The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-03-20
CUBAN TREATY RATIFIED
VOTE IN FAVOR STANDSPIFTY TO
SIXTEEN,

cratic senator for Protection of
American Sugar Industry-AdjOurns
Sine Die.
Washington, March 19.-After ratify-
ing the Cuban reciprocity treaty the
senate adjourned sine die at fifteen
minutes past five o'clock to-day. Prac-
tically the entire day was spent behind
closed doors in executive session. Most
of the time was devoted to considera-
tion of the Cuban treaty. Several
speeches were made in opposition to
the treaty and one in favor of it and
then promptly at the agreed hour,
O'Clock, voting began. Roll calls were
had on number of amendments and
the treaty itself was made the subject
of an aye and nay vote. The motion to
ratify was adopted by ballot of 50 to
16, somewhat more than three-fourths
vote, whereas only tWo-thirds vote
was necessary to secure ratification.
Immediately after the doors We're
closed few minutes past eleven
took the floor in opposition to the
treaty. He spoke for about two hours
and a half.
In the main his speech was an appeal
for the protection of the American
sugar producing industry. He spoke
especially for the cane sugar interests
of Louisiana, but said that while the
sugar interests was of paramount i'm
portance in his own state on account of
the cane produced there, the beet sugar
industry had grown to such propor-
tions that many other portions of the
union also were coming to have very
pronounced interest in the making of
sugar. He drew a graphic picture of
present conditions in Louisiana and
said that if the treaty should be ratified
the result was liable to be very disas-
trous to many of his constituents. He
appealed to senators from north and
south alike to refrain from inf1icting
this hardship upon his people. Mr..
Foster also made the point that there
was nothing to prevent the introduction
of Chinese coolie labor into Cuba and
said that if such labor should be en-
ployed American labor could not COM
pete with it.
~
made by Senators Berry and Carmack,
while Senator Simmons of North Caro-.
lima spoke in support of It. l. Senator
Berry based his opposition to the agree
ment on the amendment offered by the
committee on foreign relations provid-
ing against any further reduction by
treaty of the duty on sugar while the
treaty remains in force. Senator Car
mack opposed the treaty on general
principles, declaring that it was con-
trary to our theory of government.
Senator Simmons was the only demo-
crat who made a speech in advocacy of
the ratification of the treaty. He re-
piled at some length to the speech of
Senator Foster, declaring for the treaty
as means of promotion of friendly re-
lations between the United States and
Cuba. He said that he spoke for the
United States and not for Cuba, declar-
ing he did not accept the theory that
the United States is under any obliga-
tions to Cuba, saying he thought that
we had done all for the Cubans that
any one nation could be expected to
do for another; but, he believed that
with the ratification of this treaty
Cuba's prosperity would be materially
enhanced and that ON account of the
improved feeling on the part of the Gu
bans towards this country our expor-
tations to Cuba, which now amount to
about 100000 annually, would soon
be doubled. He said he refused to ac-
cept the theory that the American su-
gar producing industry would be in-
jured by adopting the reciprocal rela-
tions proposed by the treaty and con-
tended that the only advantage Cuba
would have over the United States in
the production of sugar would be found
in the fact that the Cuban soil is some
what better adapted to that industry
than is ours. Even after the reduction
proposed, the duty on Cuban sugar, he
said, would amount to 81 per cent. ad-
valorem and he was satisfied that the
rate of duty would be sufficient to
maintain the industry in the United
States
On the conclusion of Mr.. Simmons
speech voting began. The committee
on foreign relations announced through
Senator Cullom, its chairman, the ac-
ceptance of two amendments in addi-
tion to those already recommended by
the committee The first of these was
the amendment increasing the rate of
reduction on flour, corn meal and corn
imported into Cuba from the United
States Senator Nelson spoke yester-
day in support Of an amendment along
these lines, and Senator Burton per-
fected the amendment. AS offered it
provided for reduction of 40 per cent,
but the committee modified the amend
ment so as to provide for reduction
of 80 per cent.
The other amendment adopted by the
committee was suggested by Senator
Bacon and fixed uniform reduction of
80 per cent. on American cotton goods
imported into Cuba. The only aye and
nav vote taken on the committee
amendments was on the amendment
adopted some time ago by the commit
tee at the instance of the beet sugar
republican senators providing against
further treaty reduction of the duty on
sugar imported into the United States
for the next five years, or while the
treaty remains in force. division
was called for on this amendment and
it was sustained by a majority Of %
votes, the vote being a for the amend
ment and % against it, the negative
votes being cast by democrats. The
atI,a.