Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-10
TOANNEX CUBA
WILL BRING
CONTEST
SERIOUS PROBLEM is ONE OF
THE BIG FEATURES OF THE
FALL TERM OF THE FIFTY
SEVENTH CONGRESS.

II
session Of congress. The developments of
/ the latter part of the session which closed
| last week indicated this and there are
| many other things which tend in the same
| direction.
When the matter Of the desperate con-
\ ditions alleged to exist in Cuba are being
| considered, 1t might as well be admitted
| at the start that the question of what the
| United States owes Cuba is an open one.
| If the island really needs relief 1t must
be remembered that ii was the Republi-
can party which promised such re-
lief would be given and that the failure
Of the present congress to give such reller
was directly due to a division in the ranks
Of that party. There is little doubt that
| the plan proposed and pushed by the adj
| ministrationists was not a proper one. II
may be that the president and some or
his advisers conscientiously thought that
| the reciprocity bill they favored would,
If enacted into law, afford the relief
which Cuba is said to need so much and
at the same time fulfill all the promises
made in that connection by the dominant
party. But the fact that Governor Gen
eral Wood spent large sums Of money
belonging to the treasury of the island in
an attempt to influence legislation and
the further circumstance that the presi-
dent of the sugar trust also spent money
in behalf of the so-called reciprocity bill,
shows very conclusively that the matter Is
not just as it appears on the surface and
that a full and thorough investigation
should be completed before this country
makes a present of some eight or ten
millions annually to some one. If it ere
clear that that someone was really the
Cuban sugar producers the problem would
be considerably less diT cult. But 1t Is
known that the sugar trust Is the prin-
cipal customer-if not the sole customer
Of the Cuban sugar producer in this
hofno ne ft Wnnl6
seem that a reduction in the tari1 on
Cuban sugar would inure to the benefit Of
the sugar trust rather than to the Cuban
producer, and, II was on account of this
| phase of the matter that the Democrats
in congress, who under ordinary circum-
stances would be in favor of a reduction
in the tariff as a step toward the Demo-
cratic principle of free trade, arrayed
themselves against the so-called recipro-
city bill prepared by the Republican lead
ers of the house and backed by the pres
ident and all Of that faction of the domi-
nant party which subsequently came to
be known as the administrationist ele-
ment. These are the facts in the case,
the so-called independent press of the
south to the contrary notwithstanding.
! The Democrats nave the best Of good
reasons for their attitude toward the
reciprocity plan and no amount or mis-
representation will make the public be-
lieve otherwise.
In view of the existing condition of af-
fairs so far as the legislative feature Of
the matter is concerned, the Democrats
have thorough justification for their ac-
ton and the position Of the beet sugar
people in the premises is of course ex-
planned by the fact that they believe the
Industry they represent would be serious
ly harmed by the enactment of re-
procity bill such as 1t was proposed to
get through at the session OF congress
which has just closed. Had some plan
Of relief for Cuba been suggested which
would have insured the Cuban producer
getting the benefit which he thinks is due
him, the Democratic position might have
been different and some sort of legislation
might have been gotten through despite
the efforts of the beet sugar protectionists
But the president and his retainers would
have nothing but the straight reduction
bill, and as a result they met with de-
feat which has seldom, II ever, been
eoualed in the history of the country.
The fight of the administrationists will
be continued during the summer vacation
Of congress, and while there is absolutely
no chance of a special session of con-
gress being called during the summer or
fall, according to those who are In posi-
ton to know, there is every reason to be-
lieve that the administrationists will, as
soon as the short session begins next De-
get some sort Of reciprocity bill through
congress. On the character Of their plan
will depend, to a certain extent at least,
the attitude Of the beet sugar people and
the Democrats. The latter will fight for
Democratic principles and policies and the
former will do everything in their power
to protect their constituents who raise
beets If the administrationists succeed in
forcing a bill through, 1t will probably
be quite different from the one advocating
straight reduction Of 25 per cent, which
failed of passage during the session just
closed. The Democrats will want to be as
sured that the benefit from the proposed
reduction will go to the sugar trust, and
It is unlikely that their adversaries will
be able to demonstrate any such thing.
But whatever else is done, there are
strong reasons for the belief that the an
nexation of Cuba will be urged. Senator
Ellxins Of West Virginia, who was one
Of the principal leaders of the anti-ad-
ministration element in the senate dur
ing the time the fight over the relief
bill was on, has already gone strongly on
record in favor of annexation and will
continue his efforts in that direction dur
ing the next session, unless some unlock
ed for change is wrought in the mean
time. That these efforts will be resisted
there is no doubt. The Louisiana congress-
men, all of whom are Democrats, and all
of whom will, no doubt, oppose annexa-
ton because it would threaten the sugar
interests of their state by allowing Gu
ban sugar to come into this country abso-
lutely free may be criticised for such ac-
ton, but when the matter is carefully
looked into it will be seen that they have
what they consider good reasons for
their position in the premises. They are,
no doubt, as thoroughly imbued with the
free trade belief as any of their Demo-
cratic colleagues, but they do not think
It Just that one of the principal industries
of their state should be exposed to the
competition of outsiders while such indus
tries as that of the steel trust and nu-
merous other great combinations of capt.
tai are protected as of yore. And, for
that matter il is by no means certain that
the Democrats as a whole would be in
favor of annexation. Many of them do
not see what would be gained by such a
step, and they do think much might be
lost. Representative Slayden, of Texas,
who has visited the island and looked
thoroughly into the conditions existing
there, is very positive that 1t would not
be well for this courS-y to annex the is
land, and there are many who agree with
him.
Whether or not 1t is the DUTY of the con-
gress of the United States to relieve Cuba,
there seems to be little doubt, according
to authoritative advices from the island
that commercial conditions there are any
thing but good. The Cubans seemed to
be absolutely sure that congress would do
something for them, and when they found
that the efforts Of the Observation-Disclosures,
/