The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-10
A FOURTH CAUCUS

Tomorrow night there will be fourth
caucus Of house republicans at Washing
ton to make an effort to get together on
the question of Cuban relief, the adoption
or rejection of the ways and means COM
mittee's proposition to concede 20 per
cent off regular tariff rates on Cuban
sugar and tobacco.
The fact that this will be the fourth
caucus on this subject suggests that the
gentlemen who have adopted as their
motto mo break in the tariff WALL" are
not finding it very easy matter to con-
vince dissidents that 81 per cent tariff
on sugar is free trade absolute. The ways
and means committee certainly did not
consider such duty as free trade, and a
large number of American citizens take
the same view. Chairman Payne's COM
mittee, who reluctantly made a PROPOSE
I tion to put little 20 per cent off dent in
that tariff wall, very carefully considered
the subject and arrived at the conclusion
that the countrys industries would not
be ruined by the concession. If the eau
Gus tomorrow decides to adopt the cry,
publican shibboleth, and go before the
country in that uncompromising attitude,
when there is a strong tendency on the
part of our business and industrial in
terests to the policy of reciprocity, the
party will be in a rather embarrassing
position. The reciprocity clause of the
republican tariff of 1897 was adopted by
the party on the avowed ground that
reciprocity was the twin brother of pro-
lection. The president was fully author
lied to negotiate reciprocity treaties I'M
der that clause and to make concessions
Of tariff duties UP to 20, per cent. The
republican platform of 1896 declared
'Reclprocity builds up foreign trade and
Hnds an outlet for our surplus and
president Mckinley, the day before his
assassination last year, emphasized the
platform declaration by saying: "Reci-
procity is the natural outgrowth of our
wonderful Industrial development under
the domestic policy now firmly estab-
1ished." This, from the man who, through
his public life, was the strongest leader
in the promotion of protection, Is impor-
tant. Mckinley believed firmly that the
time had come, for the welfare of the
country, to make break in the tariff wall
both by reciprocity treaties and by di-
rect revision of the tariff, in cases where
the protective duties were not needed. ..s
e.. II there is no concession made to
Cuban necessities either by senate or
house (there is hope of some liberality
In the senate),. it will remain to be seen
what a politically Independent Cuba will
do as to our illiberality In a few weeks
the Cuban congress will met and, ratify
the election results indicated by the cleo
toral college, and about May 1, our troops
will be withdrawn and then the Cuban
senate will have under consideration a
treaty with the United States embodying
the terms Of the Plat amendment in per-
manent form. Suppose the Cuban senate
decides not to ratify the treaty? Sup
pose they claim that Cuba is entitled to
advantageous trade relations under the
PLAT amendment, as she certainly is.
mat amendment prevents Cuba from
making trade relations with other ma
lions. 1t compels her to look for her
trade outlet to the United States, and vet
the o-break-in- the tariff-wall element
declare that she shall have not an iota
OF trade advantage from the United
states! Hardly. rational attitude for
our government to assume!
A peculiar phase Of the business is the
determined way in which the most prom
1nent organs of the no-break-in- the-tariff
wall policy are declaring for the annexa-
tfon of Cuba. The st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat declares that annexation is sure to
come, If not this year, then in 1903. 1904
or 1905, ard, at the same time opposes
any tariff concessions whatever The
Globe-Democrat has not explained this
rather inconsistent position The sugar
and tobacco interests would, according to
the protests of their representative men
go to the demnition bowwows if there is
20 per cent reduction Of tariff duties.
Annexation could do no more in the wav
OF hypothetical ruin The fact Is
neither tariff reduction by reciprocity nor
tariff revision would affect disastrouslv
either the sugar or tobacco interests.
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