Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-01
Cuban Reciprocity Proposals.

There are rumors of possible OPPOSE
ton to the ratification of the Cuban
reciprocity treaty. This WILL we are
told, come from those interested in a
single United States industry. towit:
beet sugar making, and will be based
upon the supposed injury to that in
d -stry which such reciprocity will eff
feet. We have already and frequently
cited the expert testimony of one Of
the leaders of that industry, to the eff
feet that it would be injured by recip-
rocity, or even by absolute free trade
in competing commodities. We may
add that a recent report reveals the
interesting fact that at least one Of the
prominent establishments in that in
dustry has this year been able to pay
25 per cent. dividends, fact which
seems to indicate that 1t might man
age to exist probably with a trife less
protection than it now receives.
But there are others. The United
States grows other things than beets,
and manufacturers other things than
sugar. Many of these other things it
sells in Cuba. 1t does not sell them to
that island in as large quantities as
1t should, or as Cuba would like it to-.
That is partly because the Cuban tar
if is so high as to be a barrier against
some OF them, and partly because other
countries, such as Great Britain and
Germany are liable to undersell us
In considering the reciprocity question,
therefore, it will be we'll to consider,
not only the continued prosperity of an
industry, which has boasted that its
ie- nil
sible tariff changes. but also the pros
perity of numerous other industries,
agricultural and manufacturing, which
are in pressing need of enlarged mark
cts.
There is wheat for example. We are
selling Cuba some s2,000,000 worth q
year. Would it not be worth while,
and would it not be profitable to us,
to have the present high Cuban tariff
thereon reduced one-fifth In our exclu-
sive favor? There are meats of various
kinds. Cuba now buys nearly S6.000,-
600 worth a year fro mus. Might not
a 90 per cent. reduction of tariff rates
specially to them, be advantageous to
our cattle and hog raisers? There is
coal. We sell Cuba s1.000,e00 a year.
1t used to be on the free list, but few
months ago Cuba put on tariff. Might
it not be a good thing for us to have
that tariff materially reduced? Here
are a few other items: Corn, $S17,000;
Cattle, $1,250,O0O; cotton goods, $780,
900; eggs, $477,000; iron ana steel, $3,-
100000; leather goods, $465,000; min
eral oil $575,000; milk, s406000; vege-
tables, 100000; lumber and wooden
ware, $1,5OO,OOO. We might continue the
list much further.
These are all great United States in
dustres, touching agriculture and
manufacturers more closely and at
many more points than does the single
one of beet sugar. In many of them
American trade is suffering seriously
from European and other competitions
In every one of them there should be
an extension of our trade, and might be
under tariff reduced In our exclusive
favor Such reduction of tariff rates
10 the extent of from 20 to 40 per cent.
Cuba now offers us in return for re-
duction of our tariff of only 20 per cent
Surely such an offer Is worthy of ac-
ceptauce. There is no proof, there is
no considerable indication, that any
thing in this scheme would prove det-
rimental to a single United States in
dustry-though it even should bear
hard upon one or two it might still be
commended and approved on the wise
principle that the object of government
is to secure the greatest good for the
greatest number II is as certain as
anything can be in such mattars that
it would greatly benefit a number OF
important and widespread industries.