Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-20
CUBAN TREATY RATIFIED
Senate Grants Reciprocity and So Ends
Called Session.
ONLY SIXTEEN VOTE AGAINST PROTOCOL
Committee Amendments are All
Adopted, Though Others Fail to
Obtain Sufficient support to
Proposed Changes.

WASHINGTON, March 19.-After ratify-
ing the Cuban reciprocity treaty the SEN
ate adjourned sine die today at 5:15
Practically tie entire day was spent be-
hind closed doors in executive session. Most
of the time was devoted to consideration
Of the Cuban treaty. Several speeches
were made in opposition and one in favor
and then promptly at the agreed hour, 3
| o'clock, voting began.
Roll calls were taken on a number Of
amendments and the treaty itself was made
the subject OF a vote, the motion t. ratify
being adopted by 90 to 16, somewhat more
than a three-fourtks vote.
Foster Opposes for Sugar.
Immediately after the doors we're closed
at few minutes past IL Senator Foster
| (La) took the floor in opposition to the
treaty. In the main his speech was an
| appeal for the protection Of American
sugar. He spoke especially for the cane
sugar interests Of Louisiana, but said the
| beet sugar interests had grown to Such
proportions that many other states we're
coming to have pronounced interest in
the making OF sugar
| He drew a graphic picture Of present con-
ditions in Louisiana and said the ratification
/ of the treaty would be liable to be dis
| astrous to many of his constituents. He
appealed to senator's from north and south
alike to refrain from infictlng this hard
ship on his people.
He raised the point that there was moth
ing to prevent the introduction Of Chinese
| labor into Cuba, with which American labor
could not compete.
Senator Berry based his opposition on
the amendment providing against any fur
ther reduction by treaty of the duty on
sugar while the treaty remains in force.
Senator Carmack opposed on general prin-
ciples. declaring it was contrary to the
! American theory of government.
Senator Simmons was the only democrat
who advocated ratification. He said he
spoke for the United States and not for
Cuba, refusing to accept the theory that
the United States was under any obliga-
tions to Cuba. But he believed the treaty
would add to Cuba's prosperity and Amer
lean exports to the island, which now
amount to about s2s, 900 900 annually, would
soon be doubled. He refused to accept
the theory that American sugar would bC
injured and contended that the only ad.
vantage Cuba would have over the United
States would be in its soil.
Even after the reduction proposed the
duty on Cuban sugar would amount to e.
per cent ad valorem, which would be quite
sufficient to maintain the industry n the
United States.
When Mr.. Simmons concluded voting be
gan.
some Amendments Accepted.
The committee on foreign relations an
nounced through Senator Cullom the &C
ceptance Of two amendments already rec
! commended by the committee\ The first wa
the amendment increasing the rate of re
duction on -four, corn meal and corn i'm
ported into Cuba. 1t provides for reduc
lion of 40 per cent, but the committee
modified the amendment as to provid
for a reduction of 80 per cent.
The other fixed a uniform reduction OF 3
: per cent on American cotton goods.
The only aye and nay vote taken on tn
} committee amendments was on that in
serted at the instance Of the beet suga
republican senators proviling against fur
ther treaty reduction of the duty on suga
for five years or while the treaty remain
, in force.
division was called on this amendment
which was sustained by a majority of "a
the vote being A to %, the negative vote
being cast by democrats.
The other committee amendments, includ
! ing those accepted today and the amend
= ment making the approval Of the entir
congress necessary, were adopted.
Q yhe democrats offered a number {
amendments but all we're voted down by
strict party vote.
The vote then taken was on the motto
= to ratify, which was made by Senator Gu
) lom, and prevailed by so to 16, the vot
being in detail as follows: