The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-09
VOTE WAS NOT UNANIMOUS
Resolution Adopted Protesting Against Unnecessary Stimulation of Sugar and Tobacco Industries In Phil
 ippines by Tariff Reduction.

but recommending that the treaty be so amended as to express in precise lan- guage what is intended to be secured by it to the beet sugar manufacturers Of the United States viz: That during the period of five years covered by the treaty no sugar exported from Cuba shall be admitted to the United States at reduction of duty greater than 20 per cent of the rates of duty thereon, as provided by the tariff act of July 24, 1897.
 The association also adopted resolu- tion protesting against the unnecessary stimulation of the sugar and tobacco in- dustries of the Philippine islands by means of further tariff reductions, thus, as the resolution stated, encouraging the people of these islands, where the labor is but a few cents day, to produce those things which this country can produce, rather than such commodities as we are unable to produce.
 The action of the association was not unanimous the vote on the passage of the resolution standing three to two, al- though Henry T. Oxnard, the president of the association, said he had enough proxies with him to make the vote 12 to 3. The opponents of the resolution say there are thirty or more factories in the association and that the representation at the meeting does not comprise half the factories in the association. None of the sixteen factories in Michigan was repre- scented in the meeting except that Julius Stroh of Detroit, the treasurer of the as sociation, was present.
 The Resolution.
 The following is the text of the resolu- tions adopted together with the pream- ble accompanying them:
 Whereas, A reciprocity treaty between the United States of America and the republic of Cuba has been laid before the senate of the United States by the President who believes that the interests require it's prompt ratification, and
 Whereas, This association believes that the proposed reduction of 20 per cent will be limited in good faith for a period of five years to that amount, and will insure to the manufacturers of beet sugar in the United States a nve-year period of relief from the harmful agitation of the subject, which isi now harassins the in- dustry and making its prosperity and healthful growth an impossibility; and
 Whereas, The public welfare of the United States as nation has become in- volved in the consideration of the pro- posed treaty and while this association remains of the opinion that disturb ance of the tariff returns between Cuba and the United States Is from any stand point unwarranted and unwise, jt Is not willing to permit the commercial interests of it's members to stand in the way of the adoption of a public policy which has the approval of the administration and lead ing members of congress of both political parties
 Resolved, That the American Beet Sugar association has determined to with draw it's opposition to the ratification of the said treaty, but that it respectfully recommends to the senate committee on foreign relations that the eighth article of the treaty be amended so as to ex- press In precise language what Is intended to be secured by the treaty to the beet sugar manufacturers of the United States namely. that during the period of five years covered by said treaty no sugar exported from the republic of Cuba shall be admitted into the United States at a reduction of duty greater than 20 per- centum of the rates of duty thereon, as provided by the tariff act of the United States approved July 24, 1897.
 Philippine Resolutions.
 "Whereas, The house of representa- tives has passed measure reducing the duties on Philippines products entering the United States to 25 per cent of the rates of duty established by the act If July 34, 1897; and,
 Whereas, All the principal products of these islands. with the single exceptions of sugar and tobacco, already enjoy free entrance to the Markets of the United; and,
 1ttA of hoe ortl already enjoying free access to our mar kets comprise more than 75 per cent of the total exportations of those islands; and,
 Whereas, The United States now an- nually imports from the various coun- tries of the world over S160,000 of those duty-free products; and,
 "Whereas, The United States is unable to produce those articles, thus affording for ever an unlimited market for all the Philippine Island can produce in such products; and,
 Whereas. The United States can pro- duce all its sugar and tobacco:
 Therefore. be it resolved, That the American Beet Sugar association does hereby protect against the unnecessary stimulation of the sugar and tobacco industries of the Philippine Islands by means of further tariff reductions, thus encouraging the people of those islands where labor Is but few cents a day, to produce those things which this coun- try can produce, rather than such com modities as we are unable to produce; Also be 1t further resolved, That this association is unalterably opposed to the introduction of Chinese contract labor into either the Hawaiian or the Philip | pine Islands"
 | There were five companies represented l at the meeting of the association tonight, l when the Cuban and Philippine resolu- | tions were adopted tonight. These were the American Beet Sugar company, rep resented by Henry T. Oxnard; the Utah | Sugar company, by J. R. Cutler; the Wis | consin Sugar company, by R. G.. Wagner; the National Sugar company. by J. Ross | Clark. Messrs. Wagner and Clark | strongly opposed the Cuban resolution, | declaring that the present gathering was | not a representative one of the sugar beet growing industry of the country inasmuch as the entire vote. including | the proxies held by Mir. Oxnard did not | amount to one-half of the sugar beet fac | tories in the United States.
 Roll Call Postponed. l Mir. Wagner said he had made the ! point of no quorum at the meeting, but that it was disregarded and that roll | call of the members of the association
 which he demanded was refused. Bott | he and Mir Clark after the meeting had