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William A. Dana informs Theodore Roosevelt that he should be nominated for president in 1912, criticizing the Sugar Trust for raising prices and urging Roosevelt to use the “big stick” to lead Republicans to victory.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-13
The House of Delegates of Puerto Rico submits a resolution to the United States Congress seeking protection for Puerto Rican sugars.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-01-04
Matthew Elting Hanna reports on the “sanitary, social, political, and economical conditions” of Santiago de Cuba.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-10-03
Uncle Sam, dressed as a woman and holding a switch of bound rushes in his left hand, talks to a young girl labeled “Philippines.” They are standing on a beach with the water labeled “Free Trade in Tobacco and Sugar.” Caption continues: “Oh, yes, my darling daughter! Hang your clothes on the hickory limb, but Don’t You Go Near the Water!!!”
Frank A. Nankivell, Puck‘s Australian immigrant by way of Japan, reflected the artistic trend of the day, one related to the Art Nouveau and current poster style, “Japonisme.” Also derived from ancient stained-glass techniques, the style was largely two-dimensional, tending toward flat colors and heavy outlines of prominent figures in the composition. It made Nankivell’s work popular, evidently, in magazine cartoons and sheet-music covers.
A young woman wearing a hat labeled “Cuba” stands, with her arms crossed, trying to decide which of three paths to choose. The first path, labeled “Reciprocity,” leads to an angry “Beet Sugar Senator” who is offering “No Tariff Concessions.” The second path, labeled “Cuban Loan,” leads to Uncle Sam offering the “Platt Amendment.” The third path leads to the U.S. Capitol and “Annexation.” None of the paths look promising to her. Caption: Events are fast limiting her to one path.
Despite a wide array of nuances, concessions, and amendments at this time and over subsequent decades, the choices Cuba faced are generally well-depicted in Keppler’s cartoon. Generally, Cuba chose the middle path of those shown. In the aftermath of Spain’s defeat by America and Cuban insurrectionists, annexation was never a serious option, although Cuba’s first president Tomas Estrada Palma actually had favored annexation at one point. The sugar trust in the United States (traditional sugar-beet growers and industries) objected to the provision in the Platt Amendment that generously opened, and even granted preference to, Cuban cane sugar in the United States market. The Platt Amendment (named for Senator Orville H. Platt, R-CT and not, as widely assumed, after New York Senator Thomas Collier Platt) required Cuba to accept provisions that granted the United States de facto sovereignty over the island, and control of prerogatives otherwise enjoyed by free nations. Many of these were, however, modified through the years, and generally so in 1934. But the granting of a permanent military facility at Guantanamo Bay remained.
A tiny dog labeled “Cuban Reciprocity” barks at a man who has climbed a fence out of fear. His hat labeled “Sugar Trust” has fallen to the ground.
The American “Sugar Trust” traditionally relied on sugar beets more than sugar cane, and its dominance was of course threatened by the prospect of an influx of cane sugar in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War. However, Cuban sugar exports were factors, worldwide, before the war, even when clumsily administered by Spanish colonials. What threatened the Sugar Trust and American producers was the possibility of free trade or low import duties on Cuban cane sugar as American policies toward its new territories played out.
A young woman labeled “Cuba” turns away from Uncle Sam who is offering her a plate labeled “Reduction of Tariff on Cuban Sugar” with an egg labeled 20% on it. In the background a man labeled “American Sugar Grower” is enraged because he feels the egg is larger than it should be. Caption: Cuba — Only this little egg for me? / Sugar Planter — All that big egg for her?
In the years subsequent to the Spanish-American War, the United States betook itself of separate policies for each of its new colonies. Its role in Cuba can be contrasted with Puerto Rico, where long-term territorial ties were assumed from the start, and the Philippines, where insurrectionists fought any continuing presence of the United States. Cuban freedom fighters were used to agitating for freedom, and the island’s businesses were developed enough to reasonably assert independence. The United States had to navigate between these legitimate desires, and Cuba’s major export crop, sugar; and the demands of America’s powerful sugar lobby. The egg in the cartoon’s symbolism is a seasonal icon.
A “Tariff Wall” on the U.S. coastline has two gates, one labeled “Annexation” and the other labeled “Reciprocity.” A woman labeled “Cuba,” holding a bundle of “Raw Sugar” cane, is attempting to enter the United States through the gate labeled “Reciprocity.” She is being turned away vociferously by a man labeled “Sugar Grower” holding a piece of paper labeled “Tariff on Sugar.” In the background is a woman labeled “Porto Rico” carrying a bundle of sugar cane. She has entered through the “Annexation” gate over which the sugar grower and his tariffs have no control. Caption: Cuba — Why not let me in? Porto Rico is inside. / American Sugar-Grower — She didn’t come in this gate. She went through the other one – and I can’t control that!
It was certainly the case that domestic producers of sugar in the United States did not welcome, and lobbied against, the free importation of Cuban sugar and its free export to world markets. The situation pictured in Keppler’s cartoon was a bit more nuanced, however. Cuba, despite its problems under Spanish rule, had a functioning economy and export policies, and it had been assured of a minimal United States presence and relatively quick independence. Porto Rico (as then spelled in the American press) had minimal infrastructure, was deemed in need of special considerations, and was largely assumed to become an eventual part of the United States, by annexation, territorial status, or similar relation.
Uncle Sam is in a tree, chased there by the Russian Bear which is standing at the base of the tree. Uncle Sam has dropped his rifle labeled “U.S. Duty on Russian Sugar.” Caption: Uncle Sam (to Russia). — Don’t shoot! I’ll come down!
It might seem odd in our times that around 1900 one of the most controversial and contested commodities in the world was sugar. Perhaps it is even more of a surprise that Russia was a major sugar producer. Sugar’s uses might be clear, but it is a fact that much of the world’s sugar at the time was derived from not just from sugar cane, but also from sugar beets, beetroot, and other plants, and honey. Many countries had complicated systems of export penalties and incentives, depending on harvests, as well as assessed penalties for exports and bounties for production. Russia had rules more complicated than those of most countries, but it heavily relied on income from sugar exports. When the United States, in a position figuratively to be smothered in Cuban cane sugar after the Spanish-American War, sought to renegotiate details of its sugar trade, the Russian Empire was not happy.
Theodore Roosevelt liked the editorial and hopes to see James R. Garfield soon. He does not care if any part of his administration is investigated because there was no wrongdoing, but “they are such dishonest jacks that they do not realize this.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-08-09
Attorney General Wickersham has directed the File Room to re-examine whether there are any letters about the Earle-Kissel-Segal sugar matter that are not in the printed document. He thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the invitation to lunch, but his schedule is both full and uncertain.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-08-01
Attorney General Wickersham has dispatched a messenger to New York to deliver some files to New York District Attorney Henry A. Wise referring to the Earle-Kissel-Segal sugar matter. He has instructed Wise to communicate with Theodore Roosevelt regarding when Roosevelt would like to receive the documents for examination. He agrees with Roosevelt that “the whole assault is idiotic,” and shares his view of the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-26
Edmond H. Madison believes that Representative Thomas W. Hardwick, chairman of the special committee investigating the sugar trust, is more concerned with injuring Roosevelt’s reputation than in conducting his investigation. A recent interview of George H. Earle saw many attacks on Roosevelt which were subsequently reprinted in newspapers. Madison now worries that an upcoming interview with Milton Dwight Purdy may have the same aim, and asks Roosevelt for any information he should be aware or forewarned of for the upcoming hearing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-07
Mark Rolla Spelman informs William Loeb that Insurgent General Cleto Collado del Cueto burned the Esperanza American property this morning, but the Constancia sugar mill was saved by Commander William F. Fullam and his men. Present forces can protect the sugar house only, so they need reinforcements.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-18
Postcard showing agricultural laborers harvesting sugar cane.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “There are also large plantations of sugar cane near Honolulu and a visit to the large sugar mills is one of much interest.”
Cartoon shows Theodore Roosevelt holding an oversized “message” behind his back. He stands in front of a hook on the wall “Proofs,” holding four sheets of paper: “No. 1 Beet petition,” “No. 2 Conclusions Ways and Means,” “No. 3 Notices of perpetual caucuses,” and “No. 4 Percentage Reduction pro-sugar trust.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1902
Cartoon shows an unidentified man, possibly Attorney General Philander Knox, on the left holding sheet “Remove Dutch standard technicality 209 Tariff Law 1897” and H. T. Oxnard on the right holding a sheet “Remove 12 1/2 [cent] per. 100 lbs. on refined.” They stand on either side of a billboard, “57th Congress. Solutions wanted. Reward offered. Prevent Cuba’s annexation? Protect American beet sugars? Protect Louisiana cane sugars? Break sugar refiner monopolies? Preserve Republican harmony? Help Cuban sugar planters? Protect Puerto Rico sugars? Explanation 209 Tariff Law 1897. April 18, ’02.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1903
Cartoon shows Theodore Roosevelt and Republican House Majority Leader Sereno Elisha Payne walking arm in arm between two billboards, “Help Cuba grant 25% reduction and double stock,” and “Notice! Help Cuba remove Dutch Standard in Tariff Law 1897 Paragraph 209.” The billboards are supported by posts “Sugar Trust,” “American Planters,” and “Cuban Planters.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1902
Cartoon shows Republican Speaker of the House Sereno Elisha Payne standing on a crate “1902” in front of a safe he has broken into. In the safe, labeled “Republican Pledges 1897 not to be opened until 1922,” are compartments “Steel,” “Tin,” “Sugar Trust Dutch Standard,” and “Domestic Sugar.” Payne chisels open the domestic sugar compartment. Inside the safe door is inscribed: “July 19, 1897. We will not disturb the tariff in the next quarter of a century. Sereno E. Payne.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1902
Cartoon shows Republican House Majority Leader Sereno Elisha Payne, the head of the American Sugar Refining Company, Henry Osborne Havemeyer, and a Republican elephant in the top of a tree labeled “Sugar Trust.” The roots of the tree are labeled “Dutch Standard,” “Cartel,” and “Bounty.” Below the tree stands Democratic Representative John R. Thayer holding a Democratic donkey wearing blinders and wearing a blanket labeled “Resolution March 11th, April 26th.” A long rein extends from the donkey to the other side of the tree where Republican Senator Henry Moore Teller holds the end of the rein. Cartoon refers to a congressional resolution introduced by Thayer to leverage divisions in the Republican party. The resolution called for an investigation into whether the sugar trust would be the primary beneficiary of Cuban reciprocity.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1902