Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-14
MI. McCall's Speech.

and means committee. was the first speaker
today. He made an earnest speech in IA
yor Of the passage of the bill.
He discussed first the economic features
of the bill. and said that it fixed the basis
for a trade between two peoples amounting
now to s15'1p@0o annually. and which
under the provisions of the bill would soon
be augmented threefOld. The objection that
the bill would injure the beet sugar indus
try in this country, he said. rested upon no
sound foundation. He produced figures to
prove his assertion. and said that the claim
that the sugar trust would get the benefit
of the reduction could not stand examina-
nation Two years ago it had been urged
that the trust would get the benefit of the
removal Of duties on sugar from Porto
Rico The result of the experiment showed
beyond question that the removal of the
duly went directly 70 the Porto Rican plan
ter. IL was simply quarreiing with an
axiom To maintain such a proposition
There would not be two prices for a COM
modify of general use in the same mark
at the same time. In order to discredit ,SA
cause of Cuba the beet sugar advocates had
brought in the sugar trust. The trust was
a DOGGY that II was always safe to batter,
but this bill was not in its interest.
Compared with the German beet sugar
cartel. which exports sugar for about -
cents pound. while il EFFORTS Is cents
pound from the German people the Amer
lean sugar trust was charitable inStitu-
ton.
Cost of Sugar Cane.
Trer- was little ground for optimism as
I" the future of cane sugar in the United
States. In Louisiana the cane must BE-
Planted every two years at cost OF about
so an acre. while the Cubans only plant
ed once in ten years. To protect against
such great natural advantage was not a
rational application Of the rule 70 build up
Industries which We are fitted To carry on
ana not Ia support Il mere exotic enter
prise.
The strongest grounds for the bill. how
ever. Were those resting upon Considera-
tons Of morality and justice and those
which had reference not To our pecuniary
interest. hut TO the future OF the American
commonwealth.
Cuba Bound Hand and Foot.
'One year ago" he said I'VE passed the
PIatt amendment. which declared itself to
b. In fgifiilment of the Teller resolution.
WAS one Of those who thought that amend
ni-ut scarcely compatible with the lofty
declaration with which We embarked upon
the war. brt gentlemen with as keen a
Sense Of national and personal honor as my
own thought otherwise. Under that amend
mert cuba falls in all International mat
trrs under the absolute predouinance of
the I nited States. 1t practically prohibits
her from making a treaty OF commerce
with another nation. Having deprived her
OF this power. We are bound 20 deal with
u assert that We have discharged all our
obligations to Cuba when We set her out
upon the highway thus bound hand and
fnnt as II All that remained for us here
after was - sing praises To our own virtue
frF G!ViLS her freedom. Cuba's case was
stronger III equity than that of the Phil
ippi1es which had - per cent concession
or Port" Rico. which had free trade
Prefers to See Cuba Free.
She is part Of us by those common in
forests which bind nations together. 1t was
said hat destiny decreed that Cuba should
broom" an integral part of our Union, des-
tny which - so often a mere synonym of
greed | prefer to see Cuba flourish as an
iudept ndenJ republic under the protection
OF our nation in foreign affairs. With the
Instability OF the races which inhabit her
regulated by the influx Of American she
would b' come model for the Other Lati-
American states. The governing agencies
"I our nation should not be extended any
Further toward the tropics. Whatever the
ihnltS OF the Cuban people We must all ad-
init the great patience and serenity with
which they acted during the last three
years Let Us now set them upon their
Course as a nation with the help and the
eHcpIrdgene mt contained in this measure -
Mr.. Robertson Opposed
Mr. Robertson u-a.l, also member of the
ways and means committee. opposed the
bill In vigorous speech