Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-04-09
REPORT OF COMMITTEE

Washington, March 3l.-Chairman
Payne today presented to the House
the report of the Ways and Means
Committee on the Cuban reciprocity
bill, which the committee had ordered
reported earlier in the day.
After reciting President Roosevclt's
recommendation in behalf of Cuba.
Payne says: Our relations to Cuba
are peculiar. In our declaration Of war
with Spain, and ever since, we have
solemnly proclaimed to the world that
our object was to give Cuba a stable
and Independent government. We
have laborcd for more than three
years to accomplish that result. and in
THIS cndeavor we have spared no eX.
penso. During the years of prepare.
ton we have given her an example of
the benefit of law and good order. of
cleanliness, and of the preservation OF
the public health and OF good govern.
ment generally. She has organized her
government under a constitution, and
is now ready to launch forth among
the nations of the earth in the month
OF May"
Payne explains the depressed cOndi.
ton of the Cuban sugar industry as
due to the worlds ovcrproduCtion Of
sugar, and says: This condition
threatened grave disaster to this, the
principal product If Cuba. It is true
that labor in Cuba is and FOR the past
three months has been fully employed
at fair wages; that there has been no
distress; but trustworthy writer, an
American, not interested in sugar and
a careful observer, says under date of
March Goth: while the masses OF
Cuba are not actually suffering from
lack of food, the planters and business
men are on the verge of collapse and
bankruptcy, and are anXiOusly hoping
for concessions in the United States
tariff in ORDER that they may receive
new life. The merchants have large
sums Of money trusted out and are not
paying each other. They are simply
holding each other up in the hope oil
obtaining relief. and II failures once
begin they will run like wild fire
IAN the evidence received before the
committee points to a conclusion thai
the crisis threatened involves the nIost
serious consequences.
This threatened financial distress
comes at the very time we arc about Il
set the Cuban Government up in bust
ness on its own account. We have per
formed the part Of guardian up t
the present time and are about to senC
the ward forth into the world. w,
cannot afford to take the risk OF he
failure II little timely aid will insur,
success.
The report adds that we are boun,
to care for our own people, but, ate
reviewing the American sugar s.tua
ton, says: 1T can work no injury L
our industry II we make this SINAI
reduction in Cuban sugars. The cnacl
mcnt OF this biTi will not affect the Pre-
lection OF the sugar producers Of tn
United States. There Is no REASONABLE
prctensc that the same protection d
other Cuban products will insur" an
other American industry.
The report asserts that the platter
and not the renners, will receive III
benefits OF the reduction, and adds
Cuba does not come simply as mel
dicant, nor should she be treated a
such. She offers a good trade IN r,
turn. This she is willing 10 conccd,
Under the provisions OF the bill "
should be able to double the amour
OF our export trade with Cuba. whfc
amounts to $4,000, 900 more than tha
We obtained in the last fiscal year"
In conclusion the report adds: e
Is a happy circumstance that, withor
any injury to our industries, and witt
out the loss of anything except $1,000
900 or So,OO0OO0 of revenue, which "
do not need, we are able to extend TIL
relic, to Cuba, and at the same tim
get reciprocal trade relations with he
/ aside from the exceptional cas-
: that Cuba presents, the action OF III
committee Is in entire accord with II
reciprocity doctrine of the Republica
platform and the declarations Of II
late President Mckinley and PrcsidcI
Roosevelt, II involves no proposed r
vision of thc"tariff ON anything not 81
tirely in harmony with the maiutc
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