New-York tribune., 1901-12-31
FIGHT COMING IN SENATE.
xFv DEMOCRATIC LEADER AND
ISSUE NAY ARISE.
1--WE DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED
WHEN THE PHILIPPINE TARIFF
BILL Is TAKEN Up.
70 THE TRIBUNE

-,-ht,s+ou Dec. 30-As result OF the de-
-. q, +be senate the Payne Pnlhppine Dill.
hitch will be taken UP by that oody among
-. a-s, subjects for consideration atter Con-
,r.s. reassembles in January II Is cohndehty
r,ed that there will be developed new
r,srnocra tic leadership If not new Democratic
...pe With 2 shrewdness not looked Tor either
nv the older element OF Democrats or the Re
-.r7,oe,, leaders the new element of the minor
ity got complete control OF their side OF the I'M
-or,sr+ Philippine Committee, of which Senator
Iodqa * chairman and such experienced and
ss,ute Republican leaders Allison. Hale
r,-oc.o- and Beveridge are members. Opposed
>, +bsr, are Culberson. OF Texas; Rawins. of
r-,sb. Dubois. Of Idaho; Patterson. of Colorado
ana rsrn1sck OF Tennessee-all belonging to
that Young vigorous crowd Of minority Senators
,bs- is expected 10 snatch the reins of leader
.b,n away from the old crowd which for so long
time has been dominated by Jones. of
Arkansas: Cockrell, Of Missouri; Daniel, of Vir-
sinia and their like. Rho aroused such a storm
of protest in the Democracy throughout the
country by laying down at the last session.
when they could have forced an extra session of
this Congress by fighting the Spoouer Philippine
resolution.
CULBERsON FOR MINORITY LEADER
The exact line OF policy on the Philippine ques-
ton that will be pursued by the new crowd has
not yet been laid out definitely. II is known
however. that the programme Of drift" fol-
lowed with such care by the House minority
when the Payne bill was brought forward only
few days before adjournment for the Christ
mas holidays, and which was advised by
the Jones-Cockrell cult in the Senate. will
be vigorously avoided by the new crowd Since
they have captured their side of the Phil
ippine Committee without the factional opposi-
ticn apparently suspecting what they were up to.
Il is said that their next move Will be to force
on Senator Jones call for a Senate Democratic
caucus al an early date. and they will there
attempt 10 bind the minority to a policy OF un-
yielding hostility ito the passage Of the Payne
bill Senator Culberson is said now 10 be work
ing on the details Of the plan which he will sub
nit TO his committee associates for approval as
soon they return from their vacation. The
Texan is generally regarded as the best equipped
leader for such emergency. since he has ex-
perience, tact and concededly a high order Of
capacity-rare qualifications to find in single
Democrat in either branch Of Congress al pres
ent While he refuses at this time even to ad-
nit that the plan here hinted at is on foot, it
is nevertheless known that he is hard at work
on il and will spring ii on the Senate in the form
Of minority report when Senator Lodge pre-
sents the majority report on the Payne bill.
PLANS OF REPUBLICAN SENATORS.
How this will be depends on variety Of
conditions. not the least important of which is
that not a few influential Republican Senators
would rejoice should Senator Lodge and his
party associates the Philippine Committee
fit 70 amend the Payne bill. so as to bring
It more in accord with the spirit of the Foraker
legislation for Porto Rico than the measure is
as it from the House. In view Of the
70 carry the Philippines along with Cuban legis-
lation. Il is considered likely that the Republi-
can opposition 10 the harsh features of the
Payne bill will be content to permit that
ure 10 go through just It came from the
House and then provide for its early modifica-
ton by the President in a resolution that will
define what tariff concessions shall be made to
Cuba when the Cuban Government is organized
and fully equipped to assume all the duties Of
independent sovereignty and responsibility. At
the same time ii may be decided by the real Re
publican leaders Of the Senate that the wisest
course will be TO deprive the ambitious crowd Of
young Democratic Senators of their opportunity
10 make political capital out of the Philippine
question al this session by agreeing 10 report
from the committee amendments to the Payne
bill which would give concessions to the Phil
ippines without waiting for the slower but surer
process # joining the Philippines with Cuba in
tariff legislation.
DEMOCRATS FOR FREE TRADE.
Naturally Senator Culberson and his commit
tee associates would greatly prefer a straight
out favorable report on the Payne bill by the
Republican majority as then their minority re-
port would stand out in sharper contrast In
that event they could define accurately what
they conceive ought to be the Democratic colo
NAL policy. and in spite of the jealousy with
which their work would be viewed by the old
element under the discredited leadership of the
Arkansas Senator. II is confidently believed that
they could carry their policy through with prac-
ucal unanlmty on the minority side Of the
Senate The chief feature of this new policy
VIII be a clear and resOlute demand for free
trade with the insular possessions. The decis-
Ions &c the Supreme Court declaring the govern
ment and administration Of the islands TO be
wholly and exclusively in the province Of Con-
gress VIII be referred to in support of the de-
manc for free trade. and the example of Porto
H1co VIII be cited proof thar free trade with
tne lnsular possessions is mutually beneficial
20 20 the people OF the United States and OF the
islands. as well practicable. The alleged
part taken by the beet sugar magnates in fright
snlng the Ways and Means Committee of the
house into surrender will be rected with
slshorate detail and statistics will be produced
- snow that the domestic beet sugar interest
,hlilppines Cuba which that industry nov
Iouoiy proclaim IL needs
LONG AND LIVELY FIGHT PROMISED.
IN nr1ef. there seems a real prospect OF a
NVeiy ana interesting fight in the Senate over
-" FhllipPines. that the new blood Of the
DeIlocFacr appears determined to assert itself
nm courage ana intelligence At any rate the
oena'e VIII last several weeks and may be ex-
'ehded FAR irto the spring if tie Democratic
youngsters succeed in binding the old element
10 their programme Of obstruction for the sake
OF making political capital II is realized how
er, s, tnat Messrs. Jones. CockreIl and others OF
the old crowd have become 50 accustomed = to
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