Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-06-03
SpOONER COMPROMISE
WOULD LEAVE CUBA
in PRESIDENTS HANDS
Let Executive Determine Who Needs
the Reduction Beet Sugar Senators
Still Difficult 10 Win
0va.


Spooner has drawn up a compromise
bill on the Cuban relief question and
It is being quietly passed around
among Republican Senators for the
purpose of obtaining general assent
before being made public. The utmost
secrecy is maintained by the Senate, S.
but enough has leaked out to give o
fair idea of the proposed compromise,
1t proposes to grant a reduction Of 20
per cent on Cuban imports. limiting
this benefit to owners Of sugar who
are not interested in refining in the
United States. and gives the President
power to determine who such persons
are.
There is some talk OF extending
these reductions over a term Of say
five years on a sliding scale, so that
at the end of that term the duties
would again reach full proportions. As
there appears to be opposition to this,
1t may not be included in the Spoonef
compromise. The chief departure
from the House bill II will be noted, is
the proposition to throw the burden o.
RENTING duties upon the President.
Just how he will be able to separate
the Cuban sheep from the sugar frost
goats is not explained.
This is the third time that Spoaner
has proposed to throw responsibility
on the President in matter of great
moment. The first time was when the
whole Philippine administration vas
left to the President pending Congces.
sional action, which was Spooners
suggestion. The second is found in
the SpOoner bill authorizing the PrCsi
dent to choose between the Panama
and Nicaragua canal routes and 60
ahead with construction. Now he pro.
poses to authorize the President prac
tically to frame the details of the Gu.
ban relief law.
The beet sugar Senators, who are
supposed to number twelve, are cut.
spoken in opposition to any form OF
Cuban relief that takes the shape OF
tarih reduction. They insist that the
only relief that can equitably be given
to Cuba is some form OF rebate which
would come out of the pockets of all
Americans alike and go to the Cuban
Government, to be used as 1t might see
tit. Senator Teller points out, in
speaking of the matter, that his inqui.
ry revealed that only % per cent OF the
sugar planters OF Cuba are Cubans,
and that many of these are rich. The
others are Spaniards who decline to
become Cubans, or Americans allied
to the sugar trust.
Senator Burrows has been fighting
quietly but in his effective fashion
against the Cuban. 1t is almost Ger
tain that il the Cuban relief bill is pre-.
sented in the Senate he will offer the
French reciprocity treaty provisions as
an amendment.
Both California Senators say they
viii not vote for a Cuban relief
scheme in the form of tariff reduction.
House Republicans classed as insur.
gents declare they will kin any Lill
passed by the Senate by the same
methods that defeated the leaders lie,
fore. 1t is claimed by certain SOFA.
tors that the Michigan delegation has
weakened on account OF word recciv.
ed from the beet sugar men, some of
whom are said to have urged that
party success was the first considera.
ton and that 1t would be better to nc.
cept 90 per cent reduction than have
the party divided on the question.
Michigan Congressman deny this. end
say they will stick out to the last. Rep
resentatives Kahn and Coombs,
speaking for the loyal Californians,
said they stood unchanged in opposi.
ton to the Cuban scheme. They say
the bill will never pass the House.