washington, March Chairman
Payne of the ways and means commit
tee today gave out the following aus
thoriZed statement in connection with
the discussion over Cuban reciprocitys.s
-. think the large majority thes
Republ blcans have made up their minds
that we must do something for Cuba.
There are three propesit ions presented
which have this professed end in view.
The proposition Of Mr.. Morse Of Min
nesoSa provided for. an increase On the
tariff on sugar to the outside world
and rebate on sugar imported from
Cuba. 1t does not seem TO me- that
many Republ blicanssafe willing So in.
crease the duty on sugar. Ihen there
is the proposit ton Of Mr.. Tawney to-
vote betweed g., ,000, O00ands&8, ,0O0sO00s
directly into the Cuban treasuy anddst
ask the Cuban government to- distffs
butte about 81, COG. COO according TO hisg
figures to native Cuban planter This
first payment is to be paid itho1ts
any compensati ton from Cuba IN any;
way or manner-a pnre giffttstto the
Cuban government. H hardly needs
the opinion Of lawyer to say that
such procedure would be unconsti
stutional.
8 OF course no bounty of this Kind
could be distributed withoutfa scandal
sand fraud. In the next place, seven
seights of the Cuban labOrers Wonld
still remain without work. would
be just as easy for the sugar trust to-
obtain a concession on the sugar theye
bought on account Of the bounty yssstos
obtain concession where the PLANTER
knew he was TO have a 20 sper cent.
concession in duty. So that aWs
ney's proposition has no advantages
over that for q 20 per cent reduction
and it has the disadY Yantages named.
The third proposit ition is that atsfforSass
20 per cent. reduction of duties. This
would ininre no home III dusEry
Coupled with the provision to extend
our exclusion laws to Cuba no oneaps
bearing before the commii tttteeE on ways:
and means contended that lit would
impure home Industries agreed
that the prices Of sugar to- the AmenI
can consumer would remain IN thes
same. Nor would It innre to the
benefit Of the sugar trust. l,hfes
witnesses before the commi ittee united;
in testifying; and the statisticsproy
that the trust has received no@beneitss
in buying sugar either in Hawaii Or
Puerto Rico, since the duty was
reduced or removed.
The entire benefits have been
reaped BY the planters in these ISL;
sands We have every reason to believe
the sameaWould prove trne as tosC Cuba;
Many Misleading statements as to the
attitude ofsthe preside dent, the cabinet
and the House Republicans are aps
pearing in the newspapers scannot
speak Of conference witt the president
But have every assurance that
the cabinet is not divided on this
question, nor have majority Of the
house Republ blicans commit ted EN-
selves either to the Morris, the TaW
ney or the do-nothing POLICY hes
proposition of a 20 per cent. reductions
as adopted will put off, IN my j1dg
sment, the annexation of Cuba for
many years She will not come M
until her population Is Amencanize6
from States. TO refuse to do any
thing would put the house in a posi-
tion hostile to the presidents Wou1ds
cause uncertainty and a feeling ofapz
prehension to producers Of sugar I'm.
The States and would be utterly ydemor
aizing. =