New-York tribune., 1902-04-12
DEBATE on THE CUBAN BILL.
STRONG ARGUMENT FOR RECIPROCITY BY
MIR. LONG. OF KANSAS.

Washington April fl.-Debate on the Cuban keci-
procIty bill continued in the House to-day the
principal speeches being made by MI Long, Oh
Kansas a member OF the Ways and Means Com
rnittee who from the first ardenty supported the
proposition for reciprocity and who originally IA
vored a reduction OF 20 per cent. and Mr. Shafro'h
Of Colorado. who opposed the BILL on the grounu
that the Sugar Trust. which he said was wasins
war Of determination against the beet sugar IN
dustry. would be the chief beneficiary
Mr. Long argued that the pending bill does not
involve a revision OF the tarir. and contended that
the fate of the Republican doctrine of reciprocity
to which the party committed by the plat
forms of 1896 and 1900 and the Mckinley and Ding
lev tariff acts depended the passage OF TINS
and Means COMMITTEE as to the of producing
refined sugar from both Cuban cane and the sugar
proposed by this bill refined beet sugar from Mich
igan could be placed on the C@a1Gaso @ han "l 70
that Nebraska and Colorado beet sugar can be
placed on the Kansas City market for is cents a
hundred less than Cuban sugar; and that Cuban
sugar cannot compete at all with its beet riva on
ment made by the Oxnard Beet Sugar Company at
Could coz manufacture refined sugar below the cost
Of sugar made nj @ f from hee PrnT
to the effect that the proposed reduction In the
sugar and argued that therefore the sugar
dustry would not be injured by the proposed fgls
that the Cuban planters. and not the Sugar Trust
would get the benefit of the ] nd In tariff
the tinted states from reciprocity with Cuba he
reviewed u
which existed from 1891 10 1894. showing that while
exports to all other countries fell off materially In
this period owing to the depreciation In silver and
other causes trade with Cuba more than doubled
and that exports to countries with which reci-
procity agreements existed the only ones that
show ed an increase. Reciprocity, he declared
Cuban markets. A moral obligation rested on the
United States to aid Cuba from the fact that the
Platt amendment was accepted only upon the
virtual promise of tariff concessions In closing
Mr.. Long said:
That II Is our duty to complete our work In Cuba
is recognized by every patriotic American. We can
discharge that obligation and still do no harm TO
any American industry. Special interests have en-
deayored to prevent action. and tried to alarm
Congress by the that their particular Industries
will he ruined If reciprocity with Cuba Is adopted
The facts do not warrant this assumption. and II
this Congress does its duty, as did the Congress
that pa ssed the resolution of intervention, II VIII
nroyide before this session ends for reciprocity
with Cuba which will bring happiness and con-
tentment to people of that isiand further pro-
mote the prosperity of the people of the United
States and honorably finish the work undertaken
when the war with Spain began
Mr. Henry of Mississippi supported the bill. on
the ground that while unsatisfactory. 1t was a
step in the direction of reduction of duties. -
MIR Parker of New-Jersey. insisted that tarim
revision was in no way involved The real ques-
tion at issue whether We should allow Cuba to
hecome a second San Domingo. In our own in
terest as well as that of the people of Cuba we
should helm struggling republic to her feet.