The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-12

proposition of the ways and means COM
mittee, but that the policy of reciprocity
was. THE defeat of this BILL said he,
means that the Republican party has re-
fused to follow the leadership of Blaine
of Mckinley and of Roosevelt. and it
would mean that reciprocity was no
longer part of the Republican faith"
He pointed out that the Republican
platform of 1896, referred to the repeal
of the reciprocity agreements under the
Mckinley law as a national calamity and
demanded their renewal and extension.
The original section Of the Dingley bill
authorizing reciprocity agreements ne re-
called, named sugar as one of the articles
on which the president was authorized to-
reduce the duties, but the section was
changed in the senate and sugar was
stricken out. The Dingley law author
lied the president to make reciprocal
agreements on articles produced in this
country, and President McKinley's agree
mentS with France, Germany, Italy and
Portugal were now in force, so that he
maintained tat those who favored reel
procity with Cuba were not untrue to the
doctrines of the Republican party be-
cause tobacco and sugar produced in this
country We're included.
Cubans Will Get Benefit.
Moreover, he insisted that the hearings
before the committee on ways and means
showed conclusively that concessions
made on Cuban sugar would not affect
the price of sugar in this country, and
that the beet sugar industry would not be
injured. reduction of 20 per cent on
Cuban sugar leaving the duty on such
sugar at $l.34 per hundred pounds would
not enable the Cuban, after paying
freight rates and cost of refining, to
compete with the beet sugar in Chicago,
Kansas City or Denver, which are the
principal markets for beet sugar.
He espoused reciprocity with Cuba, he
said, not only because it would be help
full to Cuba, but because he believed we
would get an adequate return, and in sup
port of that belief he instanced the re-
suit of reciprocity with Cuba under the
Mckinley law, from Sept /, 1891. to Aug.
q, 1894 Under that law sugar molaSseS,
coffee and hides were admitted free, and
in return Spain made concessions on our
products entering Cuba. The results were
demonstrated in the fact that our cX-
ports to Cuba increased from $12, PASS in
1891 to $24, 157, sos in 1893.
In 1885, after the agreement was abro-
gated, they had fallen to $3.50, $50. Our
exports to Cuba We're now only $2S,GiS.-
702 out Of total of $65 O50, AL. The wit
neSseS before the committee on ways and
means, he said, stated that with pros
perity in Cuba, the importations of that
100000 annually. This. he argued, was
the trade that Cuba offered us in return
for concessions on sugar and tobacco.
Nation Under Moral Bond.
This was not charity. 1t was a good
bargain. Mr., Long contended that in at
dition to Self-interest there was a moral
obligation upon the United States to grant
concessions. He declared that when the
commission from Cuba was prevailed
upon to accept the Plat amendment that
President Mckinley assured them that in
consideration Of its acceptance he would
do all in his power to secure economic
concessions, and said that the commits
sion so reported to the Cuban conVen-
ton. He presented detailed figures to
show that the Porto Rican sugar grow
free admission of sugar from that island
from which he argued that the Cubans,
! not the sugar trust would get the benefit
| and all the benefit-of any reduction
congress might make.
In Conclusion, Mr. Long said:
IF this legislation fail, and no conces-
| sion be made to Cuba-if the policy of
| President Mckinley and President Roose-
! Welt be defeated by this house-it does not
mean that the beet sugar industry by
| the control Of this house can prevent free
! sugar fkom Cuba. After the establish
| ment OF the republic at Cuba, a treaty
| can be negotiated with that country by
| the president. That treaty can provide
| for the annexation of Cuba as the re-
| cent treaty did for the annexation q
| the Danish West Indies; and that treaty
can be submitted to the senate and rat
| flied. The moment that the notifications
| are exchanged under the decision of the
| supreme court in the Porto Rican case,
| we would have free trade with Cuba ON
| all products. The house would be power
| less to prevent it.
Events Will Decide in End.
$50 this house Is not supreme, ana it
does not control or dominate this situa-
ton. 1t would be the part of wisdom
| Tor the beet sugar interests to agree to
| reasonable concession that would not
| lnJure their industry in the remotest de-
! gree rather than to be compelled to &C.
| cept possible annexation in the immediate
/ future. Annexation will come in the not
lar distant future, but when it does come.
| | want it to come by the free act Of The
CUBAN people and when they come per-
| manently under our flag. l do not want
| Lhem to feel they were the victims of
IS9rciole annexation which President Nc
! sion''
| In concluding his statement Mr.. Tayler
announced that he would demand a vote
| on ms resolution. Mr.. Tayler received a
/ round of APPLAUSE when he concluded
MI jenkins 6Wis@ at this point adj
| Vanced the novel theory that Cuba was
| low, and had been. since the treaty of
FaTIS, under the sovereignty of the Unit
! 60 states. His contention was that Cuba
| was United States territory; that the
people OF cuba might be permitted to
| ereignty.
Mr.. Sibley Pa.) offered compromise
proposition for 20 per cent reduction on
| cuban products. but with limit upon its
| life to Dec. /. 1903g
This proposition. Mr. Tayler character
| 1zed as satisfactory to neither side.
MT MorrelI (Pa.1 advocated harmony,
ana his colleague, ex-Speaker Grow, urg-
| ca the acceptance of the reciprocity prop
osi,tlon, largely on the ground Of moral
Mr.. Mondell wyo0 opposed the ways
| and means plan.
Mr.. Smith protested very strongly
| against executive Interference in legisla-
| tive matters. He saidghe had great adj
| miration for Mr.. RooseFelt, but the presi-
| dent had no right to attempt to coerce
| legislative action
Mr. cannon counseled harmony and OPP
| posed precipitate action.
Mr. Dick (Ohio) favored letting well
| enough alone and non-action on Cuban
| reciprocity.
It developed the administration was
| Wlllmg to accept the Sibley compromise.
| Al u:40 Speaker Henderson moved an
adjournment until next Tuesday, and
| Lttlefield (Me.) moved to amend and
strike out Tuesday" which would have
caused sine die adjournment, but his
/ amendment was lost, 81 to ~ Hender-
sons motion was then carried, IL to ~