Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-18
CUBAN RECIPROCITY
Republican Party Victim of
a "Holdup."
THREAT OF MINORITY
TEST TO COME AT THE CONFER,
ENcE TONIGHT.
Plan of Administration Senators to
Present the Spooner Bill-outcome
Cannot Be Predicted.

The republican party I'm Congress con-
| tinued today 10 be the victim of ''holdup'
| by group of senator's estimated To number
! from ten to eighteen. The threat " this
| minority, whose very membership is spccu-
| lative and believed to be unstable. to Mega
| tive the action OF the overwhelming MAJOR
| ity Of republicans Of the House, defeat the
recommendation of the President aud his
cabinet and frustrate the plan of the ma
tority Of republicans In the Senate con-
tinued in force.
1t remains to be determined al a confer
ence Of republican senators tonight whether
this numerically weak minority shall die
tate the policy Of the republican party In q
critical moment. The senators who COM
prise the minority, the total still unknown.
say that the interests of tine portion Of
their constituents concerned In raising beets
and another portion who hold investments
in beet sugar refineries demand the defeat
Of reciprocity with Cuba. The senators
who compose the majority who are IN ac-
cord with the republican House of Repre-
sentatives a republican President and cab
met. and who believe that they represent
the dominant sentiment in the United
States. urge reciprocity as measure OF ma
tional Importance superior to local issues.
The Test Tonight.
The test will come tonight. The admin
istration senators have a definite plan Of
action to propose and will put it forward.
asking the concurrence therein of a suffi-
Client number of republicans to warrant
presenting the plan to the Senate. the
Spooner bill, published in fun in The star
yesterday, will be laid before the confer
ence as basis of a republican agreement.
If concurrence is withheld the minority
will have won and will have whipped the
administration, the House OF Representa-
tives and the republican organization in the
Senate. If that occurs 1t will be the most
marvellous political victory i'm the annals
of Congress. Nothing like it can he re-
called. The present republican organize
ton of the Senate comprises some of the
Wisest and most experienced statesmen
who have figured in national legislation
within a generation. If they are beaten
down by the minority, some of whose num-
ber are serving their first term in the Sem
ate. the latter will have good cause to feel
elated.
No Prediction of Outcome.
The political exigencies Of the occasion
may operate to keep the contest out of
the open Senate and confine 1t to the con-
ference. If the case could be brought into
the Senate the republican leaders believe
that some of the men who now are as
sociated with the beet sugar contingent
would be forced to change their allegiance.
The beet sugar senators are interested in
keeping the fight out OF the Senate. II pos
sible, realizing the disadvantage at which
they would be placed in the event Of rec
ord votes being taken.
No senator could be found among the
administration men today who would pre-
dict the outcome of tonights conference.
The strategic position of the opposition Is
not mininized. and the opposition continued
to loudly proclaim that the other side was
whipped to standstill.