Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-12
LONG MAKES PLEA FOR CUBA
Kansan Urges Reciprocity as AvOwed Duty
Of United States.
ASSERTS OBLIGATION IS BINDING ONE
Cannot BE Ignored without Harm
to People of Is1snd-Home
Market Would ne
Benefited.

WASHINGTON, April 11.-Debste on the
Cuban reciprocity bill continued in the
house today, the principal speeches being
made by Mr.. Long Of Kansas, a member Of
the ways and means committee. who from
the first, ardently supported the PROPOSE
tion for reciprocity and who originally IA
vored a reduction OF 40 per cent, and by
Mr., Shafroth Of Colorado, who opposed the
bill on the ground that the Sugar trust.
which he said was waging a war Of exter-
minstion against the beet sugar industry
would be its chief beneficiary.
TIL leaders Of the house who have been
much worried as to the outcome Of the
controversy we're considerably relieved to-
day when Mr.. Watson, OF Indiana, who is
acting as the republican whip on this occa-
sion. informed them that after a careful
canvass he was positive that when
the attempt was made to override
the chair In order to make way for an
amendment to abolish the diferential on
refined sugar the chair would be sustained.
On both sides It is considered that the
uncertainty regarding the fate Of the bill
hinges upon the question Of overruling the
chair. Despite Mr.. Watson's canvass,
there are those who still contend that they
will win the bill.
Rosecrsns Funeral Committee
At the opening Of the session Of
the house today the speaker an
nounced the appointment Of the fol-
lowing committee to attend the funeral
at Arlington cemetery. Washington. Of
General W. s.. Rosecrans: Mr.. Hepburn Of
Iowa, Mr.. Grosvenor OF Ohio. Mr.. Loud Of
California. Mr.. Steele of Indiana. Mr.. Sui
zer Of New York, Mr.. Elliott OF South
Carolina. Mr.. Clark of Missouri. Mr.. Cum
minss Of New York and Mr.. Taylor of
Alabama.
The postofice appropriation bill was
sent to conference. Messrs. Loud. Smith
Of Illinois and Swanson Of Virginia were
appointed conferees.
The house then went into committee of
the whole and resumed the consideration
Of the Cuban reciprocity bill.
Mr.. Long, who has been very ac-
tive in urging Cuban reciprocity, spoke
in favor of the bill. He urged that
the pending bill does not involve a
revision OF the tariff, but commended that
the fate Of the republican doctrine of
reciprocity, to which the party was COM
mitted by the platforms of 1896 and 1900
and the Mckinley and Dingley tariff acts,
depended upon the passage of this bill.
Cost of Production.
He analysed the evidence before the COM
mittee on ways and means as to the cost Of
producing refined sugar from both Cuban
cane and the sugar beet and argued that
even at the reduced tariff provided by this
bill refined sugar could be placed on the
Chicago market for rs cents a hundred less
than refined Cuban sugar and that Ne
braska and Colorado beet sugar can be
placed on the Kansas City market for IS
cents a hundred less than Cuban sugar
ana that Cuban sugar cannot compete at
all with Its beet rival on the Denver mar
ket. He quoted from the statement made
by the Oxnard Beet Sugar company at its
annual meeting. held April /, 1902. that
1t can manufacture refined sugar below
the cost OF graduated sugar made from
imported raws."
He read the evidence OF all the beet
sugar experts to the effect that the pro-
posed reduction in the Cuban tariff would
not lower the price Of refined sugar and
argued that therefore the beet sugar in
dustry would not be injured by the pro-
posed legislation. He devoted much time
to the proposition. The Cuban planters,
and not the sugar trust, would get the
beneht OF the concession In tariff.
Eject of n s~ciprOcity.
Turning to the beLefts which would ac-
crue to us from reciprocity with Cuba he
reviewed the case of the Blaine reciprocity
treaty. which existed from 1891 10 1894
showing that while our exports to all other
countries fell of materially during this
period, owing to the depreciation In silver
and other causes, that our trade with Cuba
more than doubled and that our exports
to countries with which we had reciprocity
agreements were the only ones that
showed an Increase. Reciprocity, he de.