The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-13
Nineteen Republican Senators Who
Will stand Together and CO.
Operate with Democrats.
CONFERENCE AT WHITE HOUSE
SENATOR'S %. III PLATT AND SPOONER
WITH THE PRESIDENT.
General Woods Action in Assisting
the Reciprocity Movement Pos
sibIy Discussed.

WASHINGTON, June 12.-The Repub-
lican senator's who are friendly to beet
sugar and who oppose the proposed legIs-
lation for reduction of the tariff on
Cuban products held a conference of al
most two hours duration to-day and de-
cided to continue their opposition TO the
reciprocity proposition. They will do this
by announcing to the advocates OF the
tariff reduction that they will cast THEN
votes for the reciprocity bill as it passed
the House of Representatives, including
the Morris amendment for the abolition of
the differential duty on refined sugar, and
that they will resist all amendments that
may be offered to il. They will propose
two alternatives. One of these is to drop
the subject and make further attempt
to secure reciprocity legislation The other
is to accept the rebate plan.
To-days conference was held in Senator
Elkinss committee room. The committee
| of conciliation, consisting of Senators
| Elkins, Burrows and Jones, of Nevada,
appointed to confer with the senator's of
! the Cuban committee. at the outset
J ported they had failed to secure conces-
| sions from the opposition. The effect of
/ the Thurber testimony thoroughly
! considered Immediately following this re-
| port. A count of those present and those
] absent and known to be in sympathy with
| the movement led 10 the conclusion that
! there are at least nineteen Republican SEN
| ators who can be depended on to stand
\ together in any course agreed on. Count
! ing the full Democratic vote as favorable
/ to the House bill, the beet-sugar advocates
concluded that proposition to pass that
| measure unamended would be the strong
est that could be put forward The COM
bination cf the two forces would give a
total of fifty-two votes, or seven more
than a majority. There was objection on
! the part of some of the senator's present TO
acceptance of the House bill carrying the
abolition Of the refined sugar differential
with the reciprocity provision. but it was
| pointed out that by no other course were
| the beet-sugar senators sure of receiving
! the full Democrauc vote. me suggestion
| also was made that rather than see the
! House bill go to a vote under such condi-
| tions the friends of Cuban reciprocity either
would accept rebate plan or permit the
| session to come to a close without making
! further attempt to secure action. This line
| of reasoning prevailed and the decision of
| the conference was unanimous 1t was de-
cided TO continue the conference commit
tee with instructions to prevent the facts
as here detailed TO the Republican members
| of the committee relations with Cuba
| and to other senators who advocate straight
reciprocity
The committee in making It's report on
! past efforts to secure harmonious action by
! Republican senators dwelt at some length
| on the details of the bill proposed by the
| reciprocity advocates. They pointed out,
| with special emphasis. the amendment abol-
| ishing the House provision requiring Cuba s
| acceptance of American immigration. labor
| and exclusion laws This action. it was de-
| clared would have at least the partial ef-
feet of bringing American workingmen into
! competition with cheap foreign labor and
was spoken of as being most Objectionable.
| They, therefore, decided that this arrange
| ment also should be resisted, as should all
| others in case the bill should come TO
vote in the Senate.
| il was announced yesterday would be held
| Friday or Saturday, has not yet been called
and Senator Aldrich tonight, after con-
ference with Senators Allison, Platt of Con-
| pecticut and Mcmillan, said that no date
| had been decided on for the caucus. He
| still thought. however. that there would be
| a caucus at an early day.
XXX
Soon after the President reached the
White House tonight Senator Platt. of
Connecticut, chairman of the committee on
Cuban relations and Senator Spooner, of
Wisconsin. called by appointment. The
senators were in conference with President
Roosevelt for more than an hour. At its
close neither senator would say anything as
! 10 the nature of their joint talk with the
| l.
as to whether a statement will be issued
| from the White House concerning General
| Woods Cuban reciprocity expenditures
| some doubt existing as to the policy of
| treating the matter as of sufficient impor-
| tance TO warrant formal official statement
from the administration. 1t is probable
| however, that the statement will be given
| out General WOOD has not been summoned
| TO appear before the investigating COM
mittee as yet The conference discussed the
/ outlook for reciprocity legislation in view
of recent developments. but so'far as can be
learned there is no change in the Presi-
| dents purposes.
Representative Hay. of Virginia. to-day
! introduced a resolution reciting that the
I United States had acted as trustee for the
people in Cuba and directing the secretary
of war 10 furnish an itemized account
showing what was spent by United States
! officials during our truSteeship of Cuba
and whether such expenditures were au-
thorized by the secretary of war. The reso-
luton was referred to the House committee
on military affairs. The resolution grows out
of the evidence given yesterday before the
Senate Cuban committee relative to certain
expenditures in connection with Cuban
reciprocity.
The Navy Department has completed its
compilation of the names of the officers and
men who are to be decorated with the West
Indian campaign medal The list totals in
round numbers 500 officers and about 5000
enlisted men. OF this number the engage
ment at Santiago bay In which the great
est number of vessels took part. makes up
the largest proportion. Admiral Schley and
all the fleet officers and men will get
medals. and the family of Admiral Sampson
will be given the one intended for the de-
ceased admiral y great many OF these Off
GERS and men will have badges attached TO
their medals 10 show that they were also
al Manzanillo, Nipa bay or other points
selected by the board OF awards as those
| at which engagement worthy of medal
was fought The meritorious service medal
win 60 TO persons who rendered exceptional