New-York tribune., 1902-04-21
MR.. CARNEGIE ON RECIPRoCITy.
HE THINKS GRATUITY TO THE cUBANs
BETTER THAN TARIFF REDUCTION.

HE THINKS A GRATUITY TO THE cUBANs
BETTER THAN TARIFF REDUCTION
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: A member of the Repubiican party, who
is not without experience in tariff legislation.
Graves leave to offer some comment upon the
action of the House yesterday regarding the pro-
posed change of sugar duties for the benefit Of
Cuba The writer when in Washington some
weeks ago, advised against this form or relief
for these and other reasons:
First-To favor Cuba in this way would offend
other nations 1t would give good reason for
Britain. for instance, TO allege discrimination
against her. and say to the colonial prenliers
about TO assemble in London: See what the
United States has done; our possessions upon
the American coast are made more worthless
than ever by her favoring Cuba We must pro-
tect ourselves: impose preferential duties upon
her products in return. She has begun the con-
test; upon her falls the blame"
Seeond-I also urged that the British people
would protest against American manufacturers
being given a preferential tariff by Cuba. We
saw how the Chambers of Commerce Of the coun-
try assembled did in London protest and called
upon the Foreign Secretary. demanding that he
insist upon the most favored nation" clause in
this Ito them serious matter
This whole reciprocity scheme is, in the writ
er's opinion, mistaken Although he was at first
attracted to il while a member of the Pam
American Conference, a little experience soon
satisfied him that il might be described as 'an
art for making enemies" Suppose. for instance,
that we make with one nation a reciprocity
treaty; then all the others which are affected
thereby become dissatisfied. France would not
like TO see German textiles admitted here at
less duty than her own; Brazil would dislike the
of ia POmpared with
hers and vice versa. Other nations would re-
sent our products entering these countries at
dueed duties and through all the world:
for one friend we should create ten enemies, and
the imposition of custom duties would become
matter of "the higgling of the market-a petty
scramble among nations. war Of tariffs, never
ceasng.
/ submit TO our party that there is only one
wise attitude for us take and 10 adhere to.
Equal treatment of all nations. special favor to
none That certain duties now in force can be
reduced; that certain changes could be ad-
vantageously made in the present tariff, goes
without saying but not much. if any. serious in
Jury results from present duties, and we can in
due tirle undertake the difficult task of read
justment Most careful consideration should
precede action. There should be no haste. nor
should we adopt piecefneal legislation
That we should be most kind to the newest,
the Cuban Republic. child of the greatest re-
public. and the bringer of true glory TO US as
a nation through her independence, all agree,
but / submit to our leaders whether reduc-
tion In sugar duties would not benefit only the
owners of the sugar. and who these are no one
knows but certainly not the masses of the peo-
pie of Cuba I do not know but do suspect,
that spectators have long since acquired the
sugar sum voted outright and intrusted TO
General Wood whose good work in Cuba gives
him enduring place among our great servants,
for distribution among the needy would prob
ably reach the result We all have in view far
more successfully than the proposed form of
relief Besides, il would have the great addf-
tionaI advantage to US Of healing, not further
asgravating unfortunate differences in our
party. 1t does not seem to- the writer good poli-
tics to persist in attempt to exact the relief
we wish for Cuba from article or one class
which should come from the national as whole
ANDREW CARNEGIE.
New-York, April ia. 1902.