Evening star., 1902-01-23
Hearings on Reciprocity With Cuba
Resumed
BEFORE WAYS And MEANS COMMITTEE
Cane Sugar interests of Louisiana
Presented.
AGAIN ST CON ESSIONS

Cuban reciprocity hearings before the
ways and means committee today were de-
voted chiefly to the cane sugar interests of
Louisiana, who are opposing the proposed
concessions to Cuba on the ground that 1t
will cripple the sugar production OF that
state. A number Of the large planters and
manufacturers of the state were present,
and the allied interests of beet sugar and
tobacco, which are similarly opposed to
concessions to Cuba, also were numerousiy
represented.
LOufsiana's Interests.
The opening statement in behalf of the
Louisiana interests was made by j. D. Hill
Of New Orleans. an extensive planter. RE
pointed out that there was no need Of max
ing an appeal in behalf of Cuba, as the
island was gifted by nature so as to pro-
duce sugar at exceedingly low rates. which
could enter into fair competition with the
rest Of the world. He compared the status
OF Cuba with that Of the south after tn the
civil war, and showed that the south had
worked out it's own salvation without max
ing appeals for special favors. Already
hundreds of millions of dollars had been
invested in sugar production In Louisiana,
and the industry was still far short of its
full capacity. He urged that this industry
should not be subjected to foreign competl-
tion which would seriously injure, if not
uSSlTOy II. asserted tndC lHe
sugar trust was behind the Cuban move
ment and presented statistics to show that
the result Of concessions to Cuba would
make the sugar trust the real beneficiary,
constituting that organization a colossal
monopoly In Cuba
Land Fit Only for Sugar.
Mr.. Hill said 1t was a matter of amaze
ment that at a time when Germany was
using the utmost effort to develop the
ind xvbn
American people should consider a PROPOSE
tion which would have the effect Of de-
stroying the American industry and of
placing the production Of sugar under for
eign control. II the lands of Louisiana
were no longer used for sugar, Mr.. Hill
said, there was no other line Of production
to which they could be profitably turned.
In answer to questions by Representative
Long of Kansas, Mr. Hill said so per cent
reduction would reduce the price on raw
sugar, but not on refined, the price on the
latter being fixed in Hamburg. This re-
duction of duty would not inure to the
Cuban planter, but to the foreign pur-
chaser.
Mr. Hill opposed any reduction on raw or
refined but If such reduction became a
necessity he did not favor a reduction on
the refined article.
Ex-Governor WarmOth's Opposition.
ExGov. Warmoth of Louisiana made a
vigorous speech opposing concessions to
Cuba. 1t was proposition, he said, from
the ''syndicates and grandees Of Cuba who
had the cheek to come before an American
Congress and ask that the industries of our
people shall be destroyed SO that they
could make money out of our merchants"
He referred to Gen. Woods activity in the
movement, which indicated. Gov. Warmoth
said, that Gov. Wood had become infatuat-
ed with Cuba and his Spanish associates.
This might be part Of the governor gen
erals duty, but the speaker said it had not
improved the credit Of Americans at the
banks.
After stating the magnitude of the Louis
lana industry and its prospective develop
ment if Congress did not interrupt its
progress Gov. Warmoth referred to the
Cubans who were urging this concession.
He claimed they were buying their goods
in Spain and England, and yet had the
cheek to come to an American Congress
for help. The poor Cubans, he said, seemed
to have been entirely lost In the shuttle.
and Congress was now asked to take up
the people who helped Spain to crush the
life out of the Cubans.
At noon the hearing went over until 1870
D.m