New-York tribune., 1902-06-08
No WEAKENING ON RECIPROCITY.

1,ba+ &c q most welcome. though by no means
,,ro,noctad assurance which The Tribunes
uosbington CORRESPONDENT gives to the pupilc
+bo+ tho President stands firm for the policy OF
ro.;nroci+v with Cuba which was proposed anu
nromised hy his lamented predecessor ana ueh-
ni+eIv formulated by himself in his message
lest December. There have from time TO tllhe
baen nut forward intimatiOns even expllclt Gee
Iarations that he would be willing to compro-
mise the matter by accepting reDaIe OF pountS
scheme These rumors have all had the pretty
unmistakable earmarks of the beet sugar rug
It is agreeable now to have an authorlIaIfe
ouietus dealt out to them. and to be assured
that the President stands so resolutely Tor "hat
he has himself described as the policy dictated
by the highest considerations OF natlonal honor
as well as expediency that he would veto any
rebate or bounty measure and, if necessary,
call q speciaI session of Congress to pass
straightforward reciprocity bill.
We have hitherto pointed out the unworthy
and unsatisfactory character of all such COM
promise proposals. A bounty to Cuba would
be an insult to Cuba, for she is asking justice
not aims It would certainly fail of the purpose
to give relief and encouragement to the bona
fide sugar producers of the island, for the
bounty or rebate would inevitably be diverted
to other ends and thus would suffer the very
evils which the beet sugar ring affects to appre-
bend from reciprocity. Obviously, it would give
Cuba something of doubtful benefit to her, at
heavy cost to the United States. and without
any assured benefit in return to the United
States. There is also some cause for suspect
ing that it might be declared unconstitutional
and so fail to go into effect at all. It would
be most uncommonly strange if the very beet
IL -Io
promise were not the first to challenge its con-
stitutionality and to try TO have the scheme
of their own suggestion nullified by the courts.
There is only one course in the case compat-
ible with our national honor, with our national
interests, and with that national common sense
upon which Americans plume themselves That
is to enact straightforward measure of reci-
procity which will open our ports on easier
terms to the chief products of Cuba and will
give our merchandise corresponding advantages
in Cuba. The American people have long been
paying heavy tribute to the various sugar
trusts and rings. They are in no humor to in
crease such tribute in the form Of bounty on
Cuban sugar, especially while at the same
time the sugar trusts are causing American
merchandise to be excluded from the Cuban
market at the rate OF dozens Of millions Of dol
lars year. The farmers and manufacturers Of
this country want to supply the Cuban market,
instead of having their European rivals do so.
They are not in a mood to be longer prevented
from doing so by the Vaccinations of selfish
trust which not only shuts them out Of Cuba,
but demands to be paid for working them thai
injury. Reciprocity is the one true policy, and
it will be gratifying to commend the President
for fighting it out upon that line, 'if It takes
all summer