Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-03-12
REPUBLICANS At SEA.
Caucus Last Night Futile--Ad-
minstration Would Accept
Sibley Compromise.
TAYLER is REClpROCITY'S FOE.
Offered Substitute For Ways and
Means Plan and Manifesto--Dick
Favored Non-Action-Smith Con
dcmns Presidents Interference.


members We're present last night at
the fourth conference Of house Re
pnblicans, called to consider the
question of Cuban reciprocity.
Representative Long, Of Kansas, a
member of the ways and means COM
mttee, opened with an exhaustive
argument in favor of the 20 per cert
concession advocated by his col
leagues of the ways and means com.
mittee. The substance of his speech
was in part: He argued that the
maintenance of protective tariff was
not involved in the proposition OF
the ways and means committee, but
that the pastcy of reciprocity was
A reduction of 20 per cent on Cuban
sugar, leaving the duty on such SUI
gar at $1.24 per hundred pounds,
would not enable the Cuban, after
paying freight rates and cost of re-
fining, to compete with beet sugar in
Chicago. Kansas City or Denver,
which are the principal markets for
beet sugar
Believes Will be Adequate Return.
He espoused reciprocity with Cuba
he said, not only because 1t would
be helpful to Cuba. but because he
believed we would get an adequate
return.
The witnesses before the commit
tee on ways and means, he said, stat
ed that with prosperity in Cuba, the
| importations of that island would
amount to $50 to 200 millions annu-
ally. This, he argued, was the trade
that Cuba offered us in return for
| concessions on sugar and tobacco
He declared that when the commits
sion from Cuba was prevailed upon
| to accept me Plat amendment that
| President Mckinley assured them
| that in consideration of its accept
ance he would do all in his power to
| secure economic concessions. and
| said that tho commission SO reported
to the Cuban convention. He pre-
sented detailed figures to show that
the Porto Ricon sugar growers had
received Tho full benefit of the free
admission Of sugar from that island.
from which he argued that the Gu
bans, not the sugar trust would get
the beneft-and all the beneft-ee
any reduction congress might make.
In conclusion Mr.. Long said in
part:
IF this legislation fails and no
concession be made to Cuba-if the
policy of President Mckinley and
President Roosevelt be defeated bv
this house-it does not mean that the
| beet sugar industry. by the control Of
this house can prevent free sugar
from Cuba. After the establishment
of the republic of Cuba treaty can
be negotiated with that country by
the president. That treaty can pro-
| vide for the annexation of Cuba, as
the recent treaty did for the annexa-
tion of the Danish West Indies: and
| that treaty can be submitted to the
senate and ratified. The moment
that the fatifications are exchanged
under the decision of the supreme
court in the Porto Ricon case, we
would have free trade with Cuba on
all products. The house would be
powerless 10 prevent it.
Might Have to Face Annexation.
1T would be the part of wisdom
for tho beet sugar interests to agree
TO a reasonable concession that would
not iniare their industry in the re.
hottest degree rather than to be COM
PEELED to accept possible annexation
in the immediate future, but when If
does come, want it to come by the
/ free act Of The Cuban people"
When Mr.. Long finished speaking
Mr. Tayler, Of Ohio, presented pro.
test against the plan of the ways and
means committee. The protest was
drafted at the conference which the
Republicans opposed to reciprocity
held Monday night 1t fas in the ma
ture of a manifesto setting out the
/ grounds on which their opposition
was based, being largely an ampli6.
cation Of the contention that a reduc.
tion of the duty on Cuban reciprocity
! involved a relaxation of the protea-
tive principle. In lieu of the Tawney
proposition for rebate Mr.. Taylor
offered the following resolution:
Resolved, First, that we reafirm
our adherence to the Republican ma
tional platform of 1896. insuring ado.
quate protection to the cane and beet
sugar industries in the United States
and TO the policy of reciprocity as de.
clared in our platform of 1900.
Second, That we have maintained.
and will continue to faithfully dis
charge the obligations to Cuba as.
sumed by virtue of the treaty OF
Paris and the Plat amendments; and
that We favor such commercial agree
ments with her as her government
when established, may be willing to
make and which will be in harmony
with our national policy of protection
and reciprocity, and
Third That no further action be
aiken Respecting the proposition to
,educe the tariff on Cuban products
'oming into this country"
Mr.. Sfbley, Of Pennsylvania, of.
/ Terpd e0fnnrorniSe nronositinn FOR