New-York tribune., 1902-05-14
THE CUBAN SUGAR INQUIRY
RECIPROCITY HEARD BY THE
SENATE COMMITTEE

Washington, May 13.-Hugh Kelly. of New-York.
extensively interested in Cuban sugar growing,
tefore the subcommittee Of the Senate Committee
on relations with Cuba to-day. He asserted that
the sugar growers would be the benefciaries OF
any reduction made in the duty by the United
States and said the refners could not control the
Irice, and the sugar mill owners would benefit
from the reduction. except in where they
owned the lands. He showed tha- many Americans
owned sugar lands in Cuba. but declared that few
options now accepted by Cubans because they
wanted TO make sales outright, if at all. Sugar
growing had been profitable of late years be-
cause Of the low price of the product and the high
Price of labor. workingmen receiving 81 a day gold.
He discussed at length the possibilities of
sugar production in Cuba.
Mr.. Kelly gave the names of large American
companies which are producing sugar in Cuba,
giving the aggregate daily maximum capacity of
their mills l. 40 tons distributed follows: cha
para, 300; Francisco, l2O; Boston, $50; Central
Teresa. 12O Solidad, 1O); Trinidad, 10OrCuhanAmer
ioan 100; Damuji. 15e; Cape Cruz, 12O; Hormiguero
100. These figures did not however show the
actual output of the factories This. he consd-
eltd. did not exceed eightyfour thousand tons an
nualiy, or about 10 per cent of the product. He
thought there were about 175 mills in the island.
Mr.. Kelly reiterated that every dollar would go
to the farmer from reduction in the American
Grty on sugar. Much of the benefit would to
the tenant farmers or colonos. "Of course" he
said in reply a question from Senator Teller
the owners of the mills who raise their cane
erS who do not raise a stalk of cane
In support of his contention that the grow
would be the heneiciaTies of a reduction Mr.
Kelly spoke of the conditions in Porto Rico. where
he said cane is worth three times much $ i'm
Cuba. He said there comparatively few Span
sh sugar producers in the island. but ii would he
difficult to separate them from the Cubans. lie
gave the names of three English houses operating
in the island with total daily capacity of 400
tons. The witness said that lattery the produc-
tioR of sugar in Cuba had not profitable
Returning to the benefits be derived a
reduction Of the duty sugar, Mr.. Kelly argued
that the Cuban sugar planters would he able to
hold their product until the refners would have
buy it, and that time must necessarily soon.
However the length OF time that the planter could
hold would depend his banker. He also ad-
mItted that raw sugar would deteriorate If held
too long. The production of Cuban sugar could be
increased TO 100000 tons with favorable labor
ditiOns. Free trade between the United States and
Cuba would mean trade of $S000e0. 900 each way
annually.
DO you believe" Senator Teller asked that
the United States could compete with Cuba in the
lst?"
Il am not in the sugar production in the United
states / only know that the beet sugar princes
the OXnards. announced some time ago that they
were in position to compete
Senator Plat read letter from General Wood
EVlng the last sugar At 10000 tons, instead OF
e5",oD tons, according to a previous estimate. OF
this amount 10000 tons had been shipped from
Cuba.