Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-21
LEADERS AR[ At SEA
Political Feeling Engendered
Over the Cuban Bill Leaves
Congress Muddled.
Older House Leaders Are Deeply
Concerned for the Future
Coming Elections.
Republicans Fear the Democrats
Will Gain Advantage for Con-
gressional Campaign.

VIII Ualn Advantage lot ION.
gressional Campaign.
Washington. April 21.--Not in many
years has there been such mixed con-
dition in both the senate and house as
has developed over the Cuban recipro-
city question. The leaders of the house
are entirely at sea in regard to the fu-
tura on other subjects as well as on
Cuban reciprocity. They take th,
ground that the beet sugar men have
completely destroyed all possibility OF
pie which Will prevent united action or
any subject.
can representative necessarily will be a
law unto himself, and will decide from
piece of legislation agrees with his
ideas of the party policy or not.
The older house leaders are concern
ed deeply for the future They fear that
the split has been so public and so Sc
were that the effect in the coming con-
gressional campaign .will be decidedly
disastrous.
So far as the political situation Is
concerned the animosities engendered
during the pre- sent sugar campaign
have been FAR more bitter than any
thing which was developed during the
dispute over Porto Rico. Then the
house leaders had their way and the
party was practically united on the
policy which has since been satisfac-
torily concluded in regard to Porto Ri
co.
Now, however, the policy inaugural
ed by President Mckinley and contin-
ued by President Roosevelt has been
repudiated by nearly two-score repub-
licen members of the house. That
would not do 80 much harm, according
to the views of students of politics, IL
it were not for the fact that this con-
tingent of about one fifth of the repub-
lican strength in the house has been
able to upset entirely well developed
party policy.
The thing which hurts politically, 1t
is said, is the fact that forty republi
cans united with the solid democratic
vote and passed certain piece of leg
islation which undoubtedly involved
the breakdown of the republican pro-
tective principle. and Immediately
thereafter the solid democratic vote
was merged with the solid republican
10, IA
with its non protection amendment
The inevitable result, according to
the political leaders of the house. will
be that the democrats will go on the
stump In the tall and show that their
view Of the tariff question was sus-
tained by forty republicans and, that
they secured the breaking down of the
protection to the sugar trust
The Cuban reciprocity measure was
adopted by a party caucus of the re-
publicans. and the decision of that
caucus was as binding as any such de-
cision ever car be.
The beet sugar men by their rebel
lion, 1t is SAID, have destroyed the value
OF all caucuses for the future, and, ac-
cording to the views of the republican
leaders, it may be impossible hereafter
to elect a speaker or other officers Of
the house, provided any considerable
number of republicans choose to unite
themselves with the democrats.
Grave concern is expressed over on
the house side regarding the effect of
On the Cuban congressional elections
Two weeks ago the house leaders
thought they saw majority in sight,
but today they say the house is GER
tainly democratic unless the Cuban
reciprocity is passed substantially In
its original form, as recommended by
President Roosevelt and as promised
to the Cuban people by President Nc
Kinley.
Over on the senate side there Is even
greater uncertainty. not so much re-
garding the political situation, because
there are nc congressional elections
among the senators, but regarding the
fate of the Cuban reciprocity bill tt
self. This curious measure, with its
20 per cent reduction on Cuban raw
sugar and the repeal of all protective
tariff on refined sugar, was received
in the senate this morning and was
referred to the committee
on relations with Cuba.
The chairman of this committee is
Mr.. Plat, of Connecticut, and it is
made up of seven republicans and four
democrats. The republicans are Platt
of Connecticut, Aldrich, Cullom, Nc
MILAN, Sponer, Deboe and Burnham.
OF these it is believed that five will
vote for the original reciprocity meas
ure, but probably with reduction of
40 per cent on Cuban sugar and to-
bacco, and that two, Mcmillan of Mich
igan and Deboe of Kentucky, will vote
against it.
OF the democrats Teller of Colorado
and Taliaferro of Florida are known
to be against the reciprocity measure
because they represent sugar constit-
uencies. while Money of Mississippi
and Simmons of North Carolina Will
act with the republicans. The chances
are therefore that the committee will
in the end vote to report the Cuban
reciprocity measure favorably.
The present sentiment, however, is
that there shall be no action in the
committee until the lines are drawn
somewhat more sharply in the senate
There are beet sugar republicans
among the senators just as much as
among the representatives, and up to
the present time 1T is doubtful If there
is majority in favor of Cuban reci-
procity at all.
The successful revolt of the beet SUI
gar men in the house has furnished
an ample excuse for the same antagon-
ism to the administration in the SEN
ate. and ten or dozen republican SEN