Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-20
57TH CONGRESS.
Senate Devotes Executive Ses-
sions to Cuban Treaty.
Exhaustive Statement Of Purpose and
Effect by Senator CuIIom.
House Takes Up Numerous Bills on
Committee Suspension Day.

Washington, Jan. 19.-The Senate
today, to the Cuban reciprocity treaty.
At the first session the treaty was read
at length and at the second session
Senator Cullom, who as chairman of
the Senate committee on foreign rela-
lions, has charge of the treaty, made
a statement of it's purpose and effect.
Senator Bacon, also a member of the
foreign relations committee, gave no.
tice that he would have some amend
ments to the treaty to offer and asked
the privilege of making them public,
following the example of the Senate in
making the treaty itself public. This
request was denied after considerable
discussion on the ground that it would
be imDoitic and unwise.
Senator Cullom's statement was ex-
haustive. He produced mass of fig
ures to show the extent of the COM
merce between the United States and
Cuba and gave reasons for a belief he
expressed that the ratification of the
treaty would cause rapid increase in
the trade between the two countries.
He said that on the basis of the COM
merce of 1901 the ratification of the
treaty would cause a reduction of
about $5,000,OO0 on the duty paid on
Cuban imports and corresponding re-
duction of about half that amount on
American articles shipped to Cuba.
He commended that the United States
would secure an advantage, in continu-
ing as the treaty does, the present free
list as under this arrangement there
are about $3,000000 worth Of American
goods admitted into Cuba free of duty,
while only about $2,O0O,000 worth of
Cuban goods come into the United
States free. 1t was important, he said,
that the free list be continued as at
present, if there should be any change
in the Cuban tariff the United States
might be deprived of this advantage
Senator Culloln dwelt at some length
on the probability of an increase in the
volume of trade under the operation OF
the treaty, saying that this would be
The result not alone of reduced tariff
but of the mutual good feeling ratifica-
lion would cause. He said he did not
believe any American industry would
be injured by the ratification of the
treaty. He considered the agreement
rom all standpoints, one of mutual
benefit and expressed the hope that the
treaty would be ratified without great
delay.
When Senator Cullom concluded, Sen
ator Bacon offered one of the amend
ments of which he had given notice. 1t
provides that this treaty shall not take
effect until the same shall have been
approved by the Congress- This
amendment is in line with amendments
recommended by the committee on for
eign relations in connection with other
reciprocity treaties, and, if adopted,
would require the House to act on the
treaty.
The amendment was not discussed.
The Senate adjourned with the under
standing that the treaty would be TAX
en- up, tomorrow, during the morning
hour.
The official text of the amendments
to the treaty made by the committee on
foreign relations was made public, to-
day, along with the text of the treaty.
1t shows an important variation from
the text of the amendments as unoffi-
cially printed. According to the ottl-
cial print the prohibition of lower rates
Of duty on sugar imported into the
United States from other countries is
confined to action by treaty or conven-
ton
Following is the official text Of the
amendment which is attached to the
Sth article of the treaty, declaring for
preferential rates between the two
countries:
Provided that while this convention
is in force no sugar imported from the
republic of Cuba and being the product
of the soil or industry of the republic
of Cuba. shall be admitted into the
United States at a reduction of duty
greater than 20 per centum of the rates
of duty thereon as provided by the tar
if act of the United States approved
July "a, 1897, and no sugar the product
Of any other foreign country shall be
admitted by treaty or convention into
the United States while this conven-
ton is in force, at a lower rate of duty
than that provided by the tariff act of
the United States approved July "a,