The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-04

unless we give radical concessions Cuba
may seek other markets for her products
and purchases, to our disadvantage. If
Senator WaShburn would have examined
the statistics for the past ten years he
would have found that from 80 to 50 per
cent Of all sugar exported from Cuba
comes to the United States This must
continue in the future, because every ma
ton of continental Europe and nearly
every nation of South and Central Amer
lea export sugar, and certainly would
not be foolish enough to allow importa-
tons of tropical sugar to crush their own
home industries. The United States seems
the only country which proposes this
treatment. The only nations using sugar
in greater amounts than they produce are
Great Britain, her colony, Canada, and
Norway and the United States. The con
tinental sugars flood the European mar
kets but are kept cut of the United States
by the countervailing duty which we now
levy against them for protection to Cuban
sugar. There seems to be no gratitude
for this countervailing duty under the
Dingley bill, which has saved and en-
couraged sugar production in Cuba for
the past four years. Without this dis
elimination by our government the sugar
industry in Cuba would have been pros
trate and it is this very discrimination
in favor of Cuba which has angered Rus
to shut out some of our trade.
Denies There Is Distress.
zone year ago / spent fully a month in
Cuba, and went from Santiago on the
east to Havana on the west, from Glen
fuegos on the south to Matanzas on the
north. l met all classes of it's people
planters, merchants, professional men and
politicians. Adult the same time one Of
the most distinguished and best informed
citizens of Minneapolis had been in Cuba
for several months, and made during that
time study of the conditions of the
island l know that the views of that
gentleman coincide with mine, and that
we have had as good opportunities for
observation as had Senator Washburn,
and are as anxious to do whatever ought
to be done in all honor for the welfare
of that island.
There was and is no distress there,
except what may come to business men
and farmers who are situated in local.
ity whose main production for the time
does not sell in the markets of the world
at profit. The laboring people have not
been in distress, and will not be- Crops
will be planted and harvested, railroads
are being constructed from one end of
the island to the other, and it is conced-
ed that the supply Of labor is and will be
unequal to the demand for 1t, and that
wages will be good
The large planters syndicate and cor
porations which produce at least two
thirds of the sugar crop, are not entitled
to our sympathy or any relief by con-
gress, even if for this year their business
be Improbable. If the American congress
starts upon that sort of relief our treas
ury doors will soon close.
1.-THE small merchants and small farm
ers may be in temporary distress. If that
be true the delegation from Minnesota is
strongly in favor of some practical relief
for them, something that shall help them
this year, when they need 1t, and open
avenues to still further Improvement in
the future.
Would Aid the Sugar Trust.
I'VE are convinced that the proposed 20
per cent reduction will not accomplish
that result. We are convinced that, In
stead, 1t will largely inure to the profit
OF the American sugar trust and yield
tnem an increase of their already large
profits of from $3,oOO,oOO to 100000 per
annum during the continuance of the con-
cession.
I'VE are convinced, in addition, that