Evening star., 1902-08-07
CUBAN RECIPROCITY
SENATOR DIETRICH oEcLAREs
HE IS MIsREPREsENTED.
Was Trying to Force Cuban Reciproc-
ity in Order to Support the
President.

A statement has been-mada by Senator
Dietrich of Nebraska concerning the posi-
ton taken by the two Nebraska senator's
during the last session of Congress upon
the Cuban reciprocity measure. Senator
Dietrich claims that he has been widely
misrepresented In the press In connection
with comments on his course. He calls at
tention to the fact that he asked that a
conference be held and a vote taken by
ballot as to whether or not the Cuban reci-
procity bill should be reported and saws
that action was conclusive evidence that
he will be willing to abide by the will of
the majority in the Senate. He claims
that the sugar trust workers did not want
this because they knew they could control
the committee, but that they could not
control the entire Senate" Senator Diet
rich also claims that false statements have
been circulated to the effect that he met
with frigid reception upon attending a
meeting of the republican state central
committee of Nebraska, whereas he saws
his relations with the committee have al
ways been cordial and satisfactory
False Statements.
II wish to state" says Mr.. r.Dietrich. "that
all other charges that we, the so-called in
surgents,' were not willing to aid the Presi-
dent in helping Cuba by passing a Cuba n
stantial rebate as we are now doing for
the Philippine Islands or a reduction upon
all products from Cuba, is false and un-
founded.
II wish it understood, however. that the
so-called insurgents were fully aware that
the depressed and distressed conditions in
Cuba were grossly exaggerated, and that
the conditions there are fully as prosper
GUS for the masses of the people as they
are in the United States; and the oniy
ry,fl
at the expense Of the American producer
was because of our loyalty to the Presi-
dent.
Cuban reciprocity legislation was defeat
ed by the power and avarice of the sugar
trust, they fearing if bill should be re-
ported to the Senate the differential would
be repealed. Other senators were also op-
posed to having a bill reported, fearing
that some other protected industries might
be attacked and a general attack made
upon the tariff schedule. 1t was to avoid
such a fight that the committee on rela-
tions with Cuba decided not to report a
Cuban reciprocity bill
To Force Action.
Mr.. Dietrich clolms that he was trying to
force action in favor Of Cuban reciprocity
in place of trying to defeat it.
"If the committee on relations with
Cuba" he says, had reported a bill to the
Senate or left 1t to a majority of a repub-
lican caucus in place Of killing 1t in COM
mittee, which was done, bill would have
been passed which would have been salts
factory to the President:
In conclusion l will again ask: If the
beet sugar industry is so profitable that it
can stand so per cent reduction without
injury as claimed by the sugar trust and
other Cuban exporters, why do they not in
vest their many millions in the beet sugar
industry In the United States, where they
are certain OF receiving large profits, In
place of investing so many millions in Cuba,
where they claim the sugar industry is so
UNI rofftable, and so much poverty and dis
tress prevails? II the sugar trust will only
engage in the beet sugar business exten-
s1vely in the United States they will then
employ and 1t will be to their interests to
help protect American labor in place of de-
stroying it,