Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-28
DIETRICH ON RECIPROCITY
Nebraska Senator Talks on Cuban Affairs
and His Standing with President.
EXPLAINS POSITION TAKEN IN SENATE
Believes that President Roosevelt
was as Favorable TO Bn1 Intro
duced by Hin ms Any
Other.

HASTINGS, Neb., July 27.-(special.)-
In an interview yesterday with the editor
Of the Hastings Tribune, Senator Dietrich
explained his position on reciprocity with
Cuba and his standing with President
Roosevelt. Senator Dietrich said:
The president has no more loyal sup
porters and men who we're more unselfsh
In the cause Of Cuban reciprocity than the
so-called beet sugar insurgents. The bill
which passed the house by nearly a unant-
mouse vote of all members, irrespective Of
party, providing for n 20 per cent reduc-
ton. was killed in the senate committee by
the influence of the sugar trust and other
large land holders of sugar and tobacco
the bill was because the bill also provided
that Cuba should enact and put into force
immigration and Chinese restriction laws,
and also a repeal Of the ditferential upon
refined sugar. Evidence has disclosed that
the sugar trust and those interested par
ties absolutely own and control the com,
mercial and political affairs OF Cuba, and
1t would be detrimental to their interests
to have such labor laws enacted and en-
forced. The repeal of the differentiel would
have made 1t possible to have created coln-
petition to the sugar trust. which now has
an absolute monopoly OF the importing,
refining and selling Of the sugars consumed
of Cuba be protected the same as labor in
the United States, Porto Rico, Hawaii n
the Philippine Islands? The bulwark OF any
nation must depend upon the great middle
classes, and the only way to change the
conditions in Cuba and make II strong and
prosperous is to protect the labor. The
inhabitants Of Cuba today consist Of princes
and paupers; there Is no middle ciass to
depend upon.
consisting of princes and paupers, and the
consumption and wants of such a people
would not amount to that. of 100000 Ameri-
cans. In other words, the amount that
we would expect to sell to Cubs would
never be great with its present standing OF
civilization, When an American is engaged
In nRnhfIafn0 SMEAR and fnhnann IN Fha
United States all that he consumes is taken
from the American farm or factory. A
Cuban engaged in the same business would
not consume s per cent of goods or mer-
chandise from the United States. In other
words, a man employed in the United
States producing sugar or tobacco will
products from the, American farm and fac
tory than Will a man so employed In Cuba.
From a standpoint OF business reciprocity
with Cuba Is a sham, and the only excuse
for reciprocity with Cuba can only be con-
sidered from a sentimental and charitable
standpoint. That sentiment was created by
the enormous expenditures of moneys out
of the Cuban treasury, sugar trust and
other Cuban interests. II 1t be so profitable
to produce sugar from sugar beets. as
asserted by the friends of the sugar trust,
so that a so per cent reduction could be
made without injury, why does not Have
meyer, the president of the sugar trust,
his associates and other American capital
lists Invest their money In sugar beet lands
and factories in the United States, in place
- a ~ - ~
lands of Cuba. where they claim II is I'm
possible to produce sugar except at a great
loss? The fact that they are now investing
in Cuba brands as a falsehood al the as
~sertions and representations that have been
made to congress and the American people.
Nearly every .so-called insurgent was
willing to vote for the house bill as passed,
and they also expressed a desire to vote
for the bill which was introduced by my
and the repeal Of the di~ferential, with a
like amount added to the unreined sugar
schedule. and a Is per cent reduction given
to Cuba. This bill would have increased
the protection of the Amerlo IN producers
s per sent against Germany, France, Bel
GUM and other sugar producing countries
that are paying their exporters large ex-
port bounties. II would have added at
least from 100000 to $40. 1000, 900 additional
revenue to the United States, because there
would have been imported into the United
4 States refined sugars which are now pro-
hibited. as we'll as the raw sugar. 1t would
and sell refined sugar to the American
consumers directly, in place of being
obliged to sell its raw sugar to the sugar
trust.
The summary Of the bill which I intro
duced would have accomplished the follow
ing results: 1t would have given Cuba a
70 per cent reduction and an opportunity
to refine and sell its refined sugar direct
to the American consumer. 1t would have
! given the American producers Of sugar an
, additional protection of 6 per cent upon
raw sugar against all nations except Cuba.
This would partially compensate them for
/ lIleI loSS OL pIONtClfOH against una.
The question resolves itself to this soiu-
tion: Does the republican party and the
American people prefer TO protect and per-
petuate the sugar trust, or stand by the
American producer In the future as It has
done in the past?
In conclusion, / wish to state tina Presi-
dent Roosevelt was as favorable. and / be-
heve even more so. to the passage of the
bill which was introduced by me than he
was for any other proposed bill. The presi-
dents record is too well known and estab-
hshed In standing for the interests of
American producers for the consumers, as
against importers and gigantic trusts, such
as the sugar trust and others against
whom he has taken action.
And, / would further state, that all bills
favoring Cuban reciprocity were killed In
the committee by the friends of the sugar
trust, and other Influences that were afraid
to ave any bill reported for fear of an
attack n a general change of the tariff
schedule, and In order to blind the Ameri-
can people, their power and influence is
directed against the so-called beet sugar
senators.
REutuEC TIpT0M pAppERN