Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-06-14
! . Y i j d . . b
RSURGENT APPEAL
Special Message of President Roosevelt
Asking for Reciprocity for the
Cubans.
Advocates Duty Reduction and Says
Concessions Will be Of Great
Advantage to Cuba.
Glorious Work of the Past -Four Years
Should be Continued as it was
Begun.

1AOu1O UC NOutlQuSu dS IL was
Begun.
Washington, June 14.-The presi-
dent has sent message to congress in
regard to Cuban reciprocity plainly
stating his position in the matter and
advocating the plan for reduction of
duty on Cuban imports into this coun-
try. The message is as follows:
ITO the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:
II deem it important before the ad-
journment of the present session of
congress to call attention to the fol
lowing expressions in the message
which, in the discharge Of the duty i'm
posed on me by the Constitution,
sent to congress on the first Tuesday
of December last"
% The president here repeats his rec
ommendation for substantial reduc-
ton of the tariff duties on Cuban i'm
ports made in the message referred to
and also quotes from President Nc
Kinley's messages of Dec. S, 1898, and
Dec. 5, 1899, advocating a like course.
President Roosevelt then continues:
Yesterday received, by cable,
from the American minister in Cuba a
most earnest appeal from President
Palma for legislative relief before it is
too late and (his) country financially
ruined
The granting of reciprocity with
Cuba is a proposition which stands en-
tirely alone. The reasons for it far
outweigh those for granting reciproc-
ity with any other nation, and are en-
tirely consistent with preserving in
tact the protective system under which
this country has thriven so marvellous
ly. The present tariff law was designed
to promote the adoption of such a reci-
procity treaty and expressly provided
for a reduction not to exceed 20 per
cent upon goods coming from par.
tlcular country, leaving the tariff rates
on the same articles uIobanged as re.
CARDS all other countries. Objection
has been made to the granting of the
reduction on the ground that the sub
stantial benefit would not go to the
Agricultural Producer OF Sugar, 4.
but would inure to the American sugar
refners. In my Judgment provision
can and should be made which will
guarantee us against this possibility;
without having recourse to a measure
Of doubtful policy, such as bounty in
the form of rebate.
"The question as to which, if any,
Of the different schedules of the tariff
| ought most properly to be revised does
not enter into this matter in any way
or shape. We are concerned with get
| ting a friendly reciprocity arrangement
with Cuba. This arrangement applies
to all the articles that Cuba grows or
| produces. 1t is not in our power to
determine what these articles shall be;
and any discussion of the tariff, as it
affects special schedules or countries
other than Cuba, is wholly aside from
the subject matter call to your atten.
ton.
| Some of our citizens oppose the
lowering of the tariff on Cuban prod
ucts just as three years ago they op-
posed the admission of the Hawaiian
ilsands, lest free trade with them
might ruin certain of our industries
here. In the actual event their fears
proved baseless as regards Hawaii
and their apprehensions as to the dam
age to any industry of our own because
of the proposed measure of reciprocity
with Cuba seem to me equally base
less. In my judgment no American in
dustry will be hurt, and many Ameri-
can industries will be benefited by the
proposed action. It is to our advan-
tage as a. nation that the growing Gu
ban market should be controlled by
American producers.
The events following the war with
Spain and the prospective building of
the isthmian canal rendered it certain
that we must take in the future a far
greater interest than hitherto in what
happens throughout the West Indies
/ Central America and the adjacent
coasts and waters. We expect Cuba
| to treat Nus on an exceptional footing
! politically, and we should put her in
the same exceptional position eeonom.
ically. The proposed action is in line
i with the course we have pursued as
regards all the islands with which we
have been brought into relations of in.
timacy by the Spanish war. Porto
i Rico and Hawaii have been included
within our tariff lines, to their benefit
rs well as ours, and without any of the
a feared &. #
Detriment to Our Own Industries. B
The Philippines, which stand in a DIFF
ferent relation, have been granted sub
4 stantial tariff concessions.
Cuba is an independent republic
but republic which has assumed Ger
tain special obligations as regards hel
international position in compliance
4 with our request. I ask for her certain
4 special economic concessions in re
turn; these economic concessions tx
\ benefit us as well as her. There are
d few brighter pages in American his
tory than the page which tells Of oul
u dealings with Cuba during the pas
j four years. On her behalf we waged |
4 war Of which the main spring wal
: generous Indignation against oppres