Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-07
LAST OF THE FIGHT
Battle Over Cuban Reciprocity in the House
is Nearing the End,
WILL Be FOUGHT OUT THIS WEEK
Passage ofthe Payne Bill is Regarded Is q
Foregone Conclusion.
SITUATION HOWEVFR Ie cnupIleArro
SITUATION, HOWEVER, is COMPLICATED
Both Democrats and Republicans Are
Divided on the Question.
MINORITY WILL DRAG IN OLD TARIFF TALK
OppoainE Majority Members show
Little Disposition 90 Debate end
VIII Avoid Committing
Breach I'm Party Lines.

WASHINGTON, April 6.-The great battle
over Cuban reciprocity, which created such
protracted struggle among the repub.
licans, will be fought out on the floor OF the
house this week. The ultimate massage Of
the Payne bill providing for a 20 per cent
reduction on the products Of Cuba after the
negotiation Of a reciprocity treaty and the
e>actment Of United States immisratiou
laws by the republic OF Cuba. is regarded
as foregone conclusion, but the situation
is complicated one, owing to the divisions
among the democrats as well as the repub-
licans.
How far the republican opponents Of the
proposed legislation will carry their opposI-
tion is not determined. The strength OF
this opposition has dwindled until II prob
ably numbers less than 100. On the other
hand, large majority OF the democrats
favor the greatest possible freedom OF trade
with Cuba and would vote for a deeper cut
than the ways and means bill proposes.
Others, like Newlands OF Nevada, are in
favor OF the immediate annexation Of the
Islands and quite a number, under the lead
OF the Louisiana members. Will oppose
strenuously any tariff concession.
Chance of Democratic Unity.
1t is hlnted that the attitude Of the demo-
Gratis in the senate who have fixed on a
program Of opposition may result before the
vote shall be taken in more unity of action
| on the part OF the democrats of the house
Some Of the republican opponents OF the
| bill will speak against IT, but the leaders Of
! the republican opposition show a strong
disinclination to participate In the debate
on the ground that there is no hope Of de-
feating the bill and that their speeches
would hpROma damncpatlc ig,,
terial in the coming congressional cam
| paign.
The bill will be brought up on Tuesday
as revenue bill. which is privileged under
the rules, but no special order will be
| brought in for Its considerable In this
way the possibility Of a defeat of a rule
| through combination of the republican
/ recalcitrants and the democrats will ba
avoided The general debate will Ne al
| lowed to exhaust itself. The leaders on
] both sides estimate that not more than
three days will be consumed In general de-
| bate.
| Time of Real Fight.
The real fight will come subsequently
when the bill Is ready for amendment under
the fve-minute rule. II Will be then that
the democrats will seek to offer amend
ments having for their purpose the opening
| up of the whole tariff question. While
some of these amendments might command
some republican votes IL they should ac-
tually come to vote they will be ruled out
of order in the house as they were in COM
mittee and the only method by which they
can be reached would be by over. ruling the
decision OF the chair.
| 1t is certain that not half a dozen, II, in
deed. any republicans. will go to this length,
so that the republican leaders feel assured
that none Of these propositions will come to
| an actual vote.
| The only amendments which will be held
| TO be germane and in OIL der will be those in
creasing or decreasing the amount Of the
concession and the leaders feel reasonably
safe in the prediction that the caucus de-
cision for 20 per cent reduction will stand.
1t is their hope that on the final vote the
! bill will be passed by republican votes.
| The Chinese exclusion bill, which will
come to a final vote tomorrow, will COM
mand practically every vote In the house.
| The only question is as to how far the ma
| iority bill will be amerded by the insertion
of provisions to make II more in line with
the more drastic substitute which has been
! offered by the minority.