The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-04-15
SOME CONGRESSIONAL MATTERS.

BOA6 CONGRESSIONAL
Talk About Cuban Reciprocity, Chinese RI
~Clusion, and the Isthmian Canal.
Correspondence OF The Progressive Farmer. q
Cuban reciprocity is this week al
most the only topic discussed at tMG
Capitol, although the Senate is still
considering the Chinese exclusion
bill. The former subject was intro
duoed in the House on Tuesday,
when that body went into COMMITTEES
of the whole to consider the bill re-
ported by Chairman Payne of the
ways and means committee. The
bill will be made the basis by the
Democrats, of an effort to secure
general tariff revision and the at
tempt will be strenuously resisted by
a majority of the Republicans, al
though the Michigan and California
delegations as well as some Of ths
Minnesota and Massachusetts repre-
sentatives may decide to join with
the Democrats in the attempt, with
a view TO defeating the measure. Il
is believed, however, that, after q
very interesting debate, the bill will
be passed by the House.
The fate of the Cuban Reciprocity
bill in the Senate is still problemati-
Cal. Senators Mcmillan and Perkins
freely predict that it cannot become
a law, and other Senators are equally
confident that it will. It is not ex-
pected that it will reach the Senate
for some time, however. It is i'm
possible to make an estimate on the
time that will be consumed by the
debate in the House, as no date has
been fixed for a final vote, but it tE
known that the Senate steering coE4-
mittee has arranged for the oonsi&-
Grafton of the Philippine civil bill as
soon as Chinese exclusion is disposed
of and that is believed to mean that
it will be some weeks before the
Cuban bill has a hearing before the
Senate.
The debate on the Chinese exeIR-
sion bill is being prolonged beyond
the point at which Senator Penrose
believed it would CLOSE; not that
there is any great diversity of opin-
ions as to the expedienoy of exclud-
ing Chinese labOrers from this coun-
try, but because it is feared thaa
some Of the provisions of the new
bill may be in violation of our treaty
with China, and it is regarded as
most important to stand by the
treaty and so preserve the "open
door. to the Orient. This is the view
taken by Senator Cullom, of Illinois,
and ably set forth by him in a speech
he made on the subject on Tuesday
It would not be- u matter of surpris6
to see the Senators tire of the dis
cussion of the present measure and
re-enact the Geary law, at any time.
l learn at the State Department
that everything possible is being
done to. expedite an understanding
with Nicaragua, Costa Rioa and Co!
lumbia in regard to the terms under
which an isthmian canal may be
built. Terms have been submitted
to the two former governments for
approval and the latter has sub
mitted a proposition to the United
States. The leaders in the Senate
are understood to have notified See.
rotary Hay of their determination
to consider the matter at this session
and their wish that, as soon as pos
sible, he should submit to them
the conditions under which the pro-
posed canal may be built. A Sena-
tor, for whose opinion ! have great
respect. but who refuses TO be quoted,
told me yesterday that he believed
the Spooner resolution would be
passed by the Senate and an effort
would be made TO get it through the
House A.. j. III.
Washington, D. G.