New-York tribune., 1902-06-14
4 PARTY MEASURE NOW i.
FEW REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS LIKE
LY TO CONTINUE OPPOSITION
TO RECIPROCITY.
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TR1BUNE.I


Washington June 13-The Presidents mes
sage has cleared the atmosphere percepuoiS-
1t sounds the tocsin for which his party leaders
in the Senate have been waiting. Straight reel
procity with Cuba is now party measure ana
the beet sugar Republicans must come into line
or openly support the Democratic obstruction
lists 1t is not believed that many of them,
either in the House the Senate, will care 10
break with the party organization over beet
sugar as they did few years ago over free
silver coinage. At any rate. it is now certain
that not a sufficient number of them will longer
advocate the specious makeshfts OF a rebate
in the Senate and of confusing tariff revision
in the House TO threaten the administrations
clearly defined Cuban policy with defeat
All that now remains to be done to complete
the work begun by President Roosevelt to-day
is for the Republicans in the Senate TO call a
caucus and adopt the spooner substitute for the
House bill as strict party measure. The bill
will be reported by the Committee on Relations
with Cuba before the meeting of the caucus. so
there can be excuse for any of the avowed
opponents of the Presidents policy or the weak
hearted TO go astray. The opposition to reci-
procity, then. will be virtually reduced TO the
Democratic side OF -rhF chamber.
1t Is thought that the minority of the Com
rnlttee on Relations with Cuba Will report a
bill containing sweeping and radical tariff re-
vision features. and that for the purposes of the
forthcoming Congress campaign the Democrats
will rally around this standard. Some of the
new converts to Democracy-notably Mr. Teller.
of Colorado and Mr. Dubois of Idaho-prob-
ably will insist on the rebate proposition favored
by the beet sugar Republicans under the plea
of protecting that industry in their States
There is still another element of Democrats that
will on the final test support the President
The fact of supreme Importance. however. is
that the Presidents strong words to-day have
united his party for reciprocity. and that a
straight reciprocity bill will be the regular order
in the Senate as soon the isthmian canal
question is disposed of. next Thursday. How
long it will take to put the bill through is
mere detail of comparative unimportance- 1t is
the almost universal opinion. however. that the
bill can be put through the Senate by the first
week of July
What will happen when it gets back TO the
House is at this stage somewhat problematical
William Alden Smith. of Michigan. and MI
Iittlefeld. of Maine, who led the fight on the
floor for the House insurgents. are being quoted
as declaring that their forces will stand firm
and nevtr yield the Presidents insistence-
In this course they will he supported by the
House Democrats 1t is regarded. however. as
scarcely conceivable that as many as fifteen
House Republicans will thus lend themselves TO
the Democrats for campaign purposes. In fac''
II is generally believed that the House Repuoh-
cans. following the example of the Senate Ke-
publicans will hold a caucus on the SPooher
hill when that measure reaches them ana ADOPT
il as A party measure. If this is done all rouoie
will be at an end and early adjournment OF
Congress will be the result