The age-herald., 1902-03-04
Caucus to Consider Question of
 Relief for Cuba
MUCH FEELING MANIFESTED
After an Hours Fruitless Discussion Conference Adjourned Without Action Republicans May
 Lose Several States.

Washington, March 3.-Ths Republican members of the House who met in con- ference again tonight to consider the Gu ban relief question after three hours of fruitless discussion adjourned until Thursday without action.
 Much feeling was manifested. Politi- cal disaster to the Republican party in the best sugar states was predicted if the tariff on sugar was lowered for the bene- fit of the Cubans when another solution was open.
 About one hundred and twenty Republi- cans attended the caucus including Speaker Henderson.
 MT. Tawney of. Minnesota, who at the last conference presented the proposition to return Cuban planters a rebate on duties collected from them, got the floor as soon as the conference was called to order. He had modified his proposition to provide that it should be retroactive until Novem Der 1, 1901, in order to cover all the present sugar crop and instead of pro- viding that 20 per cent of the duties col lected should be returned as his former proposition did, it provides that seventy cents on each ton of cane produced should be distributed directly to the sugar grow CTS.
 Distribution Through Military.
 The distribution under this plan would be made through the military government He figures that 70 cents per ton would be equivalent to 20 per cent of tgle duty and maintained that his plan would insure the receipt of the money by those whom Con gress desired to benefit. If a direct tariff concession were made, he maintained that the benefit would accrue to the sugar trust, and not the Cuban planters. In this connection he produced a report made by the ways ard means committee in the last Congress CD resolution in- troduced by MT. Richardson, the minor ity leader for the return of the duties collected on Porto Rican sugar. This re- port. it was developed, was drawn by General Grosvenor. MT. Tawney read from bis report, which contended that the beneficiary of the Richardson resolu- tion would be the sugar trust, and ew the inference that the same result would follow a reduction of the duty on sugar from Cuba MT. Tawney earnestly urged the necessity for his retroactive proposi- tion.
 Mr. Tawney underwent 6 sharp fire of questions from MT. Payne of New York, MT. Long of Kansas and others He was asked whether it was his intention that the rebate should go to ron-residents of sugar lands in Cuba, and he replied In the negative. He declared that our own citi- zens who were engaged in speculation in Cuba lid not need our largess.
 in Form of Resolution.
 MT. Tawneys proposition was in the form of resolution directing the ways and means committee to enact a bill to provide for the payment to Cuba for six months from the passage of the bill of 20 per cent of all duties collected in the November l, 1901 If within six months Cuba enters into a reciprocal trade agreement with the United States giv- ing this country rates of duty substan- tially below the rates collected on like
  rates collected on like articles from other countries then these rebates to Cuba shall continue to be paid for three years from the date of the reciprocity agreement. The government of Cuba CT such agency as the President may eiect out of the money paid over to Cuba shall pay to the actual bona fled cane growers of the island, 70 cents per ton for each ton pro- duced and delivered by him to the sugar factory and manufactured into sugar from November l. 1901, during the life of the arrangement. Any balance in the Cuban treasury from this scheme is to be applied for the promotion of the gen. eral welfare of Cuba.
 Judge Morris of Minnesota, who pre- pared proposition for an increase of the duties and a rebate to Cuba some time ago also supported the plan for a rebate and w. Fordney of Michigan, w. Minor of Wisconsin, and other members from beet sugar states, read telegrams from their constituents protesting against any direct tariff concession to Cuba.
 At II D. m. the conferences adjourned until next Thursday.
 
 DIAZ MEETS PARTX