The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-01
CUBAN TARIFF Bill
At Last Reported to the House by
Chairman Payne.
MUTUAL 20 PER CENT REDUCTION
Insurgents Will Fight ON Floor
s.r Committee Expects to Pass
the Bill. y

the Bill.
Washington, April 1.-The following is
the text of the Cuban tariff reduction bill
as reported to the house by Chairman
Payne of the ways and means committee:
tons With Cuba.
Be it enacted, etc, that, for the purpose OF
securing reciprocal trade relations with Cuba,
the president is hereby authorized, as soon as
may be after the establishment of an inde-
pendent government in Cuba and the enact
ment by said government Of immigration, ex-
cuson and contract labor laws as fully re-
strictive of Immigration an the laws of the
United States, to enter into negotiations with
said government with view to the arrange
ment of commercial agreement in which re-
cprocaI and equivalent concessions may be
secured in favor of the products and manu-
features Of the United States by rates of duty
which shall be less by an amount equivalent
to at least 20 per cent ad yalorem Upon such
products and mapufactures than the rates i'm
posed upon the like articles when imported
into Cuba from the most favored OF other
countries, and which shall not be greater than
the rates imposed by the United States upon
the like articles imported from Cuba, and
whenever the government of Cuba shall enact
such immigration and exclusion laws and
shall enter into such commercial agreement
with the United States and shall make such
concessions In favor Of the products and man
ufactures thereof aforesaid, and which
agreement, in the judgment of the president,
shall be reciprocal and equivalent, he shall
be authorized to proclaim such facts both as
to the enactment of such immigration, exclu-
sion and contract labor laws and the making
Of such agreement; and those after until the
first day Of December, 1903, the imposition OF
no dr,fia imp nv lie oil Ill
imported from Cuba, the products thereof.
into the United States, shall be suspended
and in lieu thede0f, there shall be levied col
lected and paid upon all such articles i'm
ported from Cuba 50 per centum OF the rata
OF duty now levied upon like articles i'm
ported from foreign countries. The president
shall have power, and it shall be his duty
whenever he shall be satisfied that either such
immi grafton, exclusion or contract labor laws
or such agreement mentioned in this act, are
not being fully executed by the government
of Cubs, to notify such government thereof
and thereafter there shall be levied collected
and paid upon all articles imported from Cuba
the full rate of duty provided by law upon
articles imported from foreign countries.
Relief Imperative.
Mr. Payne explained the depressed con
dition Of the Cuban sugar industry as due
to the worlds overproduction of sugar and
said:
This condition threatened grave disaster to
this, the principal industrial product OF Cuba
1t is true that labor in Cuba is and for the
past three months has beeen, fully employed
at fair wages; that there has been no dis
tress; but a trustworthy writer, and man
not interested in sugar and careful OBJ
server, says, under date Of March 20:
while the masses Of Cuba are not actually
suffering from lack of fond tho nj ptors n 4
business men are on the verge Of collapse
and bankruptcy and are anxiously hoping for
concessions in the United States tariff in or
der that they may receive new life and hope
The merchants have large sums of money
trusted out and are not, paying each other
They are simply holding each other up in the
hope of obtaining relief; and if failures once
begin, they will come like wildfre.'
All the evidence received before the com
m1ttee points to conclusion that the crisis
threatened involves the most serious conse-
quences. This threatened financial distress
comes at the very time we are about to set
the Cuban government sup. in business onstts
own account. We have performed the part
OF guardian up to the present time and ara
ABOUT TO SEND the ward forth into the world
so We cannot afford to take the risk of her
failure if a little timely aid will,ins sue
cess.
care for our people, but after reviewing
the American sugar situation says:
1t can work no injury to our industry ii
We make this small reduction on Cuban
sugars The enactment of this bill will not
Affect the protection of the sugar producers
OF the United States. There is no reasonable
pretense that the same reduction on Other
Cuban products will injure any other sAmeri-
can industry.
Cuba Not Bexear.
The report asserts that planters and not
the refiners will receive the benefits Of the
reduction, and adds:
Cuba does not come simply as mendicant
nor should she be treated as such. She Of
LET'S good trade in return. This she is will
ing TO concede. Under the provisions of the
Dill we should be able to double the amount
| OF our export trade with Cuba, which amounts
TO quo more than that we obtained in
the last fiscal year.
In conclusion the report saws:
IL is a happy circumstance that, without
any INJURY to our own industries. and with
out the loss OF anything except seven or eight
lnllnon dollars Of revenue, which we do not
neeo' we are able to extend this relief to
Cupa and at the same time get reciproca
trade relations with her. Aside from the ex-
ceptlonal case that Cuba presents. the action
OF the committee is in entire accord with the
reciprocity doctrine Of the republican plat
form and the declaration of President McKin
ley and President Roosevelt. It involves nc
proposed revision of the tariff or anything moi
entirely IN harmony with the maintenance OF
the protective system
Following the introduction of the bill
the insurgents" held conference. No
formal action was taken. but the dis.
cussion was in the line. of continu;ne
the contest on the floor OF the house. Il
IS expected, however, that the opposition
Will be from members individually, rather
than from compact and organized CD.
position. twas claimed that about thirty
! republicans would speak and vote against
! the bill. The ways and means leaders
feel confident that the bill will pass, prob.