The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-20
Passed at Last.

The house yesterday passed the. bill
to effectuate the Cuban treaty by the
vote of 335 to Fl. The minority lead
err. Mr.. Williams, made an effort to
have the measure recommitted to the
ways and means committee for
amendment, but the rule cutting out
intervening motions was drawn on
him and the bill went thru, receiving
the votes Of a majority of both par
ties. - -~sr
The passage of the measure in it's
present shape is, Of course, a triumph
Of the extreme protectionist element.
When the fifty-seventh congress as
sembled two years ago, it was under
stood that the beet sugar interest in
tended to fight with naked sword
every effort to make any material re-
duction Of the tariff duties on sugar
for the benefit of the Cubans. They
were Joined by the kindred element,
which has continually represented to
the public that the utter ruin of the
United States Of America would fol-
low even a moderate reduction of the
tariff duties. The senate pigeonholed
humber of reciprocity treaties which
Mr.. Kasson had reported. Those
treaties are still imprisoned in the
pigeonholes.
$50 strenuously did the don't
touch the tariff element work that,
when the senate ratified the treaty
etnbodying reciprocity with Cuba, last
March, 1t amended the original text
I'd the effect that no other concession
from the sugar schedule of the Ding
ley tariff act shall be made to any for
eign country other than Cuba during
the term of the treaty., which is five
years. Not being able to prevent the
20 per cent reduction on Cuban sugar
under the tariff of 1897, which had
received their warm Endorsement
when it was enacted, the promoters
of~special interests and Interchangeable
tariff law have undertaken to prevent
for five years the negotiation of a
reciprocity treaty with any nation
which can make a bid for our trade
by Offering it's sugar, product as the
I, basis of reciprocal exchange of prod.
ucts.
This is not legislation in the inter
est, of national welfare. It is perme
ated with the odor Of private anc
special interests, and it is not the kine
Of legislation which the American
people like very much. 1t is not a
all improbable that next November {
congress may be chosen which viii
take a different view Of reciprocity
Mckinley, with almost his last breath
condemned the principle underlying
the amendment to which reference
has been made, and it is very certain
that he would not approve the artic
ulation of that principle in the Gu
Ban treaty No one labored harde
than he did for liberal concessions o
tariff duties to Cuba. Presiden
Roosevelt, in his first message to con
gress, followed the position Of Nc
Kinley when, speaking of Cuba, h
said:
EIn the case Of Cuba there are weight
reasons of morality and of national inter
est why the policy Of reciprocity should
Held to have peculiar application, and
most earnestly ask your attention to tt
Wisdom, indeed to the vital need of Pre-
FlUl1S -lOT d SuoolttuIld! I6oQCIlOIl III VI
Tariff duties on Cuban imports into tt
Emitted States. We are bound by ever
consideration Of honor and expediency
pass commercial measures in the intere
Of her material welfare.
II His recent message to the extra SCI
sion of congress emphasizes this pos
ton. There is, indeed, reason to al
bly, such expressions of opinion nj
only as to Cuba but as to our neigh
Dor, Canada. 1t is surely mightil
.expedient" to reciprocally trade wit
her.
Il, The hois5e of representatives did yeste
DAY what it might just as well have dol
three years ago. Nothing worth Will
even from the standpoint Of the beet sug
people has been gained by this delay.
fact they have suffered from it, since