The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-25
Attitude of Hawaii, Which Is Against
planned by Mr.. Haywood.
REFINERS ALSO ARE HEARD
INDEPENDENTS REPRESENTED BY
j. III. POST, OF NEW YORK.
Reduction of the Tariff Favored
Special Plea for Concessions
Made by Mr.. HawIey.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24-The Cuban
reciprocity hearings were resumed to-day
before the ways and means committee, with
a large attendance of those representing
the beet and cane sugar. tobacco and other
interests opposed to concessions to Cuba,
and with the expectation that some of the
government officials in Cuba might be pres
ent later in the day to sum up the advan-
tages Of reciprocal reductions.
The attitude Of the Hawaiian sugar plant
ers, opposing concessions to Cuba, was
presented by William Haywood, formerly
United States consul general to Hawaii,
and now representing the Hawaiian plant
ers and the Chamber of Commerce of Ha-
wall. In the course OF his statement he
said: Hawaii is not opposed to Cuba be-
ing assisted II Congress in its wisdom de-
cides that the United States is morally
responsible for Cuba'S welfare. To give
to Cuba free market for her sugar will
be to give an alien people just as much
advantage American citizenship gives
to Hawaiians and the extra advantage of
not being obliged TO conform to the strin-
gent laws regarding labor and immigra-
ton. With annexation Hawaii lost her
best source of labor supply-China. The
islands are so isolated that labor does not
naturally come to Hawaii, but must be
sought. All her food. clothing, machinery,
and. in fact. everything but few vege-
tables come from the States, and the only
thing she has TO pay with is sugar"
Chairman Payne asked if the slightest
concession TO Cuba would ruin the Ha-
waiian industry.
81 hope not" answered Mr. Haywood.
How much reduction could they stand?"
asked the chairman.
When the witness hestated Mr. Payne
said, amid laughter: Make it safe
We'll about 10 per cent" answered Mr.
Haywood.
What was most feared, he said, was that
free trade with Cuba or something ap-
preaching that would be brought about
and that meant ruin TO Hawaii, But a
small concession. say 10 per cent, would
not be opposed by Hawaii.
H. G. Leavitt, OF Ames Neb.. supplement.
ed former statement on the beet-sugar
industry by specifying the methods, which,
he said, the sugar trust was adopting to
mislead the public on this issue.
n. 3. Bradley, of Michigan, argued that
the beet-sugar industry was the first of
the protected industries TO directly benefit
the farmers, and FOR that reason he urged
that it should not be disturbed TO the detri-
ment of the farmers.
1T the afternoon session James ii. Post,
of the National Sugar Refining Company
of New York, explained there were about
dozen independent sugar re1neries in the
country producing about 100000 barrels
day. as against about 10000 barrels refined
by the American Sugar Refining Company,
and that the interests of the Independent
refiners should be considered in any action
taken by the committee. Mr. Post said his
company bought raw sugar all over the
world. Cuba included. Asked as to- what
effect % per cent reduction on Cuban
sugar would have on the price of sugar to
the consumer here. Mr.. Post said that, in
his opinion, there would be no effect as far
as the present crop concerned; that
the Cubans would reap all the advantages;
later, perhaps, as the production increased,
the price might fall. He explained the
ton of the refinerieS in under selling the
beet sugar people in the Missouri valley by
saying that the beet sugar people made
contracts with grOcerS to deliver sugar at
one-tenth OF cent per pound below the re-
and the retinerS reduced their prices in
some cases . cents a pound to underSel
the beet sugar manufacturers. He said
that so far as he knew none OF the indie
pendent refiners owned an acre of sugar
land in Cuba. He said the cost of refining
and distributing sugar was fve-eighths of
a cent per pound. Mr.. Post said that no
Cuban sugar of the present crop had come
into the market. 1t was being held, he
said, in the hope of securing tariff conces-
sions from the United States.
Former Representative Hawley, of Texas,
advocated concessions TO Cuba making a
special plea on the ground of our future
relations with the republic. Speaking of
the attitude Of the beet sugar manufacture
ers now in denouncing the sugar trust, Mr..
Hawley declared that in 1897, when the
sugar trust and the beet sugar trust
worked hand in hand. Mr.. Hawley said
he was actively interested in two sugar
plantations in Cuba, one of 10000 acres and
one of 1000 acres. He said there was dis
tress in Cuba. and when pressed for par
ticuars admitted that labor was fully en-
ployed at good wages, the distress arising
out of the fact that capital employed in
industry could not obtain fair return.
William S Bass, a Santo Domingo sugar
planter, was the last speaker to-day. He
did not think Cuba should be given an ad-
vantage over West Indian islands in the
American market.
Col Tasker II. Bliss, of the army, will
appear before the committee tomorrow.
The Republican members of the ways and
means committee are beginning to line up
for the fight over Cuban reciprocity Rep
resentatiVe Mccall. of Massachusetts, is
the first to declare himself openly in favor
of reciprocity. He made the following
beet sugar industry is a rapidly growing
one and should not be injured. but IL seems
clear that it would not be affected at all
by a moderate reduction in the duties on
Cuban sugars So long as we import, in
addition TO Cubas crop, a great mass of
sugar, paying the full duty raw Cuban
sugar in New York Will bring the foreign
or Hamburg price, with freight and full
duty added. Either that or there will be
two prices for the same grade of sugar
a moderate reduction would inure to the
Cuban producer. The prime ground for a
concession is not TO secure an increased
trade, but that we may inaugurate the new
Cuban government under the most favora-
BILE auspices. The success of the little re-
public is highly important 10 ourselves
1t will mark the nOblest results of the war
with Spain, and also aid US to evolve right
eously our insular problems in another part
OF the world.