The Washington times., 1902-06-22
Beet Sugar Senator's Plan
of Treaty With Cuba
May Be Acted On.
NEGOTIATIONS BEING PLANNED
Draft Said to Have Been Prepared at
State Department-President Advises
Cabinet-Treaty May Be Ready for
Present Session.

| Several Administration Senators made
the very positive statement yesterday
that the President will present a com
mercial treaty with Cuba to the Senate
in the near future, either at the presnt
session or at an extra session of the
Senate to be called Immediately after
the adjournment of the present session.
There is excellent reason to believe
that Mr. Roosevelt's plan is to turn a
ratified treaty over to the Senate before
adjournment Such a treaty has been
partially if not wholly prepared at the
State Department already, and Mr..
Roosevelt so informed the Cabinet at
the meeting on Friday.
The Situation Altered.
This fact changes the situation at the
Capitol to one of extreme uncertainty.
A few days ago the positive stand of
the opposition Senators to any recip-
rocity plan made it seem impossible that
anything in the way of aid to Cuba could
be accomplished. The two conferences
of the Republican Senators did nothing
to dispel this idea.
Talk of an early adjournment with one
of the Republican plans unfulflled was
general in all quarters.
With treaty negotiated and ready
for ratification, however. the position
of the opposition Senators is very DIFF
ferent. It is predicted that many Of the
nineteen opponents to reciprocity will not
care to vote to reject treaty. Some of
them. it is known, will not.
Originated by Mr. Elkins.
The treaty project came originally
from Mr.. Elkins, and was upheld by a
number of his colleagues.
One theory expressed quite generally |
at the Capitol yesterday was that the
treaty will be presented to the Senate
before adjournment. 1t may be ratified
Another possibility is that Congress
will adjourn after the treaty has been
presented. and that the Senate alone will
then be called for an extra session to
the instrument.
The beet sugar Senators remain firm
IN their opposition to reciprocity without
4 treaty, and the Administration has
given up all hope of the Platt bill.
"Tinkering With Tariff"
The beet sugar men are suggesting a
lew line Of argument against what they
all the Cuban brand of reciprocity.
They say that 1t is kind Of "tinkering
With the tariff that never would have
,een recognized by Mr.. Blaine or Mr.
Mckinley as reciprocity.
Mr.. Elkins said yeste; day: !
There is no precedent for increasing /
r lowering duties by legislation on I
My one or a few articles. Tariff sched-
les are always framed as a whole, ana
eft to stand until another session of r
Congress-. d
Reciprocity has always been effected 5
Trough treaties. We have twelve or r
Durteen treaties with nations granting v
eciprocity now pending in the Senate. f
ihy should Cuba be made an exception I
D this rulel The tariff should never b
e changed for any reason by legislation t
xcept as a whole. {
The reciprocity asked with Cuba now c
not the reciprocity advocated by Il
laine. Harrison and Mckinley. Neither
ne Of those great statesman would ever {
ave advocated reducing the tariff on a
W articles TO the injury OF any Ameri-
an industry and calling it reciprocity
.cKinley would never have done so. T
nd nothing he ever said warrants any
ich belief"
Mr., Foraker's Reply.
The answer TO this, made by the Ad-
Senators. was aptly sum
arized by Senator Foraker yesterday h
.ternoon. Il
1T is true that the reciprocity now a