The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13
ON The CUBAN BILL
THE SENATE SPENT FIVE HOURS
IN DISCUSSION.
SPEECHES ON BOTH SIDES
OF THE RECIPROCITY PROPOSAL
WE'RE MADE.

Obligation.
Washington, Dec. 1.-THE Senate
spent more than five hours to-day in
discussing the Cuban reciprocity BILL
and during that time three speeches
were made. Mr.. Foster of Louisiana,
led the discussion and occupied the
greater part of the day with an argu-
ment in opposition to the measure. He
declared that its passage would great
ly injure if it did not destroy, the
sugar-growing industry of the United
States.
Senator Depew on the Republican
side, and Senator Clay on the Demo
cratic side, reported the bill as a
measure in the interest of both coun-
tries. Senator Clay said that he &C
cepted it as a provision for the reduc-
ton of duties on the part of both coun-
tries.
Mr.. Foster declared that there is no
moral obligation on the part of this
government to enter into the proposed
arrangement with Cuba. He said we
are standing at the open door" of the
Far East and that we can compete with
England and other foreign countries
if given equality of rights, while we
are entering into a contrary arrange
ment in our own hemisphere.
Speaking of the claim from the stand
point of business, he contended that
even without the proposed reciprocal
Arrangement the manufacturers of the
United States could get the Cuban
trade if they would work for it. lie
also declared that the reduction of our
revenues, which would result from the
enactment of the proposed law in the
five years that the law was TO continue
in force, would be $35.00O.OOO, or $4O,-
100000. This money must go either to
the Cuban sugar planters or to the su-
gar tr.nst. In either event the policy
was one contrary to our own best In
terests.
The speaker pronounced the treaty
not only a political and economic blum
der but declared it falls little short
of a legislative crime. The fundamental
error of the measure, he said, is the
taking of the fruits and vegetables or
Florida and the Far West, the tobac-
co and the sugar products of TINS
country and placing them in compet-
ton with the Cuban products, on which
the tariff is reduced 20 per cent. He
predicted that the preferential provision
of the treaty will bring on tariff war
with foreign countries, because any
thing coming in from foreign countries
will be Disseminated against
Reciprocity, he said, was called by
some Republicans the handmade of pro-
lection and by some Democrats the
handmade of free trade, but in this age
of commercialsm, if he might SO term
it, he declared reciprocity to be the
handmade Of special interests.
Sugar Trust Behind 1t.
Senator Foster declared that behind
the treaty are every power and intu-
ence of the sugar trust giving as his
reasons that the building up of the
beet sugar industry of the West means
the down pulling of the sugar trust.
Cuba is competent within the life of
the treaty" said Mr. Foster, Ito make
all the sugar this country needs. 1t
can make cheaper sugar, and with
the reduction which is made in this
treaty it means the slow, but sure,
death of the beet sugar industry, and
the certain death of the cane indus
try of my state"
Mr.. Fairbanks inquired the relative
cost of the production of sugar in Cuba
and of both cane and beet sugar in
the United States. Mr.. Foster gave
at from l to IL cents per pound, while,
he said the cost of cane sugar pro-
duction in Louisiana is estimated at 3
cents a pound and of beet sugar in the
West at slight increase over this fig
ure.
Mr.. Fairbanks then asked If the
sugar industry of Cuba would not in
time inundate the industry of this coun-
try without this tariff reduction. Mr..
Foster replied that probably would be
the result. but that the passage of this
bill would only hasten it.
Outbreak of SectiOnnlism.
Mr. Foster closed his speech with the
declaration that the passage of this
bill would mean a denial to the sugar
states of the sisterly consideration due
from other states, and predicted an
outbreak of sectionalism not unlike
that which prevailed in the South in
Civil War times.
Mr.. Depew, in response to this perora-
tion, declared that Mr.. Fosters con-
Guiding remarks had no rightful place
in the debate on the bill before the
Senate. He said this bill shows no
sectionalism, nor revival of the old
feeling between the South and North,
and he declared that while Louisiana
is interested, it is no more SO than
Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Michi-
gan, Nebraska, New York, and num-
Der of other states. This, he said
should end discussion of the character
INDUCED in by the Senator from Louis
lana.
The Senator expressed his belief that
before the five-year period provided
for in the treaty elapses, Cuba, in
stead of raising nothing but sugar,
will have a population raising divers
products. He did not favor under
present conditions, anneXing Cuba as
a sovereign state.
Messrsl Teller and Newlands, re-
piled briefly to MIR. Depew, and Mr..
Clay followed.
Clay in Favor of IL.
Mr.. Clay opened his address with g
statement declaring in favor of the
measure and continuing, said the is
sue involved in the reduction of the
tariff betweep the governments OF
Cuba and the United States. He re.
viewed some of the speeches which
had been made in opposition to the
bill, concerning the trade conditions
between the island and other coun.
tries, and declared he had made 2
thorough investigation of the charac.
ter of goods which Cuba had bought
from other countries. From state.
ments read he said the exports from
the United States to the island shoulC
have been much greater.
The purpose of the statistics quoted
was to show that the treaty SHOULD
be put in operation for the benefits 1
will bring to this country, and in tina
connection Mr.. Clay said the treat,
Is purely reciprocal; that we have ben
efts to derive and benefits to give un