Evening star., 1902-03-10
CUBAN RECIPROCITY
REPRESENTATIVE DALZELL
TALKS ON THE SITUATION.
Does Not Regard the Question as One
of Protection-A Duty to the
Cuban People.

The Philadelphia Press today prints the
following interview with Representative
Dalzell on the situation in the House on
the subject of relief for Cuba:
Il don't regard this question as one Of
protection at all. There is no proposition
to revise the tariff in any single particular.
It is not proposition to revise the tariff
on sugar. 1t has relation simply to a reci-
prccity agreement with Cuba. Our rela-
ticns with Cuba are absolutely different
from those with any other country. In
those relations bound to look out
for not simply the welfare Of the Cubans,
but our own welfare well. Anything
that should happen to Cuba between now
and the next congressional election that
would go to disclose our failure not only
to give Cuba a stable form Of govern
ment, but also to preserve such form of
government. would be counted against
us as failure on the part Of the repub-
lican party, and would be charged against
the republican party. II 1t should happen
by reason of our failure to legislate for the
relief of Cuba her new government shall
be imperiled, we would have to bear the
burden. If it shall turn out that, by reason
OF being compelled to sell their sugar at
loss, great distress should result to the
planters and thousands of men should be
de prived Of employment. the probabilities
arc that II our army Is withdrawn in the
meantime 1t would have to go back again
have we pledged ourselves by the Paris
treaty to the maintenance of a stable form
OF government in Cuba, but, in addition,
by the terms OF the Platt amendment we
have reserved to ourselves the right, and,
of course there is a corresponding duty, to
intervene against the Cubans themselves.
should they endanger the stability Of their
government Our first duty, therefore, as
1t seems to me, is to put ourselves in such
situation that the new government shall
have plain sailing toward success.
Benefits Would Accrue.
'"The question appears to me to be very
much broader one than any that relates
simply to tariff schedules. Entertaining
this view, l still would not advocate any
action that would interfere to the detri-
ment Of any American industry. / claim
to be an ra-protectionist. l am satis-
fled, however, from very careful investi-
CATION Of the subject, that concession
OF 20 per cent of the tariff upon sugar
would not hurt our sugar interests in the
remotest degree. l am perfectly satisfied
that the claim that this tariff concession
would inure to the benefit Of the sugar
trust cannot be sustained 1t has been
demonstrated that tariff reductions in the
case Of Porto Rican sugars have gone into
the pockets of the Porto Rican sugar plant
ers The same thing was demonstrated
when Hawaiian sugar was made free by
treaty. The duty taken from Hawaiian
sugar went to the sugar planters of Ha-
wall. This, it seems to me. Is capable OF
very easy demonstration. If you will take
the export prices Of Hawaiian. Cuban and
Porto Rfcan sugars and will add the freight
and other charges from the port Of ship
ment In each individual case to the city
Of New York, you will find that the New
York price OF the several sugars is iden-
ttcaliy the same. In other words. 1t Is in
all cases the New York, which Is. after
all, the Hamburg price, because Hamburg
market.
Furthermore, If you will take the cost
price of the manufacture OF beet sugar,
as testified to before me me ways and means
can be laid down in the western markets
at Chicago or Kansas City, for instance,
al q price which viii compete with Cuban
It must be remembered that beet sugars
fully full Competing il the western markets
with Hawaiian free sugar. I cannot escape
the conclusion that the reduction proposed
by the ways and uleans committee cannot
in1ure our beet sugar producers. In view
Of this fact. the claim that the ways and
means proposition x,oiates ~ % IN the remotest
to be untenable. The question is q very
big question. calling for the exercise of the
wisest statesmanshtp, with view OF ulte-
rior results. 1t seems to me that unless aid
is given to Cuba In her present necessities
the result must be that the Cuban annexa-
ton must soon follow. do not believe
that annexation at tnI0 1I1e WOulQ prove TO
be anything but disastrous to the United
States. I have no doubt that some time In
the future annexation is inevitable. but II
we can postpone that event for q period OF
edly be Americanixed. and when annexation
comes, as come It must. we will take into
the Union not a population Of illiterate Gu
bans. but population practically American
and not undesirable.
Republicans Responsible.
'I am much more exercised about the
welfare OF our own people and the inter-
ests Of the republican party than am
about the immediate welfare OF Cuba.
Whether wisely or unwisely. we undertook