New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-08
THE OUTLOOK FOR CUBA.
RECIPROCITY SURE TO PRE-
VAIL IN THE END.
BEET SUGAR INSURGENTS" HOLD A
CAUCUS-THE PRESIDENTS STATE
MENT HAS A GOOD EFFECT.
rpr TELEGRAPH 20 The TRIBUNE ]

IBY TELEGRAPH 70 The TRIBUNE.I
Washington March THE beet sugar men
in the House are making a show of dying
hard. Their leaders expressed much conf
dence as ever to-day. although the proceedings
of last nights caucus and the developments
brought about by quiet conferences between
the President and the real leaders of the House
in the last two or three days plainly indicate
that when the final test comes the Ways and
Means Committees bill for reciprocity with
Cuba on the basis of tariff reduction of 20
per cent will be adopted a party measure
and put through the House with little no
trouble.
Both the temper and the methods of the beet
sugar insurgents" they are now called. were
illustrated to-day by a called by Repre-
sentative William Alden Smith, of Michigan in
his committee room. The call for the meeting
energetically circulated, and everybody
supposed to be antagonstc to the adnlinistra-
tons Cuban policy was urged to attend. Although
it impossible TO get the exact number of
the names of those present. IT is known that
not more than twenty-five responded to the call.
For an hour they were addressed by Mr. Smith
and MIR. Tawney, the recognized leader of the
insurgents" When the meeting broke UP it
said by those who engineered il that there
as many present as could be accommodate
ed in the room" Aside from declaring that
they were in the fight to stay none of the
Insurgents could be induced to expatiate on
the meeting their future course,
PRESIDENT AGAINST A COMPROMISE.
The Presidents brief but pointed statement
issued last night has set at rest all fears as to
his firm and resolute stand for reciprocity with
Cuba along the lines of the Payne bill. 1t is
understood that the President felt impelled to
give out this statement by the misrepresenta-
tat
Of the beet sugar industry in and out of Con-
gress who have called on him within the last
week Almost without exception these persons
have emerged from the White House in cloud
of mystery and by mods and winks have man
aged to convey the impression to eager journal
lists minds that tine President weaken
ing" But for this President Roosevelt would
not have felt called upon to authorize his secre-
tary last night TO issue a positive and emphatic
denial of the widespread report that he was will
ing to compromise. The fact is that as the
President views the situation. there is no basis
for a compromise. With him, with the
trained leaders of the House and Senate and
his Cabinet officers, II is now either straight
reciprocity with Cuba nothing. And the
cause of reciprocity undoubtedly is stronger in
both houses than any proposition brought for
ward as a substitute the inevitable conclusion
is that reciprocity finally Will prevail
REASONING WITH THE OPPOSITION.
1t is possible. of course that the fourth con-
ference of House Republicans. called for next
Tuesday night, may not reach a definite agree
ment. But, if it does not, the cause of failure
cannot be attributed to the weakness of the
Ways and Means Committees bill. On the
contrary it will be due to the desire of tine
President and his supporters still to reason with
the Insurgents and get them good terms.
There is not now and never has been. any dis
position to run over the opposition rough shod
but rather TO convince Mr.. Tawney and his
followers of their error and then present the
Payne bill TO the House as party measure, not
needing a single Democratic vote for success.
Now that Speaker Henderson. Mr.. Dalzell
of Pennsylvania, and General Grosvenor, of
Ohio. who constitute the majority of the Com
mttee on Rules, are supporting the administra-
tion's policy with all their strength and
sources. no doubt remains in any we'll informed
mind in Washington that the insurgents" will
yield gracefully and without bitterness
BRUSSELS DECISION NO AID TO CUBA
Efforts to utilize the decision of the recent
Brussels conference to bolster UP the cause of
the beet root interests have failed signaly. II
is pointed out that even if every nation in Eu-
rope abolishes the bounty paid TO sugar
producers the price of sugar will not be
terially affected in any part of the world. as
until the cartel in Germany is dissolved-an
entirely improbable event-the price of sugar
will continue to be fixed at Hamburg. Thus
Cuba will not be benefited in the least by the
action OF the Brussels conference against the
bounty system. The only probable effect of
that action that will be felt in the near future
according TO the opinion of sugar experts. IS
that il will somewhat limit production and by
this means give market for the surplus of
sugar now piled up in the warehouses in all
the producing nations. IT Is conceded that after
this surplus has been disposed OF and the
sugar market again is restored 70 the natural
operation OF the law of supply and demand, the
price will rise and, OF course in that event
the United States would want TO be on such
commercial terms with Cuba as would result
in attracting 10 this country a sufficient amount
of sugar from that island TO keep the price
down TO a reasonable figure If, the other
hand the legislation OF this country should drive
Cuban sugar 10 the European markets, con-
Continued third page.