The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-19

and we helped her to establish a govern
Ilcnt republican N form at an expense
to this country of something over $780,,
00G,000 and the sacrifice of many precious
| lives. That, / think, is the full measure
OF our duty; at least, Mr.. President, IL
is more than any other nation has ever
done for en- alien people since the be-
ginning of time.
| ! shall not vote for this legislation for
any of these reasons nor for all of them
combined. | shall vote for it in part be-
cause | think it will be great advantage
10 Cuba and we ought to be glad 90 help
her If we can without injury to ourselves,
because she is our neghbcr and because
we are responsible for her national eX
istence. / am going to vote for it in part
| because / believe it will be a means II
the establishment of desirable and per
manent trade relationship between Cuba
and this country.
/ But, Mr.. President, my chief reason
! for voting for this measure is net that
| it Will help Cuba, although l have no
objection to doing that, and would be
glad to help in doing 1T, but because III
my judgment, this legislation will be OF
great benefit to the whole people OF the
United States.
| 1t is possible, / think highly probable,
| that the benefits which will accure to us
| frcm this treaty will be very much greater
IN my State and section than III sore
other States and sections of this Union
But | will not vote for this measure for
the reason minated by one Senator en-
this floor, in speaking about certain
Southern Senators whose states were sup
posed to have a special interest in the
-
/ to vote for it because it Will benefit my
section particularly, but l am going to
vote for it because | believe that balanc-
| ing all the advantages and Disadvantages
! for probably there are both advantages
and disadvantages in connection with 1t,
! the sum total of BENEFITS will be in the
interest of the whole people Of the United
States.
! Mr.. President, it is suggested that this
slight reduction in the duty upon sugar
will destroy the sugar industry of this
country That is a familiar argument.
It is an argument that we are in the
habit of hearing in this chamber and
around this Capitol and from certain
special interests in this country when
ever it is suggested that there should
be repeal or slight reduction in any
Of the existing rates of tariff duties.
But that aside, / do not believe that
this slight reduction OF duty on sugar will
destroy any sugar interest in this coun-
try or even materially cripple it. If
did, if | thought the passage of this bill
would destroy the sugar industry of Louis
lana or the beet industry Of the West,
or even materially cripple those indus
! tries. one or both, l would not vote for
lit. But I do not believe it will have that
effect
Eveyone. / believe, admits that the
passage of this bill and the reduction
of the duty upon sugar will not affect,
certainly in the immediate future. the
price of sugar in this country, for every
one knows, everyone comedies, that the
price of sugar in this country is the
worlds price of sugar, with the duty i'm
posed by our tariff and the transporta-
ton in bringing it from other countries
added.
If the treaty with Cuba becomes eff
fective and the duty on Cuban sugar
is reduced as therein provided, the price
of sugar in this country will, other con-
ditions being the same, continue the
came it now Is. and that price Will be
the price of sugar in Hamburg, where
the worlds price of sugar Is regulated
plus the duty and freight to New York.
The German and the Frenchman will get
the same price for his sugar in this mar
ket: the American producer will get the
same price for his sugar; the American
consumer will get his sugar for no less;
the Cuban will get the same price in
our market for his sugar but he will
have a larger net profit than his foreign
competitors, because he will not have
to pay quite so much duty on his sugar
as will his foreign competitors.
But, Mr. Presirent. the opponents of
the proposed legislation, concedng the
force Of that argument, suggest that
the passage of this bill will greatly slim
ulate the production of sugar in Cuba,
thereby increasing the worlds supply OF
sugar and pressing down the worlds price
of sugar, and as result the American
price of sugar.
That contention would undoubtedly be
true if the increase in the production of
sugar in Cuba as a result Of the passage
of this measure should be so great to
affect the worlds price Of sugar, and If
that increase in production would not
come about inevitably from other causes
independently of this legislation and be-
yond our control
Mr.. President, can anyone who is famil-
lar with the facts with reference to the
possibilities of Cuba in the culture of
sugar, whether this treaty becomes a law
or not whether this concession is entered
into or not, doubt that that island will
increase, and rapidly increase. its pro
duction of sugar until in the near future
it reaches the full extent CT its capabil-
ties?
The Senator from louisiana (Mr. Eos
teri in his very able speech upon this
lsubject delivered in this chamber a few
days ago, told us that the average out
put of sugar in Cuba per acre Is about
2ia tons, worth, am advised, IN the
markets OF Cuba, on the plantation OF
the producer, at least $500 Can anybody
doubt that lands, easily cultivated as
Cuban lands are, yielding an income OF
a hundred dollars an acre right upon
the plantation will be developed to the
fullest extent possible without tariff OF
artificial stimulation of any kind?
know it is suggested that if this measure
is not passed the price of sugar in Cuba
will possibly fall so low that the Cuban