New-York tribune., 1902-03-30
CUBAN RECIPROCITY PLAN.
MR.. BABCOCK WILL VOTE TO REPORT
THE PAYNE BILL.
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE EXPECTED
TO ACT OK UEsDAY-PROsPECT OF
? A FIGHT IN THE SENATE.
tEY TELEGRAPH TO THE rEIPJNE.l J

tEy TELEGRAPH TO THE TEIPJNEI
Washington. March % Chairman Payne, or
the Ways and Means Committee, feels confident
that he viii be able to report his Cuban reel
procity bill favorably not later than Iuesday'
and that an advantageous position on the House
calendar viii Immediately he given TO it. All
reports emanating from the beet sugar lobby TO
the effect that Mr.. Babcock, of Wisconsin, is
trying 70 dodge q vote in the committee on the
Payne bill by going to Atlantic City for an In
definite time are untrustworthy. While MI.
Babcock has been IN poor health for several
weeks and his physicians have advised him TO
seek rest at the seashOre, he has announced his
determination TO remain here until the Payne
bill is brought out Of the committee and to cast
his vote for A favora bic report. As heretofore
said in these dispatches. Mr.. Babcock is now in
thorough accord with the Republican majority
OF the House on the Cuban reciprocity PROPOSE
ton. and viii do all he in future TO bring
the question 10 A successful issue. He will not
aid any effort that may be made by the beet
sugar forces 10 embarrass the administration
and the party in Congress by cooperating with
the free trade Democrats to fasten tariff re-
vision amendments on the reciprocity bill. in
spite Of his well known disposition TO remove
the tariff on the products Of the United States
Steel Corporation, commonly known as the Steel
Trust. Mr.. Babcock is content to renew his
understood that he will renew his efforts at the
next session to deprive the Steel Trust of the
protection now enjoyed on all its products which
are sold at lower prices in foreign markets than
at home.
The Winconsin Congressman's conversion to
the cause of Cuba settles beyond peradventure
all question 10 the success Of the Payne bill.
When that measure gets before the House from
the Ways and Means Committee. 1t will be a
zr1r0
against it Will do at the risk Of their stand
ing in the House organization. II no other con
sideration were at stake, It Is believed this
would be enough 20 induce nearly every Repub-
hcan member Of the House To give II his hearty
The prospects are that the Republican leaders
Of the Senate will have about the same fight on
their hands those OF the House have had
when the Payne bill reaches the upper chamber.
Several Western Republican Senators still are
threatening trouble to the bill and while their
strength is not great enough to defeat the meas
ure. good deal Of work will have to be done
BY the leaders bring all the Republicans into
line. However. this task has been considerably
lessened by the developments of the last few
days. which show that there is great opposition
among Democratic Senators to the movement
for reciprocity with Cuba. a poll Of the Demo
cratic side OF the Senate made to-day by Rep
resentative Tawney, of Minnesota, reveals the
somewhat startling fact that fifteen of the thir-
ty-two Democratic Senators-Mr. McLaurin. Of
South Carolina, being listed with the Republi-
cans-sre against the Payne bill any other
proposition for reciprocal commercial relations
Win CUBA " nsn this Slgnlncant 1aCt becomes
wei established, there is little doubt that the
Republican Senators will be practical unit for
reciprocity, since the whole power OF the ad-
uinlstratIon Is on that side. How the Demo-
Gratis expect to excuse themselves to their con-
stituents for thus aiding the fight Of the beet
sugar people is not apparent, although this Is
q matter over which the Senate Republican
leaders feel absolutely no concern. On the
contrary, they rather rejOiced account
OF II. for il means that they can all the easier
make the Payne bill a party measure and
thereby assure its passage as such.