Evening star., 1902-01-29
RECIPROCITY WITH CUBA
EFFECT OF THE RECENT COMMIT
TEE HEARINGS.
DR.. WyIie's Presentation of the Sub
ject Ascribes Low Prices to
Foreign Overproduction.

F0rG1Sn UVcrpFO0uctfOm.
The outcome of the fight for Cuban re-
ciprocity is still clouded with many uncer-
tainties. Odds are laid in favor of the ad-
ministrations policy prevailing in the end,
however and that policy is to help Cuba
Widest differences of opinion exist as to
the proposed method of relief. AS is well
known, some republicans of the ways and
means committee are baking in the traces
at the prospect of drawing the Cuban bur-
den. Two republicans of the committee
Messrs Mccall and Hopkins-are in ac-
cord with the administrations plan.
Attitude of the Majority.
No one can say that Mr.. Payne, Mr.. Dali
zelI, Mr.. Grosvenor, Mr. Turney, Mr. Long,
Mr.. Metcalf, Mr. Babcock, Mr.. Russell and
Mr.. Steele are not in accord for there has
been no vote; but those who have followed
the hearings daily and listened to the
questions asked by some of those named
would take a long shot that they have not
been convinced that the reduction is ad-
visable.
Experience has proven, however, that it
is dangerous to .prophesy about the ways
and means committee. The members of
that body reserve the privilege of changing
their minds as rapfdly-and as frequently
as they think the public interest demands.
Some of the members of the committee
have entertained at least two different op.n-
ions upon the pending proposition since this
session commenced. OF course, as new
facts are brought ou their judgment is af-
fected accordingly.
Executive Departments at Odds.
Two executive departments are at odds
over the situation. The War Department
wants Cuban reciprocity, while the Agri-
cultural Department is making strong
fight for the American beet farmer. DR..
Wylie, the Agricultural Department. ex-
pert, made an eloquent plea before the
committee today against reduction of the
tariff. He held that relief to Cuba was not
to be found in lowering the duty on raw
cane sugar, but in increasing the counter
vailing duty against foreign-fed raw
beet sugar.
Porto Rico's Position.
One of the interesting features of the
pending situation is the attitude assumed
by the Porto Rican commissioner to the
United States, Mr.. Degetau. He is vio-
lently opposed to granting tariff reductions
to Cuba, now that Porto Rico has free
trade with this country. It is less than
three years since Porto Rico stood in
Cubas place outside the tariff barriers,
canloring for breach, for sweet mercy's
sake.
A Scientific Witness.
Dr.. H. w. Wiley, chief of the bureau Of
chemistry, Department of agriculture, was
before the ways and means committee to-
day.. in connection with the Cuban -eci-
procity question. His statement covered
the scientific phases of the production of
sugar from beets, cane, etc, and the de-
velopment of the respective industries. By
means Of charts he showed the compare
tive insignificance of the beet sugar indus
try in 1855, when most of the sugar was
made from cane. Since then conditions
have reversed, until now the greater part
Of the sugar production is from beets.
Much the larger part of this production
was in Europe, the product in America be-
ing comparatively small. DR.. Wiley ex-
pressed the opinion, however, that the beet
sugar would never extinguish the cane
product, as the latter had certain special
uses.
DR.. Wiley's emphatic declaration that
Cubas appeal to the United States was
misplaced and would not afford relief at
tracted much attention This came after he
had shown that the European bounty ard
cartel systems We're the controlling factors
In the sugar situation. The Cuban planters
mad prospered, he said, under Spanish re-
gime, and why should they now lay their
mlsfortunes to the breaking of the Spanish
yohe. Olluer Sucn circumstances II might
De best to lead them back to Spain. Dr..
Wiley then said: 1.-The cause of the trouble
they are fighting is not in the tariff du-
ties of the United States, but is the over
production of sugar, due to bounties
granted by Europe. Their cause should be
pleaded in the parliaments of Europe not
In that of America. Their suits should go
before the reichstag, the bundesrath and
the corps legislatf and not before the
american Congress. The place to plead
thelr cause Is before the congress of Brus-
sells, not before the ways and means COM
States.''
At another point Dr.. Wiley said it was
question whether the relief sought for Cuba
would have the effect Of killing outright
the cane and beet sugar industries Of this
country, or merely paralyzing them, rem
derlng the patient a burden to his friends.
put 1t seemed perfectly certain. he said,
tnat there would be no further factories
ana Investments in this line in this coun-
Try. Probably there would be some feeble
etIort to save things from the wreck. but
Dr. Wiley said there would no longer be
the work of young giant of protection.
u. Wneys statement was still in prog
ress when the committee took recess at