The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-11
CUBA, SUGAR
And POLITICS
Use the Democrats Are Max
ing of Recent In
cidents. (.
Charges That the Trust Eas-
lily Stifled Legislation
in the Senate.

From the Journal Bureau, Roo,'s 50. Pos.
Building, Washt7tgtof. p. .
Washington, July 11.-Apropos of the
editorial presentation in Tuesdays Jour
nal of evidence showing that the republi-
can insurgents in congress during the re-
cent session gave valuable help to the
sugar trust in their opposition to Cuban
reciprocity, it is interesting to recall the
speech Of Senator Teller, in which he op-
posed reciprocity with Cuba. Mr.. Teller
spoke in reply to Senator Platt of Con-
necticut, who had said that rs per cent
of the American people were disappointed,
humiliated and chagrined because con-
gress was about to adjourn without grant
Ing relief to Cuba.
Mr.. President" said Mr.. Teller, t'the
senator from Connecticut seems to think
the moral sense Of the country is shocked
by the failure fthis legislation. want
the senator to tell us why In the name OF
common sense there is not bill for this
purpose. Why is there not bill be-
fore the senate? Why is the bill not
reported from committee? There should
have been bill here. The bill which
came from the house would have been
here II that body had not taken off the
differential duty on refined sugar. That
is the reason why it IS not here. We
on this side are prepared to take that
bill as 1t came from the house and we will
p take it now, if the professed advocates
of reciprocity will let us have it.
There was no sign of dissent to these
words of Mr. Teller. Apparently there
was not senator in the chamber who did
not accept Mr.. Te1ler's statement as alb
solutely truthful. ~ -
There is no doubt day in the minds
OF the members OF the senate who are
posted that the sugar trust prevented
legislation in behalf of Cuba. There is
no doubt that the house bill slept in the
desk OF the secretary of the senate com
mittee on relations with Cuba because
the sugar trust did not want it report ed
10 the senate. : 49, ..--.t =.
Response bility for the fault of the com
Senators Platt, of Connecticut, Aldrich,
of Rhode Island, and Spooner, of. Wis
Gonsin, the republic msmbersaof the
committee. @i-~s., :@1 :@1i- tSE'.sssst 4 ~. ~. -
The senators were in frequent consul
tation with President Roosevelt at the
time Swthen Cubal legislation was be-
Ing discussed by the senatssa the demo :
cratic congressional 4. managers whose
headquarters. are in this city are now
trying to place the responsibility for this
fault of legislation on the president
They want to know, they say, why the
president did not tell these senators to
have the house bill reported to the; SEN
ate. 1t strikes them as quer thing, if
the president was sincere in what he said
in his. special message in favor of rec
iprocfty bill that should not make the
sugar trust its beneficiary that he. did
not have Messrs. Platt,, Aldrfcn and
spooner cause the house bill to be. re-
ported to the senate, which he knew was
ready to pass it. The prediction ct the
president that Cuba will get reciprocity
"as sure as 'fate,'' seems to amuse the
democrats. They say Cuban reciprocity
could have been established at the recent
session Of congress If the president had
not SHE'D at the clause in the house bill
which hit the sugar trust so hard.
Cuban reciprocity was good deal near
er accomplishment in the recent session
OF congress, the democrats maintain, than
1t will be next December, when congress
comes together again. -.
The democratic point of view Just
quoted is, however, not sufficiently disin-
terested to inspire confidence. After try
ing to hold the president responsible for
the failure of Cuban legislation, the dem
ocratsl go a step further and say that
commercial reciprocity with the United
States would not make Cuba model re-
public, nor would it tend very much that
way.
Their theory Is that it is not so much
financial help Cuba needs as capacity for
eelf government. It is argued, for ex-
ample, that Cuba, even with an overflow
Ing treasury, would let the great school
System which the United States estab-
lished in the island go to ruin. The
Bame thing is said about the sanitary
work done under the direction of the
American military government. Even If
It was admitted that under a reciprocity
arrangement the Cubans would be the
actual benefciaries, and not the sugar
trust and its friends, it is urged that the
effect of reciprocity would be practically
nothing. After reciprocity was granted
there would be call for something else,
and then again for something else, and
30 on. ....y-. r. $50 ~'' - q
To judge from the foregoing, the dem
ocrats do not propose to make Cuba an Is
sue in their congressional campaign this
year, but will be content if they can keep
the subject alive within the republican
ranks. "a .*'- ~..,
These opinions from democratic cam
paign sources will be of some interest in
Minnesota because of the figure which Gu
ban reciprocity is likely, to cut in at least
two Minnesota congressional districts and
because also Of the clever manipulating
which resulted in the expression ofaCuban
sentiment in the state convention which
was very far from rejecting the feeling
OF the party. s s,s,s..,.
- w. w. Jermane.