Fergus County argus., 1902-04-23
The Cuban Reciprocity Bill Passes
the House After a Scene of
High Excitement.
CHAIRS RULING VOTED DOWN
The Democrats and Republican lnsur
gents Ride Roughshod Over the
House When Voting Began.

Washington, April 1S.-The Demo
Gratis and Republican insurgents rode
roughshod over the house leaders to-
day when voting began on the Cuban
reciprocity bill. They overthrow the
ruling of the chair in the committee
of the whole on the question of the
germaneness of the amendment to
remove the differential from refined
sugar during the existence of the reci-
procity agreement provided for in the
bill. The vote to overrule the decis-
ion of the chair was III to 1870. Re-
publicans to the number of 81 Joined
with the solid Democratic vote to ac-
complish this result.
Having won this preliminary VIC
tory, the amendment was adopted in
the committee by vote of 164 to Ill
and later in the house by still larger
majority of 1879 to 105.
On this occasion GA Republicans
voted for the amendment. The bill
was then passed by an overwhelming
majority of 247-52.
An analysis of the vote shows that
124 Republicans and 123 Democrats
voted for the amended bill and AZ Re-
publicans and 10 Democrats against
it.
Grosvenor of Ohio was one of those
who voted against the bill. The vot-
ing on the bill was the elimination of
a long struggle which began almost
with the opening of the session of
congress and after two weeks of con-
tinuous debate, during which much
bitterness was aroused. Today's de-
bate was of exceedingly lively char
acter. the feature being an echo of
last nights Democratic caucus. To
that caucus the defeat of the Repub-
lican leaders who sought to pass the
bill without amendment is attributa-
BILE. Previous to the holding of the
caucus the Democrats were very much
divided and the opposition of the Re-
publican beet suagr men showed
signs of disintegrating.
Today when it became apparent
that the Democrats would act togeth-
er, the beet sugar men decided at a
meeting attended by 80 of them to
take the bit in their teeth and over
rule the chair. AS soon as this COM
bination was effected the Republican
leaders realized that they would be
defeated so far as removal of the diff
ferential was concerned, and Payne,
the Republican leader, contented him.
self with warning his beet sugar col.
leagues that in removing the differen-
tial they were marking off the bit of
protection placed In the Dingley bill,
especially for the benefit of the beet
sugar producers. The Democrats at.
tempted to follow up their advantages
when the differential amendment was
adopted by offering the Babcock bill
and other amendments to reduce the
Dingley schedules, but on these
amendments the Republicans declined
to stand with them and the Demo
Gratis did not press them vigorously
One of the surprises of the session
was the attempt of Roberts of Mas
sachusetts. Republican, to take the
duty off hides. He offered two amend
ments and appealed once from the
decision of the chair, but was voted
down each time.
The bill as passed authorizes the
president, as soon after the establish
ment of an indepndent government In
Cuba and the enactment by the sait
government of immigration, exclus
i've and contract labor laws as re
strictive as those of the United
States, to negotiate reciprocal trad'
agreement with Cuba by which, in re
turn for equivalent concessions, tn,
United States will grant reduction
of 20 per cent from the Dingley rate
on goods coming into the Unite'
States from Cuba, such agreement Il
continue until Dec. /, 1903, during ex
istence of such agreement the dut.
on refined sugars and all sugars abov'
No. 16 Dutch standard. is to be 1.S2
per pound.