New-York tribune., 1902-03-09
BEET SUGAR CANARDS.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT NOT
WEAKENING.
UNFOUNDED REPORTS PUT FORTH BY
THE LOBBY To DELAY ACTION
FOR CUBA'S RELIEF.
IRy TELEGRAPH TO TIE TR1nUNE ]

Washington. March s-The House "insun-
gents to-day started another wild report that
the President was coming around to their views
on the question of reciprocity with Cuba. The
Eist Of this story was that. with President
Roosevelt's approval. a special ioint committee
Of Congress, representing equally the reciprocity
and anti-reciprocty contentious was 10 be sent
TO Cuba az an early date to look carefully into
the situation in the island. and recommend fur
ther action 10 the lawmakers at Washington
It can be said on the highest possible authority
that far the President and his supporters
are concerned, this scheme has no standing
whatever. In fact. when news Of 1t was car
red from the headquarters of the beet sugar
lobby 10 the White House. it was denounced
as absurd and ridiculous Obviously the sole
object Of the suggestion was 10 delay action on
the WAYS and Means Committees reciprocity
bill until the next session. in order TO avoid
whatever danger the passage of that measure
may cause in a few scattering districts Of the
West now represented by Republicans and
which the beet root magnates say they control
But as this makeshift proposition found no en-
Couragement either AZ the Write House or
among the Presidents supporters either in the
House or the Senate. IL abandoned a 3
a serious suggestion. and adhered 10 only
by the more uncompromising followers of Mr..
Tawney, Of Minnesota, who is gaining great re-
nown as the der of the insurgents"
II is pointed out by the advocates of recl-
procity that, in the first place. no special COM
mittee of Congress could learn any more about
the economic and industrial situation in Cuba
by visiting the island than is already known
through official reports of Governor General
Wood and other American authorities in Cuba:
and I'm the second place. committee constitut-
cd as proposed by the insurgents" would never
be able to asree on report and that moth
in ba yVouId he gained for ida
by such means
VOTE IN NEXT CAUCUS EXPECTED
The President held long conference this
morning with Speaker Henderson and Chairman
Payne. Of the Ways and Means Committee at
which the whole situation in the House was
carefully gone 1t is understood that the
President learned from his callers that the sup
porters OF reciprocity will probab bly, be ready
TO force vote at the House caucus to be held
next Tuesday night. II they do bring the ques-
tion to a sharp issue az that time, there is no
longer any doubt that reciprocity will win by
substantial majority. This statement is based
on the knowledge that a great deal Of quiet
but effective work has been done by the ad-
vocates of reciprocity within the last twenty
four hours, and that they are so encouraged by
the result of their labor that they eager
10 meet the issue squarey in the next party
caucus. Hence. II the conference on Tuesday
night does not reach a definite and final deci-
sion it will be due to the disincination Of the
reciprocity forces to assert their strength vigor-
ously over the protests of minority that rap
idly is becoming weaker.
SLIGHT CONCESSIONS POSSIBLE
1t is considered not improbable. however. that
in the interest OF party harmony the majority
may make some slight concessions to the in
surgents' in the unimportant matter of the
wording of the Ways and Means Commuters