The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-13
Mr., Foster Says cuban Reel
procity Bill Will I: Divide VIZ
Nortll. and South.
4, WARM SPEECH ON On SUGAR 'l, 't'
Republican Senators Say Cuba.
Cannot Raise Enough to Hurt
United States Planters. i3t

fnv AssocJnted prcss.)

EICnI lIlOI lILII zllVS IiOuA 49,
cussins the Cuban reciprocity bill, and
during that tmc three speeches were
made. Mr.. Foster, of louisiana led the
discussion and occupied tho greater part
OF the day with an argument IN opposi-
lionto the measure. 5j3 S5
He declared that It's passage would
greatly injure, II 1T did not destroy the
sugar-growing industry Of the United
States Sg5 5s;8
Senator Depewf and Senator Clay. sup
ported the bill as n measure In the In
;tcrest OF both countries. Senator Clay
said that he accepted 1t as u provision
for tho reduction Of duties on tho part
of both countries. 8E5 1t5
Mr.. Foster declared that there is no
moral obligation on the part Of this gov
eminent to enter into tho proposed ar
rangemcnt with Cuba. He said two are
standing at tho open door" Of the Far
East. saying We can compete with Eng
land and other foreign countries II given
equality OF rights. while We are entering
Into contrary arrangement In our own
hemisphere. lla
GET CUBAN TRADE.
III FSDGtLRlISt tCL Inc Cldlu4 l'oi!'.cA
business. he commended that even without
the proposed reciprocity arrangement the
manufacturers Of tho United States could
get the Cuban trade II they would work
for 1t. He also declared that the reduce
tion OF our revenues which would result
from the enactment of the proposed law
In the five years that the law was to cons
tinue 81 force. would be s35. 600, 600 or $40, y
900 900. This money must either be tho
.|x>.sM sue
In either event the policy was one con
trary to our best Interests The speak
err pronounced the treaty not only a po-
litical and economic blunder, hut declared
1t falls little short of legislative crime.
The fundamental error OF the measure.
he said. is the taking Of the fruits and
vegetables of the Florida and the Ear
West, the tobacco and sugar products
of this country and placing them IN com
petition with the Cuban products IN which
the tariff is reduced twenty per cent.
He predicted that the preferential pro-
vision of the treaty will bring on tariff.
war with foreign countries. because any
thing coming in from foreign countries
viii be Disseminated against. Recpro-
city, he said was called by some Replno-
ltcans the handmade offprotectlon and ny,
some Democrats. handmade OF free trade,
but in this age OF commerctalism. II he
might so term it, he declared. reciprocity
70 be the handmade OF special interests.
, Sena tor Foster declared that behind
the treaty are every power and influence
OF the sugar trust. giving as his reasons
that the building up OF the beot sugar
industry Of the West means the down
pulling Of the sugar trust ss
MAKE SUGAR CHEAP.
"Cuba Is competent within the life Of
the treaty" said Mr.. Foster. to make aln ali
the sugar this country needs. It can
make sugar cheaper and with the reduce
ton, 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 industry In my State. az
Mr.. Fairbanks inquired the relative cost
of the production Of sugar i'll Cuba. and
both OF cane and beet sugar In the. United
States. i5 III
4 Mr. Foster gave the cost of sugar pro-
duction In Cuba at from one cent to one
and onc-half cents per pound. while. he
said, teh cost Of cane sugar production IN
Louisiana is estimated at three cents a
pound, and Of beet sugar In the West at
n slight increase over this figure.
Mr.. Fairbanks then asked II the sugar
Industry Of Cuba would not in time. inun.
date tho industry Of this country even
without this tariff reduction. Mr.. Foster
replied that probably would be the re-
suit, but that tho passage OF this bill
would only hasten It, 81
d Mr.. Foster closed his speech with tho
declaration that the passage Of this bill
would i mean tho denial to tho sugar
States OF tho sisterly consideration due
from other States, and predicted an put
break of sectionalism not unlike that
which prevailed in the South in civil War
times.
Mr.. Depew in response to this perora.
ton declared that Mr., Fosters concluding
remarks had no rightful place in the do
bate on the bill before the Senate.
NO sECTIONALlsM,
He said this bill shows no sectlonallsm
nor revival OF the old feeling between
the South and North. and he declared
that while Louisiana is Interested, 1t Is
no moro so than Colorado, Arizona, No
vada, Michigan. Nebraska, New York
and a number of other States. This, he
said, should end discussion OF the char
acter indulgen In by the Senator from
Louisiana, gsts f5.., a5S5 Il
Tho Senator expressed tho belief that
before the five year period provided for
in tho treaty elapses. Cuba instead OF
raising nothing but sugar, will have q
population raising Divers products. sS
He did not favor under present condl-
lions anneSlng .CuDl us u sovereign s9l;tto
Messrs, Teller and Newlands repliNl
briefly to Mr.. Depew. and Mr., Clay fol-
lowed. He opened his address With q
statement declaring In favor Of the meas
ure ana said the sole issue involved is the
reduction OF the tariff between the gov
ernmepts Of Cubn and the United States.
He reviewed some Of tho speeches which
had been made In opposition to the bin
concerning the trade conditions between
tho island and other countries and do
clared he had mado a thorough inYestiga-
ton Of the character OF goods Cuba had
bought from other countries From state-
mcnts read he said the exports from tho
United States to tho Islands should have
been much greater Tho purpose of the
statistics quoted was to show that the
treaty should be put in operation for the
benefits 1t viii bring to this country, and
in that connection Mr.. Clay said tho
treaty is purely reciprocal that wo hayp
benefits to derive and benefits to give
under the legislation proposed.
lie said he expected to see tho time
1uban f,aha will be the hest market of