The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-03-21
FOR CUBAN RECIPROCITY
WAYS AND MEANS >COMMlTTEE
INTRODUCES BILL.
Those Opposed to the Plan May Car.
ny the Fight Onto the Floor Of
the House.

Washington, March 2O.-Chairman
Payne of the ways and means commit
tee introduced the following bill, "to
provide for reciprocal trade relations
with Cuba" as a result of the republi-
can conference decision.
"That for the purpose of securing
reciprocal trade relations with Cuba,
the president is hereby authorized,
as soon as may be after the establish
ment of an independent government in
Cuba and the enactment by said gov
eminent Of immigration and exclusion
laws as fully restrictive of immigra-
ton as the laws of the United States,
to enter into negotiations with said
government with a view to the ar
in which reciprocal and equivalent
concessions may be secured in favor
of the products and manufactures of
the United States, by rates of duty
which shall be less by an amount
equivalent to at least 20 per cent ad
valorem upon such products and man
ufactures than the rates imposed upon
the like articles when imported into
Cuba from the most favored of other
countries and shall not be greater
than the rates imposed by the United
States upon the like articles imported
from Cuba; and whenever the govern
ment of Cuba shall enact such immi-
grafton and exclusion laws and shall
enter into. such commercial agree
ment with the United States, and shall
make such concessions in favor of the
products and manufactures thereof as
aforesaid, and which agreement, in
the judgment of the president shall
be reciprocal and equivalent, he shall
be authorized to proclaim such facts
both as to the enactment of such i'm
migration and exclusion laws and the
making of such agreement. and there
after until the first day of December,
1903, the imposition of the duties now
imposed by law on all articles import
ed from Cuba, the products thereof.
into the United States shall be sus-
pended and in lieu thereof shall be
levied, collected and paid upon all
such articles imported from Cuba so
per cent of the duty now levied upon
like articles imported from foreign
countries. The president shall have
power. and it shall be his duty, when
v e he shall be satisfied hat either
such immigration Or exclusion laws
of such agreement contained in this
act are 0 being fully executed by
the government of Cuba, to notify
such government thereof, and there
after there shall be levied, collected
and paid upon all articles imported
from Cuba the full rate of duty provid-
ed by law upon articles imported from
foreign countries" Ha#
The steering committee of the ere-
ment which has opposed the ways and
means committee reciprocity plan met
on the call of Representative Tawney
VI M11ICSOtd, }tCAdlIl1du VI Iuc CUlu-
mittee, and with several other leaders
in the movement canvassed the situa-
ton carefully. Individually most of
those present expressed a desire to
carry the contest to the floor of the
house, It is considered desirable,
however, to take no action until all of
those who voted in the conference
against reciprocity were called into
conference, This meeting will be
held later in the week. Beyond this
decision no action was taken.