The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-01
IN FAVOR OF CUBA
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
ACTS ON RECIPROCITY.
THE VOTE STOOD IL TO S.
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
SPLIT UP ON VOTE.

Two Republicans Voted Against the
Measure and Three Democrats for
It-Our Contract Labor Laws In
cIuded With naturalization and
Exclusion Laws as Applicable to
Cuba-AH Efforts to Amend the
Reciprocity Feature as Well as
the Democratic TarifY Amendments
Defeated.
Washington. March s1.-The Ways
and Means Committee, by a vote of -
to 8. to- day ordered a favorable report
on the Payne bill for 20 per cent. tariff
concession to Cuba and Mr.. Payne
subsequently reported it to the House.
Eight Republicans voted for the bill in
the committee. Two Republicans
Tawney of Minnesota and Metcalf of
ahfornia-voted against it. No amend
ments on the reciprocity feature were
made. but by general consent the
United States contract LAHORE laws
were included with the naturalization
and exclusion laws as applicable to
Cuba. A series of Democratic amend
ments for general tariff revision were
defeated on strict party votes. An
other series of amendments, by Mr..
Mcclellan, Democrat, of New York,
changing the reciprocity rate to so per
cent. 40 per cent, 80 1-S per cent. and
% per cent, were defeated successfully.
2 to 13.
An amendment by Mr.. Tawney strik-
ing out the differentiaI on sugar. was
ruled out by Chairman Payne as not
germane, and on an appeal from the
decision of the chair the latter was
sustained, to 6.
Yeas-Payne, Dalzen, Grosvenor,
Russell, Steele. Mccall Long and Bah
cock, Republicans; Richardson, Swan
son, Mcclellan, Democrats-11.
Nays-Tawney and Metcalf. Republic
cans; Robertson, Newlands and Coop
er, Democrats.
Although the actual vote was IL to 5,
by general consent, Mr.. Hopkins, who
was absent, was recorded in the af-
firmative, making the recorded vote Il
to 5.
VIII Probably End the Struggle.
To-day's meeting was regarded as
the elimination of the long struggle
strength of each side was present, ex-
cept Mr.. Hopkins, Republican of Illi-
nois, who paired with Mr.. Swanson of
Virginia.
The first vote was on proposition
by Mr.. Robertson of Louisiana to have
reciprocal relations with Cuba in i'm
migration and naturalization proceed
ure, so as to permit citizens TO pass
freely. This was defeated. Another
amendment by Mr.. Swanson of Vir-
ginia, that the immigration and ex-
clusion laws referred to in the Payne
bill should not bar United States citi-
zens from Cuba, was similarly defeat
ed. Mr.. Grosvenor's amendment, in
Guiding the contract labor laws with
those of immigration, etc, to be adopt
ed by Cuba, was agreed to without
division and was the only amendment
made.
This cleared the way for the real
.est of strength, which was first made
on Mr.. Tawneys amendment making
,01S25 the general rate on sugar, /. e.,
taking off the differential.
Chairman Payne promptly ruled this
out of order, as not germane, where
upon Mr.. Tawney appealed from the
ruling of the chair. On the vote, the
chair was sustained, 9 to 6. Mr.. Met
calf voted with the other Republicans
in support of the chair, making Mr..
Tawney the only Republican against
the ruling.
Chairman Payne also ruled out two
other amendments by Mr.. Tawney,
ore relieving from tax alcohol made
from the residue of beets. ETC.. and an
other that the Payne reciprocity rate
should not begin until Dec. /, 1902
No Increase in Reciprocity.
The Democratic members then be-
gan offering amendments. Mr. Me-
Clellan's came first. to raise the recip-
rocity concession to so per cent Mr..
Richardson was the only one to join
Mr.. Mcclellan, the other Democrats
and all Republicans voting aginst the
increased rate, making the vote 2 to
10. Similar adverse votes were given
on each of the Mcclellan amendments
Mr.. Mcclellan then moved to take
off the limit of the Payne bill to Dec
l. 1903, so that reciprocity would con-
tinue indefinitely. This was also de-
feated, to 10.
Mr.. Newlands of Nevada proposed as
a new section that Cuba be invited to
This was ruled out as not germane.
Mr.. Newlands then announced that he
would vote against the bill.
Mr.. Richardson, the ranking Demo-
crat, offered several amendments in
behalf OF his party colleagues, all of
them being ruled out, and the ruling
sustained by strict party votes. These
amendments were:
First, for general tariff revision: sec
Ond. for tariff reduction on American
made articles sold more cheaply abroad
than in this country; third, removing
duties on trust-made articles fourth
revision of the iron and steel schedule
as proposed by the Babcock bill; fifth,
for free wood pulp used to make print
ing paper.
The final vote was then taken on re-
porting the Payne bill.
This closed the struggle. and Mr..
Payne announced 70 his colleagues that
the reciprocity bin would be called up
one week from. tomorrow.
Cuba's Depressed Condition.
Chairman Payne reported the bill to
the House later in the day. His report
explains the depressed condition of the
Cuban sugar industry, due to the
says:
This condition threatened grave dis
aster to this. the principal Industrial
product Of Cuba. 1t Is true that labor
in Cuba is, and for the past three
months has been.fully employed at fair
wages. that there has been no famine
or distress. But ali the evidence re-
celved points to the conclusion that
the financial crisis threatened involves
the most serious consequences.
"As we have performed the part of
q guardian up to the present moment,
and are about to send the ward forth
into the world. we cannot afford to
take the risk Of her failure. il a little
timely aid will insure success.