The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-02
CREAM OF SPECIALS. :.
 SEF {z$Fs dS f1RsT:
Repeal Voted for by Leaders in the House, Then Cuba's Day
 Will Come.

Walter Wellman's Washington Special to
 Chicago Record-Herald.
 k Repeal of all the war revenue taxes with the single exception Of the tax on mixed hour. reduction of sa,ooo'Vo q year of the burden which the people of the United States have to bear.
 Side-tracking of Cuban reciprocity so far as the house of Representatives Is concerned. with only three out. of ten Republican members Of the Ways and Means Committee standing by the every consideration or honor vf President Roosevelt.
 Concessions to Cuba to be put upon the House bill by the Senate and the House then to yieid so the members of that body may go before their constituents for re-eiection with the plea that they did the best they could. but were over siaughed by the President and the Sen- ate.
 These were the important developments of today-a day which marked a crisis in the history of the present session of Congress. There seems little reason to doubt that the foregoing program will De substantially carried out. War tax reduction Is sure to carry in the House. as there Is no opposition. Some modifica- tions are likely to be made by the Sen ate. It Is not absolutely certain that the Senate will grant Cuba a concession of about D per cent, but 1t Is highly proba- ble, and it Is equally probable that the House will in the end consent o>follow the lead of the Senate, basing its excuse upon the ground that in a conflict be- tween the two Houses it was necessary to yield as to Cuba in order to secure the boon of a removal of the war taxes. which President Roosevelt and Secretary Root began last fall is ip. fair way to be won after all. It certainly can be won If President Roosevelt stands firm and CT of the party. He apparently has the support of the better part of public sen- timent, and his friends predict that he VII VIII not give up or compromise the fight policies, and for the sake of his own prestige he cannot afford to lose. The Senate Is believed to be favorable to Suoa, not enthusiastically. but with a Tar majority. and If the President puts on the pressure he will win.
 Although the President has lost the Cuban battle so far as the initiative of .ne House IS concerned. there is more than one way to skin the legislative cat. Members of the House are proverbially timid about this time of the year. In feW months they are to go before their constituents for re-nomination and re- electlon, and they are afraid of the sugar beet and tobacco growers. Hence their unwilingness to take the lead in Sdoing something for Cuba and their iii-concealed intention to evade direct responsibility by hiding behind the skirts of the Senate.
 Speaker Henderson's influence has been thrown against Cuba. He has suggested that the House do nothing of it's own initiative. that 1t drop reciprocity and proceed to repeal the war taxes. If the Senate exercises Its prerogative of put ting Cuban concessions on the House revenue bill the House can deal with that problem when the time comes. Meanwhile members of the House will be able to point with pride to the repeal of the war taxes. and tell their constt- uents that they did it. If they are forced to yield to the Senate in the end 1t will be too bad. of course, but we did the best we could, you sec" As a result of Speaker Henderson's in- reference all but three of the ten mem bers of the Ways and Means Committee have dropped Cuba. These three are Hopkins of Illinois. Long of Kansas and Mccall of Massachusetts. MT. Long is not here. and he has troubles with the beet sugar growers of his State, but he is understood to stand firm. Payne Grosvenor. DalzAll Tawney, Babcock. Russell and Metcalf are with the Speak CT.