The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-12
Voucher Produced Showing Money
Was Paid Ont of the Cuban Treas
ury to Promote Reciprocity.
TOTAL AMOUNT OVER $4,000
PAID UNDER DIRECTION OF GEN
ERAL WOOD, 1T is SAID.
Beet-SuGar Men Hopeful the Revela-
tions Will Tend to Kill the Reci-
prOcity Proposition.

WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE testimony
given to-day before the committee on Gu
ban relations by F. B. Thurber, showing
that between $1,000 and $1,000 had been paid
out Of the Cuban treasury under the direc-
tion of Governor General Wood for the
promotion of the effort TO secure reciprocity
between the United States and Cuba,
caused a sensation in the Senate to-day.
The news of Mr. Thurber's statement
reached the Senate chamber about the time
that that body convened and when Senator
Teller, whose examination had developed
the facts, made his appearance on the floor
he was Immediately surrounded by senators
from both sides of the chamber who pro-
fessed great anxiety TO know all that had
occurred. Copies of the voucher pro-
duced were eagerly sought and the demand
was not satisfied until forty or fifty copies
had been typewriter and circulated in the
Senate chamber Much interest was also
manifested on the part of members of the
House and some of the beet-sugar advo-
Gates of that body pointed out that Mr..
Thurber had not in his testimony before
the ways and means committee indicated
any connection with the Cuban government
in his effort to create sentiment in this
country favorable to concessions to Cuba.
Opinions as to the ultimate effect of the
testimony are as varied as the predictions
and prejudices of the Senate, but the i'm
mediate results are seen in the decision
reached during the afternoon to have two
caucuses in the early future. The first of
these will be held by the beet-sugar Re-
publican senators tomorrow and the sec
ond by all the Republican senator's Friday
or Saturday. Senator Burrows is RESPONSE
BILE for the statement that the beet-sugar
men will meet, and Senator Aldrich for the
announcement that there will be general
conference before the close of the week.
The purpose of the meeting of the beet
sugar men is to consider the situation as
affected by to-day's developments, and
also to receive report from the commit
tee consisting of Senators Elkins, Burrows
and Jones of Nevada, appointed to confer
with the Republican members of the Cuban
committee. This committee will state that
the Cuban committee has declined TO con-
slider all the propositions looking to a
compromise which have been made and it
probably will ask TO be discharged The
propositions that have been made are two
the first for rebate and the second for
a commercial treaty with Cuba. The COM
mittee will say that both plans were re-
jected and that the members of the Cuban
committee would not change their posi-
tion that there must be a straight re-
duction of 20 per cent. without any con-
ditions except that the President might
have power to revoke the concession in
case ne found that the Cuban planters were
not getting the benefit of it, The full con-
ference will be In the nature of a caucus
and some of the beet sugar men say they
will enter IL only with the understanding
that they shall not be bound by any con-
clusion that may be reached. The advo-
Gates OF a tariff reduction say that no
action by a Republican senatorial caucus
is binding but they add that defections
have occurred only in rare instances
Senator Aldrich expresses confidence In
being able to secure fully forty-f1ve Repub-
lcan votes in favor of any bill that NAV be
reported by the Cuban committee This is
a majority of the Senate. and friends of re-
duction express themselves as hopeful OF
passing a bill satisfactory to them They
say the testimony of Mr.. Thurber does not
affect the merits of the question i'm the
least and they contend that even admit
ting that the course of the Cuban govern
ment was censurable. il cannot and should
not prevent the government of the United
States from doing what it has promised to
do and what IL Is right to do. They do not
however. generally admit that the course
was improper.
The beet-sugar senators undeniably are
more hopeful than they have been hereto
fore. Some or them profess to believe that
the revelation will have the effect of at
least causing a halt in the proceedings in
the interest of reciprocity They think the
report made by Mr. Thurber will be accept
ed by the country as going TO show that
entirely too much interest has been mani
tested in the subject in Cuba. Some OF
them go so far 10 claim that there will
no reciprocity legislation. at least during
the present session
Senator Culberson. of Texas. to-day in
troduced the following resolution: That
I the secretary OF war be. and he is hereby
directed. TO send TO the Senate full, item
lied statement of all moneys collected and
| disbursed by the authorities OF the United
States in Cuba from the military occupa-
J tion thereof until May %. lso2. Senator