The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-19
WHYH|S VOTE WAS
FOR RECIPROCITY
Address of Senator Sim
mons in Full.
AS WE SOW, WE REAP.
The North Carolina Senator Points
Out the Treaty's Advantages Not
Only to the Sonth But to the
Entire Country.

Senator from North Carolina, on the Gu
bar bill. 1t was delivered in the Senate
or Tuesday and upon its conclusion tie
senator was congratulated upon its eA-
collence. He said:
Mr.. President. it is not my purpose
to enter into an elaborate discussion or
the measure under consideration. / &C.
sire merely to define my position upon It,
and to state the reasons which imrel
me in the action l shall take.
When the Philippine revenue ELL was
under discussion in this body during the
last Congress, l submitted some remarks
in which l attempted to show that those
islands were not only extensive IN area
but that they were exceedingly rich and
productive; that If We retained them as q
permanent possession of this Government.
American capital and enterprise would
inevitably go there and develop. clear,
and bring under cultvat lion those rich
lands; that development and cultivation
would not be accomplished through and
BY the employment of native labor, be-
cause it was too lazy and shiftless, nor
yet by white labor, because the white
man can not successfully labor IN that
climate. but that that development and
cultivation would be accomplished through
the employment of Chinese labor, ard
To that end means would be found 20
suspend or repeal the anti-Chinese legisla-
tion applicable then and now to those
islands.
l then pointed out, Mr.. President, that
By reason of soil and climate those is
lands were especially adapted TO the
growth OF sugar, rice, tobacco, and, per-
haps, cotton, ali of which are STAPLE pro.
ducts in this country, and especially in
southern portion of the country. And l
argued that in this way, through TIE
policy of the government and the employ
ment of American capital the agricul-
ture of this country would be brought
into competition with the richer soil of
the tropics, titled and cultivated by the
cheapest labor in the world.
= l was then making an argument against
the retention of the Philippine Islands,
and in that connection l expressed the
opinion that If the agricultural interest
Of those islands was ever developed 80
a. to become seriously competitive with
US il would be through the employment
II merican capital, and only in the even
we should retain them; that it would
never be done by native enterprise; and
should We retire from the islands we
would certainly guarantee their ipdepe- :
dencc and thereby prevent them from
falling into other hands.
Mr.. President, | mention that matter
ia this connection because it may seem
that the position which / then took is
somewhat inconsistent with the position
i shall take upon the measure now be
fore the Senate, and there probably wouIa
be some inconsistency but for the fact
that the situation with reference 20 Cub.
il very different from the situation with
reference TO the Philippine Islands. TIE
soil of Cuba is indeed rich. even richer
than that OF the Philippines, and ii IS
likewise adapted to the growth of some
O. the staple crops of this country.
But there, Mr.. President, the analogy
between the two ceases. The agricultural
interest of the Philippines is in a crude
and primitive condition; that OF Cuba
is already in a tolerable state of ievel-
opment. II the agricultural interest OF
the Philippines is ever developed, it will
have to be by the employment of outside
capital; but. whether we annex Cuba or
not. whether this legislation becomes ef
fective or not, the agricultural interests
of Cuba are going to be developed, either
by American or European capital or ~
native enterprise. ! think there can be
nothing more certain than that.
But, Mr.. President, whether the agri-
cultural interest of Cuba shall be devel-
oped by American or European capital
or by native enterprise. it will rot be
developed through the employment OF
Chinese labor. Cuba is not now using
never has, and. in my judgment, never
viii use Chinese labor.
In fact, there is not a single West H.
dian island that, to any extent. employs
IN its agriculture Chinese labor, and pcs
country in the world today, not excepting
the South. chiefly dependent upon black
labor, that uses Chinese labor
have simply said this. Mr. President.
by way of explanation of my position
uron these two subjects, bearing rel.
tonship the one to the other.
Mr.. President, l voted for the treaty
and am going to vote for this bill But
| lid not vote for the treaty neither do
| intend to vote for this bill, upon any
idea that Cuba is in distress and needs
this legislation as a matter OF grace.
| did not believe at the time ] voted for
the treaty that Cuba was in distress.
stances she was in reasonably good
condition; IN fact, in a better condtion
than the Southern States were immediate
~ after the Civil War.
! am sure that Cuba is not now in
distress or need of charity from the
tinted States. On the contrary. from the
best information. / have been able 10
OBTAIN. | have reached the conclusion
ttiat the condition of Cuba today is one
O. comparative prosperity.
Neither am l going to vote for the bill
Oh any assumption of national honor,
duty. and obligation from this govern
ment TO Cuba. agree entirely with the
senior Senator from California (Mr. Per
kins.) who has just taken his seat. that
We have already done all that duty re-
aulres Tor that country and that people.
We drove Spain from Cuba. We lifted
the yoke of oppression from her neck.
We gave her liberty aud independence,