The Washington times., 1902-04-06
Three Statements Sub
mltted by Democrats on
Ways and Means.
A PLEA FOR ANNEXATION
Mr.. Newlands Opposes Payne Bill-Holds
Sugar Trust Responsible for Cuba's
Request-other Reports Submitted by
Mr.. Cooper and Mr.. Robertson.


ocrats. members of the committee, one by
Mr.. Newlands. another by Mr.. Cooper, and
still another by Mr.. Robertson, showing
that while the Democrats dissent from the
majority, they do not agree among them
selves as to what should be done.
Probably the most interesting report is
that submitted by Mr.. Newlands, who is
strong advocate of the annexation of
Cuba, and in his statement has gone into
the subject at considerable length After
: reviewing the matter OF the production
Of sugar. Mr.. Newlands says that there
can be no question but that Cuba's re-
guest has been stimulated and promot ed
largely by the sugar refining trust of
America.
Stimulated by Sugar Trust.
There can be no doubt" he declares
that much of the agitation in this coup-
try in faror of an abolition or reduction
OF the duty upon Cuban sugar has been
stimulated by the Sugar Trust. not SO much
with the expectation of securing the raw
sugar at lower price, as with the ex-
pectation of checking the beet sugar pro-
duction. and thus maintaining their mo-
nopoiy in the refining of sugar"
Mr. Newlands defines the status of
CUBA and the subject of reciprocity. and
then tells what should be done for the
island He saws:
The distress in Cuba is not present
distress. II is an anticipated distress.
and that this anticipation is likely to be
realized am willing to admit. The labor
ing people of Cuba have never been SO
1eH employed as during the past year.
ne restoration of peace resulted in an
enort to restore the old Industries of
tuoa- Planters borrowed money from the
banks, renewed their machinery. piaute
their crops. and started in to increase
the sugar production to its old dimen-
-sions, while great railroad enterprise.
conducted with American capital. has en-
-ployed a large number of iaborers. This
mas resulted in such demand for labor
as to raise wages during the past year
pretty nearly 80 per cent.
No Present Distress.
There is, therefore, no present dis
tress in Cuba. But the planters are
heavily in debt to the banks: their ex-
pectation as 10 the price of sugar has
not been realized. They claim that the
average cost Of the production of Cuba
is about cents a pound, and that the
present international price, which is be-
low thai figure, inficts upon them a loss
The $4,000 tons of Cuban sugar produced
this year at cents a pound. or $40 a
ton, would yield them s34, 900 0OO The
addition of a quarter of a cent pound
or 80 ton, would mean an additional re-
ceipt of A,25oJ00; quarter of a cent
less
feet of the proposed reduction in duty of
20 per cent, or about third of one cent
per pound, would mean additional receipts
10 Cuban producers of over sc. 600 900.
Whether this amount would relieve
the Cuban planters sufficiently to save
them from ruin does not appear, for there
are no statistics regarding the indebted
ness OF the sugar plantations. II is prob
able that owing to the expenses of admin
istration connected with the war and the
Indebtedness contracted by planters in re-
newing their machinery and in planting
the existing crops the plantations are
hopelessly involved. and that a process
of liquidation is absolutely necessary.
The threatened economic distress is
primarily that of the planters who will
be Obliged to go into liquidation Their
plantations will be foreclosed and sold
and Will fall into other hands Liquida-
tion viii probably mean a temporary lack
of employment of the labor OF the island
now engaged in sugar cultivation. and a
fall in the rate of wages. II is a ques-
tion whether the interests of Cuba do not
require that the constantly increasing
production of sugar-contributing as IT
does. TO the overproduction of the world
should be retarded. This will be accom-
plished il Cuba is compelled to accept the
worlds price for sugar but If she re-
through "A rGrinrnrat pyffb
us, one-fifth more than the worlds price,
the danger is that her production will be
artihciaIly stimulated.
Tobacco Industry Flourishing.
'It should be remembered that since
the restoration of peace the tobacco fu-
dustry In Cuba has been In a most -four
ishing condition. American enterprise
has taken hold of the railroads of Cuba
has employed a large number of men.
and the increased railroad facilities will
largely diminish the cost of the trans
portation of sugar. improvements in ma
clinery will doubtless also be secured,
and there SEEMS to he no reason to be-
lieye that Cuba will not under present
conditions. soon readjust herself so as 10
secure the proper employment OF her
present population.
The question is whether ii is the duty
of our Government to relieve Cuba from
the results of natural causes operative
throughout the entire world and net con
uected in any way with our occupation OF
the island. Certainly our Government has
never taken this view with reference TO
our ewn people. We have passed through
panics Of every kind, through financial
crises, through liquidation, through read
tustment, and there has been 10 sugges-
tion that the Government should come to
the relief Of our own people who are in
distress. How then can ii be our duty
10 relieve a foreign people about to suffer
from q necessary Industrial REIMBURSEMENT
for which we are not responsible? II we
recognize this duty to the Cubans how can
we fail to deny it to our own people, and
does not this legislation open up the door
for philanthropic, benevolent. and senti
mental legislation of every kind?
In conclusion, Mr.. Newlands' report
says:
.'The American PEOPLE are becoming
tired OF sentimental legislation. We have
spent 5000, 600. geo in a war TO free Cuba.
We have spent over $500. 100000 in at
tempting to carry civilization to the
Philippines. II is now proposed by the
sentimentalists that we should inaugu-
rate legislation changing our fiscal sys-
tem not for the benefit of the American
consumers nor for the benefit of our ag
ricuItural classes. which thus far have
received little OF the benefit OF our fiscal
legislation, but for the purpose of di-
yerting 20 the Cuban planters, in order
to relieve their threatened economic dis
tress, very large amount OF money, i'm
posed as a tax upon American consumers
as an additional cost for sugar. the only
justification for which imposition has been
that this additional cost In the shape OF
1900 has oone fnto the Federal Trea asury