The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-23
BEET SUGAR {
 HAS HEARING Henry Oxnard on Witness
 Stand. DEroUNcEs HAvEMAYER
COngreSSmen Richardson and
 GrOsven0r Have Tilt.
The Member from Tennessee Accuses the Member from Ohio of Telling an Untruth--Cuban Dele
 gate Talks.

. Washington, Jan. 22.-The hearings on Cuban reciprocity were resumed before the Ways and Means Committee today. The beet sugar interests of the United States occupied most of the time. being represented by Henry T. Oxnard, presi- dent of the American Beat Sugar Asso- citation. and by delegations from those States interested in the production of sugar from beets. The cane sugar in- terests of Louisiana also were well rep resented and Chairman Payne arranged to give them a part of the time. At the outset. MT. Place. head of the Cuban delegation, made statement. He had argued for free trade. he said. as that was the earnest wish of Cuba. But while this was the judgment of the Cuban people, he said, they deferred to the Judgment of the American Congress on the whole question. He added:
 .swe want what you will grant. ask ing no more advantage nor as much. as we are able to concede to your pro- duoers. Without suggestion as to lmi- tations, we leave to your statesmanship the relations which are to prevail in the United States.
 Mir. oxnard said beet sugar production represented a vast industry brought into existence by the legislation of congress, which had invited capital to invest to an extent little realized. Continuing, ne said:
 .'Stripped of sentimentaiity and all ex- traneous considerations and reducing the Cuban demands for free or freer sugar tnx. a fhiGs Shall the United States, through its agricul- turists. produce it's raw sugar and in its factories scattered from the. Atlantic to the Pacific refine it's products, or shall it ,c-mit foreign lands to export to It tr ...w yrst srlal and content itself mere ly with the refining. Should congress decide that Cuban sugar must be helped at the expense of American beet sugar capital will eventually turn Its back upon the further development of beet sugar and throw it's full force into the tropical island, which we have unduiy favored and stimulated. Sugar production in Cuba today is firmly established and the chief industry of the island. Beet sugar is at the very inception of its develop ment in the United States"
 MT. Oxnard severaly criticised the American Sugar Trust and Hayemeyer
 Chairman Payne asked MT. Oxnard as to the report that he had suggested agreement with the Cubans.
 MT. Oxnard answered that no such agreement had been made. There had been a discussion during which 1t was suggested that if Congress decided to grant concessions to Cuba, it should be in the form of a rebate. He also denied that there was any trust in the beet su- gar industry.
 ,e,At lOhfnl Representative Richardson (Tenn) had sharp exchange during MT. Oxnard's ex- animation.
 Mir. Richardson referred to a statement by the witness that the sugar trust in- stigated the Cuban reciprocity movement. Reading from President Roosevelts mes sage recommending Cuban reciprocity, MT. Richardson said:
 Do you mean to say that was instigat- ed in any such way?'
 MT. Grosvenor intervened before the witness could answer.
 q denounce such proceedings" said he emphatically, and I make point of or- der against such questioning
 Your denunciation does not amount to anything" replied Mir. Richardson. This witness asserts that the sugar trust instigated this movement in behalf of Cuba"
 'It Is a plain effort to get the witness to make an attack on the President" de- clared MT. Grosvenor.
 That is not true." rejoined MT. Rich ardson.
 MT Oxnard finally secured an oppor- tunity to disclaim any purpose of reflect ing on the President.
 The hearing was adjournd at noon un- til 1:30 D. m.
 At the afternoon session. Nathaniel Stewart presented the case of the Michi- gan beet sugar industry He said that S7, zoo, 900 was now invested and this in- dustry had grown up within three years. He argued that Congress had induced the investment and should not destroy it by granting concessions to Cuba.
 C. D. Smith of the Michigan Farmers Institute appeared at the request of the Governor of Michigan to present. the view of the farming interests engaged in rais- ing beets. He spoke in opposition to Gu ban concessions, as did F. P. Hathaway of Michigan and Herbert Myrick of Mas While the hearing was going on a petition was circulated on the floor of the House requesting the Ways and Means Committee to make no change in the tariff laks likely injuriOusly to affect the beet sugar industry. About forty-five Republican members of the Michigan, California, Indiana. Ohio, Kansas and other beet producing States signed the petition. On the Democratic side the Louisiana members and MT. Shafroth (Colo) were among the signers. Those in charge of the petition, expect to get seventy names before 1t Is presented to the Ways and Means Committee.