The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1902-01-18

Administration 4 kinks Cuha0 u0@
dustry should BE. Assisted,
hut Concessions on Ex porte "a tho
Islands Should Not He Allowed.

/
New YORK, January "a Commercial
Advertiser special from Washington says:
| ''The proposition that the reduction of 3s
per cent on United States imports from Cuba
shall 60 into effect at once by military orders
is objected to by leaders in congress, as at
best it would be only a temporary expedient.
It pointed out that the Cuban planters can
obtain all the immediate advantages they
| need from law taking effect after the estab-
! lishment of Cuban government, for with a
certainty of reciprocal concessions at that
time they can establish credit and enter into
definite business engagements.
Republican leaders appreciate the import
| ance of speedy legislation, for until congress
acts Cuban sugar will remain without a mar
ket. 1t lost the European market through
| the development of the German beet sugar
interests during the period of political up
heavaI resulting from the insurrection and the
Spanish American war. The American mar
ket is now closed to planters by the tariff.
AT present there is incentive whatever for
the Cubans to restore their plantations and
revive the industry.
There is a strong element in congress, how
ever, which insisted that American interests
must be protected before concessions are
statements that the United States took away
the Spanish markets from the Cubans are not
true, for Cuba was at war with Spain, and as
long those conditions existed there was
certainly no Spanish market for Cuban sugar.
If the United States had not interfered Cuba
would probably still be at war with Spain or
Spanish yoke.
has Re-.
publican leaders in congress the necessity of
doing something at once to relieve the stu
alton in order to prevent a new political up
heaval and serious distur bance. He has told
them that continuance of existing condi-
tons means industrial depression and per-
haps starvation.
Opponents of Cuban reciprocity have I'M
dertaken to place negative construction
upon Secretary Roots declaration that this
government not favorable to reciprocity
with the Philippines. 1t is not true that this
government is opposed to giving tariff con-
cessions imports from the Philippines.
That is not what Secretary Root intended to
say, according to his friends. On the con-
trary, they assert, the administration is fav-
orable to some concessions. What is OBJ
jected to is the proposition that shall give
the Philippines. Whatever tariff concessions
are given to American imports into the Phil
ippnes must be given to imports from Spain,
and if the United States were to claim spe-
cial advantages in the Philippine market it
would not be in position to maintain the
claim to the right of admission into the Chi
nese markets equality with all other
nations. In other words, open door
in he hao
developed, would come to nothing.
1t is believed that by granting special riff
rates imports from the Philippines into
the United States trade with the Philip
pines will be greatly increased even without
compensatory reductions of rates at the other
end. Ships bringing the commodities of the
Philippines to the United States naturally
will return to the Philippines with American
carpOeS