New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-11
NOTHING NOW BUT A TEN
PEST IN 4 TEAPOT.
,pos1TToN TO THE RECIPROCITY BILL
DECREASING - PROSPECT OF
HARMONIOUS ACTION.
rrr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

tssn given by newspaper exploitation, appears
- last TO have simmered down to its real
,baracter-a tempest in a teapot. While it is
,ossible, Of course that at the fourth confer
s,os 70 be held tomorrow night on the Ways
.,d Means Committees reciprocity bill no final
.r-sernent viii be reached. failure TO do so will
hs due almost entirely TO the desire of the sup
o-ters Of the Presidents policy not 10 drive the
.5nsIrgents" but rather to reason longer with
hem n spirit Of friendliness but of the utmost
determination II is wholly within the bounds
If fact 70 say that # another conference is made
,Acsssary the insurgents can claim neither
credit for q further postponement Of a. settle
rnept nor Of accession to their ranks. On the
contrary II is evident that their organization
rapidIy is going TO pieces under the persuasive
tactics q Speaker Henderson. Chairman Payne
and the other House leaders, together with the
earnest and resolute course of the President
MANY CONFERENCES HELD.
Conferences almost innumerable were held to-
6sv al the White House and in the Speakers
nom az the Capitol. and as a result there are
rnanv signs tonight OF great defamation in
the ranks Of the insurgents" 1t was signifi-
cant that the committee room OF Mr.. Tawney'
n Minnesota. who Is now iokingly called
~Aguiual5o." was not the scene to-day of the
sane activity among the insurgents" as il
has been every previous day for a week, and
;hat NJ Tawney seemed gloomer and less
hopeful than ar any time since he started the
revolt against the present leadership Of the
House Early IN the day he carefully composed
q statement of his side Of the case. which he
announced he intended 70 give out for publica-
ton bur late this afternoon he announced that
he had about decided not 70 give i out. 1t is
not a manifesto nor pr0uun1iamento.' laugh
ingly declared NJ. Tawney. when he was hailed
By a colleague as .Asuinallo," but a simple
statement 0f the reasons that induced me- TO
take che course I have chosen in this Cuban
reciprocity matter" Mr. TawEey seemed to feel
thar his followers were fast deserving him. and
that by Tomorrow evening he would have
scarcely a respectable rorporaIs guard
TAwNEY CONTINUES THE CONTEST.
A. the same time II is expected that he Will
continue the struggle IN the conference. Al
though aware that the President does not ap-
prove his rebate proposition SIN Mr.. Tawney
recogizes that he is able 10 continue 10 give an
novance and trouble 10 the House leaders
whose sole object now is so 70 harmonic all
the conflicting elements as to be able 20 present
the Ways and Means Committees bill as
strict party measure. This cannot be done with
safety long as Mt. Tawney can command
following Of twenty-five members. That is 10
say. should the bill be reported TO the House
fight IL is not improbable that considerable
trouble and embarrassment viii be encoun-
tered in adopting a special rule under which the
bill can he passed without amendment
tedious and useless debate. The Democrats, Of
course. would gladly join Mr.. Tawney and his
followers in voting against such a special rule,
and as l79 votes would be needed 10 carry it
through. it is more than likely that the pres
ent juncture that number could not be obtained.
Hence the wisdom Of the patient and persuasive
course being pursued by the. supporters OF reel
proclty is apparent. When a sufficient number
Of the insurgents" have been won over, how
ever. 10 reciprocity. 10 give that cause l79 Re
publican votes the supporters OF the admins
tratlons policy viii take vigorous action and
force the issue.
RETALIATORY MEASURES THREATENED.
In the mean time the more desperate recalci-
trants are breathing all sorts of threats Of re-
rrisaL Some OF them declare that they
going 70 precipitate the floor of the House
a discussion OF an early wholesale revision Of
the tariff. and It is reported tonight that three
bills q this character already have been framed,
70 BE- introduced at the most opportune mo-
ment William Alden Smith of Michigan. is
said 70 have framed q bill for a reduction of
The duty on glass; MI Heatwole, of Minnesota,
Is credited with the authorship of a measure
for The abolition Of the tariff on wood pulp, and
Nr. Roberts Of Massachusetts,. is reported TO
have ready for presentation bill for a reduc-
iiGn Of the duty on hides. It is not denied that
M ~ gseIllta at an; WI a. o.
The hope Of frightening into silence the support
ers Of Cuban reciprocity. from the President
Gown % the most inconspIcuots adherent Of
that policy In the House. II is believed, how
ever. that the members credited with the
thorshi7 Of these bills viii be brought around TO
z different view Of the matter before the situa
ton reaches crisis
RECIPROCITY SENTIMENT GAINING.
The most encouraging sign Of the growth of
reciprocity sentiment to-day was displayed in
the delegations from PENNSYLVANIA and Mary
lard. Last week the insurgents" were claim
ing. with some show OF right, large following
in both Of these delegations but to-day it was
learned that five of the Maryland delegation had
assured both the President and Speaker Hen
oerson of their support Of the Ways and Means
Committees bill. while ten Of the fourteen or
fifteen Pennsylvanians who had been classed
with the ''kickers" let il be known that they
were now in favor OF reciprocity. These two
delegations fairly typify the change that has
set in in all the Republican delegations except
those from Michigan and California, and II is
predicted that before the end of the week the
recalcitrants from these beet sugar States VIII
tire Of fighting and lay down their arms.
SITUATION ~ THE SENATE.
The Senate leaders continue 70 watch the
House situation with interest. and, while they
are unwilling to discuss it for publication. in
private conversation they distinctly give the
impression that they are still determined 10
bring Cuba into close commercial relations with
the United States under a reciprocity agree
nent. regardless Of what eventually may be
the outcome OF the present squabble in the
House. Feeling confident that the House will
pass the Payne bill for reciprocity on a basis OF
20 per cent, the Senate leaders now are mainly
interested in the point TO what additional tar
n reduction they will make when the Dill
reaches them As every supporter OF reciprocity
IN the Senate. with TWO or three notable eXcep-