Evening star., 1902-01-27
Administration Believes That y
Should Be Made.
VIEW OF REPUBLICAN SENATOR
Supposed Attitude of Ways ana
Means Committee.
THE ARGUMENTS DEVELOPED

The administration is still in favor of
granting tariff concessions to Cuba as an
act Of justice to the embryo republic and
incidentally as a measure of ultimate eco
nomic value to the United States. Infu-
ential republicans in the Senate are In ac-
cord with this policy. The ways and means
committee of the House is believed to be
opposed to it, under pressure from the
highly protected beet sugar and tobacco
industries of this country.
The hearings before the ways and means
committee which ran through last week,
brought out many arguments In favor Of
granting the concessions and also devel-
oped very clearly the actual position Of the
opponents of the administrators plans for
fulfllment of what is claimed to be a ma
tionaI duty, the extension of American
commerce.
1t was shown for instance that the beet
sugar industry is protected to the extent
of "a per cent. 1t was urged that this rate
of protection could be reduced . per cent
and still leave a margin sufficient for Gde-
Quate protection.
Mr. Oxnard's Attitude.
1t was notable fact that the arguments
for the beet growers" were made by the
beet refners. Mr.. OXnard, the head OF
the S20O00Oo0 beet refining corporation,
managed the campaign of the growers
and vigorously assailed the sugar trust
meaning a larger corporation of other re-
finers-as being behind the movement for
Cuba's relief.
Cuba, said it was within the memory of
most of the committeeman around the ta-
BILE when Mr.. Oxnard had paced the Capitol
as the ally of the sugar trust. Since he
had started up his own little trust, how
ever, his attitude had changed. This incl
dent is cited not in criticism of Mr.. Oxnard,
but to locate the claimants appearing in be-
half of the threatened American beet
farmer.
"Most Favored Nation" Clause.
One of the stock arguments against con-
cessions is the allegation that a reciprocal
arrangement with Cuba would violate 1.-The
most favored nation clause of treaties
with other countries. and that every sugar
growing nation would claim the same priv
ileges granted Cuba.
1t is asserted that this contention will be
dtsproved when the subject comes up for
debate in the Senate. 1t is said that the
United States Supreme Court has passed
upon a parallel proposition in the case of
Bertram vs. Robinson, decided May %,
1887.
in New York, made importations Of brown
and unrefined sugar and molasses, the pro-
duce of the Island of st. CroiX, a part of
the dominions of the King of Denmark.
mitted free of duty under the treaty with
Denmark, because like articles the produce
of the Hawaiian Islands were under the
treaty with their king and the act of Con-
gress of August Is, 1876, to carry that
treaty into operation, admitted free of duty
The Denmark treaty contained favored
nation clause.
The Hawaiian treaty contained a clause
which in some respects is said to be similar
to the provisions of the agreement between
the United States and Cuba in the Plat
amendment. The Hawaiian treaty provided
that the King of Hawaii would not lease or
otherwise dispose of or create any lien upon
any port, harbor or other territory in his
dominion to any other government nor
make a treaty by which any other nation
shall obtain the same privileges secured to
the United States.
DecfsiOn of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court held:
"Our conclusion is that the treaty with
Denmark does not bind the United States to
extend to that country, without compensa-
tion, privileges which they have conceded
to the Hawaiian Islands in exchange for
valuable concessions"
Referring to the favored nation stipu-
lations Of the Danish treaty the court held
that they were not intended to interfere
with special arrangements with other coun-
tries founded upon concession OF special
privileges
No Program Adopted.
There is no bill granting Cuban conces-
sions pending before the ways and means
committee. and therefore It is not probable
that the committee will soon make a re-
port to the House of its hearings. In fact,
the motion has not yet been made in Con-
gress to grant the reductions. 1t is possi-
BILE an effort may be made TO amend the
Philippines tariff bill in the Senate with a
Cuban rider. Senator Piatt of Connecticut
is understood to be opposed to this method,
al+ 4lase E@
favor of action for Cuba.
No program of action for Cuba has yet
been agreed upon, although the Cubans are
frantically appealing for speedy aid. The
high protectionists of the House are con-
tent to jog along with existing conditions,
and it is not likely any movement will be