New-York tribune., 1902-05-20
FIGHT OVER RECIPROCITY.
SENATOR TELLER THREATENS TO FILL
BUSTER
REPUBLICAN, LEADERS CONFIDENT, HOW
EVER, THAT THE CUBAN BILL WILL
BE PASSED BY THE SENATE.
IBT TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.I ]

IBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNEl
Washington, May 19.-At the meeting to-day
Of the subcommittee of the Senate Committee
on Relations with Cuba to investigate his
charge that the bulk of this years Cuban sugar
crop is held by the trust, Senator Teller, Of Colo
rado, made a bold threat to start a fierce fill
clustering fight against any legislation at this
session Of Congress to provide for reciprocity
with Cuba. MI Teller in answer TO a direct
question from Senator Platt, Of Connecticut
chairman of the committee. said that there
would be a long debate on the Cuban Reel
procity bill after it was introduced into the SEN
ate-"so long that importers could order sugars
from Java and still land them in New-York be-
fore the President empowered to nego-
tiate reciprocity treaty with Cuba" AS the
fastest freighters require fully sixty days to
make the trip from Java to New-York. the
plain meaning of Mr.. Teller's declaration is
either that he can prevent the passage Of the
necessary legislation for reciprocity for fully
two and half months that in the mean time
he can so tire the Senate out by fflibustering
that the friends of Cuba will agree TO an earlier
adjournment of Congress than August 1. and
permit the reciprocity bill to go over TO the
next session
Mr.. TELLER NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
But however ominous Mr.. Teller's threat may
sound TO the uninitiated it has no terrors for
lne RepuDncan leaders IN " washington. II Is
recalled that Senator Teller made a similar
threat against the adoption of the Platt amend
ment when that instrument. which is now
part Of the constitution Of Cuba, brought
forward toward the close Of the last session Of
the Lvth Congress. Mr.. Teller one of the
many Democratic Senators who then, as now,
were opposed to the United States doing any
thing TO help Cuba by giving to that country
advantageous political and commercial relations
with this nation. He declared publicly and pri-
vately that he would never consent to the
adoption of the Platt amendment. and that if
necessary TO defeat it he would organize a fill
buster and talk the proposition to death AS
Congress then rapidly drawing to a close by
constitutional limitation. Senator Teller could
easily have led a flibuster that would have
been as successful the famous filibuster of
Senator Carter. of Montana at the same ses-
sion against the River and Harbor bill. But for
reasons that were satisfactory to himself Mr..
Teller not only did not ilibuster against the
adoption of the Platt amendment but he actu-
ally favored that measure when he came to un-
derstand its fef lures better. While it is not
expected that he will undergo radical a
change OF view in this case il is confidently be-
lleved by those who know him best that he will
not undertake to defeat Cuban reciprocity by
flibustering. and even If he should essay such
q difficult enterprise it is known that he would
receive little support. since the Democrats are
as anxious as the Republicans to adjourn Con-
gress not later than July !.
But even if he were supported by the whole
Democratic side of the Senate il is not conceiv
able at this time that by such tactics he could
defeat reciprocity bill. Within few days Mr..
Platt win confer with his Republican colleagues
on the Cuban committee. and il is thought that
by the end of the week he viii be ready to pre-
sent to the Senate bill for reciprocity with
Cuba that will enlist practically the entire Re-
publican support of the Senate When he thus
gets a bill that will be strict party measure,
there viii no longer be any cause for alarm as
TO the success of reciprocity legislation at this
session. 1t is expected that among the first
acts of the Cuban Congress will be the enact
ment substantially of the immigration and con-
tract labor laws of the United States. This
will break down the last barrier between the
great bulk of beet sugar Republicans in both the
Senate and House and straight reciprocity
with the island republic. The original bill of
the Ways and Means Committee carried pro-
visions for the adoption by the Cuban Govern
nent Of the immigration and contract labor
laws of the United States, and of the
House Republicans who cO-Operated with the
Democrats for the defeat Of the Ways and
Means Committee bin based their opposition on
the assumption that the bill would be amended
by the Senate so as 10 eliminate these condi-
tions. Hence if the Cubans themselves take
the initiative in enacting the immigration and
contract labor laws of this country, logically the
opposition in Congress to the negotiation of a
reciprocity treaty with Cuba will be reduced
almost wholly TO the free trade Democrats, who
doubtless will persist in basing their hostility
on the plea that while Congress dealing
with the question ii should also have included
provisions for wholesale tariff revision.
TESTIMONY AT THE INQUIRY.
George r. Mosle. a sugar broker testified be-
fore the committee to-day that Mr.. Havemeyer
was not interested in certain plantations in
Cuba as has been alleged. He said there were
about $4,000 tons Of sugar stored in Cuba now.
He could not say that any firm in Cuba had sus-
pended operations. The Cubans believed con-
cessions would be made, and accepted the Platt
amendment on that account
Mr. Mosie said his firm a selling agent
for the Sugar Trust. When he asserted that the
Cuba rs had discontinued work because many of
the people did not have the money with which
TO go on Senator Teller asked: VIII you tell
me any firm in Cuba that has suspended opera
tions and has not ground its crop?
Il cannot"
NO nor anybody else remarked Mr.. Teller.
Joseph Farrer q sugar dealer. contradicted
statements made by Mr.. Leavitt as to the coun-
terVailing duty. saying Cuba got all the benefit
of IL as did other cane sugar producing
tries He declared that if the present low
price of Cuban sugar continued the produc-
fion would be much less In Jamaica forty
seven estates had failed last week; in San Do
rningo the growers are in the throes of possible
bankruptcy. while in Demerara the estates prob
q bly, will last year two