The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-06-13
WHY DID HAvEMEYER SUBSCRIBE.

WHY DID HAVEMEl SUBSCRIBE
That was interesting information
which Senator Teller extracted from
F. b. Thurber president of the United
States Export Association. when the
latter was before the Senate Commit
tee on Cuban Relations on Wednesday.
According to this informa ton, the mil
itary government of Cuba paid Mr..
Thurber a good many thousands of
dollars for circulating pamphlets
throughout the United States advocat-
ing the reduction of the tariff on Gu
ban imports.
II would be interesting TO know by
what right Gen. Wood used the reve-
nues of Cuba to bring about a reduc-
ton in our tariff on Cuban imports
He would have hardly dared to make
such an expenditure unless he had
been authorized to do so by the Presi-
dent. 1t is for the President there
fore to explain why he thought Gu
ban money, temporarily intrusted TO
the United States. should be used for
creating a public sentiment in this
country in favor of a policy that meant
a reduction of our revenues.
1t is not to be wondered at, in the
light of the Thurber revelation, that
Senator Culberson of Texas has intro
duced into the Senate a resolution
calling for an itemized statement of
Gen. Woods expenditures while mill
tary governor of Cuba. If this resolu-
tion is approved it is not improbable that
there will be other expenditures dis
covered that will excite establishment.
Perhaps if there had been fewer such
expenditures as that revealed by Mr..
Thurber there would have been more
than $500 900 in the Cuban treasury
when the island was turned over to
the Cubans.
But one of the things in Mr.. Thur
ber's testimony that 1t is difficult, if
not impossible, to understand is his
statement that Mr.. Havemeyer. the
president of the sugar trust cOntribu-
ted $500 to have public sentiment
created in this country in favor of re-
ducing the tariff on Cuban imports.
1t has not been so very long since Mr..
Havemeyer testified before the Senate
Committee on Cuban Relations that
the sugar trust did not own any part
of the sugar crop of Cuba, and that
If a reduction were to be made in
the tariff on Cuban sugar, the sugar
trust would not be benefited in the
least. Then, why did he squander
81, 500 on Thurber literature? That is
question that appears to be puz-
zllng senators. 1t is calculated to
make them think that there is more
in the charge the beet sugar men
make, namely, that If there were a
reduction in the tariff on Cuban sugar
the chief beneficiary would be the
sugar trust, than has yet appeared in
any testimony that has been forthcom-
ing in regard to the matter.
The beet sugar men seem to be so
we'll satisfied with the revelation
made by Mr.. Thurber that they pro-
pose to continue the fight against
giving Cuba any concessions on
her sugar. There are eighteen sena-
tors from the beet sugar states, and
it seems they have determined to make
strong resistance to any bill that
may be introduced to cut down the
tariff on Cuban products. Before Mr..
Thurber gave his testimony it was
thought the administration would sue
coed in getting Its policy of making
tariff concessions to Cuba approved.
In fact, a bill is now ready making
reduction in the tariff of 20 per
cent. on Cuban products, but it is
question whether it will meet with a
great deal of favor unless the sus-
picion. which the Thurber testimony
has created, namely, that the sugar
trust is back of the fight for tariff
concessions, is removed. Under the
cloak of philanthropy and charity
what a mountain of selfishness is con-
cealed!