Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-03-21
HIGH CONTENTION
EXISTS IN CONGRESS REGARD
ING CUBAN RECIPROCITY.

Beet Sugar and the Administration Butt Up To.
sethcr-The Leaders Try to Pour Oil on the
Troubled Waters-ROoseveIt Does Not Con
ceal His Desire to Be His Own Successor,
But Hanna Looms Up Like Colossus in His
Pathway-The Ship Subsidy, and Other I'm
poatant Measures.
tFrom our regular correspondent)
WASHINGTON, March l3, 1902.
There is, at this time, fight in
Congress which HIS hardly been
equalled in bitterness OF feeling or in
the momentous possibilities of its re-
suits since the Civil war. Cuban reci-
procity is the casus belli and the bel
ligerents are the President, Speaker
Henderson and the Ways and Means
Committee on one side, and the beet
sugar interests, headed by Representa-
tives Tawney and William Alden
Smith on the other. So far the Dem.
ocrats have taken no part in the
struggle, but they are on the alert and
will seize upon any opportunity to re-
lieve the people from the burden Of
taxation which has been dictated by
the thrice.protected trusts. So in
tense has become the situation that it
is common occurrence for Republi.
can Senators to come over to the
House-end of the Capitol to try and
influence their recalcitrant brethren.
Senator Quay has telegraphed from
his residence in Florida, to all men,
bers of The Pennsylvania delegation to
support the administration. Senator
Hanna occupied q large portion of the
floor OF the House on Tuesday, trying
to convert unruly Republicans, and
the beet sugar men are predicting that
the contest will wrest from Mr.. Roose.
welt the next Presidential nomination
and that, whatever may be the COM
plexion of the Fifty-Eighth Congress,
Mr.. Henderson will not be its Speaker,
while some of them predict that if the
Ways and Means measure passes il
will mean a loss of at least twenty
members in the next House.
At present the indications are that
Messrs. Henderson and Payne will win
in the conferences, the fourth of which
was held on Tuesday evening without
result, but tho beet sugar men declare
that the Ways and Means bill can
never be successful on the floor Of the
House. They say that it must be
preceded by the adoption Of g. rule
similar to that under which the repeal
of the war revenue taxes was accomp-
lished and which prohibited any
amendment to the measure. The
adoption of such rule, they say, is
impossible, as nearly fifty Republicans
are sworn to vote against it. Mr..
Henderson we'll realizes that, were the
bill reported without such a rule, the
tariff revision Republicans would join
forces with the Democrats and the re-
suit would mean tariff revision on a
wholesale scale. Every form of pres
sure known to the party whips is be-
ing used. Senators are suggesting to
the obstinate opposition that there
will be new aspirants for COMPRESSION
al nomination in their districts. etc.,
but to no avail for, as said member
to me yesterday, "What difference
does it make who is the candidate il
the action OF this Congress assures the
election Of Democrat anyway
Mr.. Roosevelt is making no attempt
TO conceal the fact that he desires re.
nomination, but the strength Of Sena-
tor Hanna is looming up on the hori-
zon in . most startling manner.
There is little doubt that the Senator
from Ohio can control the Southern
delegations and the Presidents action
in defeating the wishes OF Congress.
men, that their proteges should be af.
forded the protection OF the Civil Ser.
vice Commission by means Of the bill
creating q permanent Census Bureau,
has seriously weakened the President
with his party. Mr.. Roosevelt is q
consistent civil service reformer,
which is not what the Republican
politicians desire as q leader, and they
are naturally turning 70 his opposite
az typified in Senator Hanna.
The Senate is still considering the
ship subsidy bill, and on Monday SEN
stor Vest made . brilliant speech on
the subject. 1t was picturesque and
inspiring sight as the "Little Giant OF
Missouri crippled and almost
stricken down with disease, gave evi.
dence by his csustic logic and perfect
ly turned periods, OF the intellectual
fire that burns undimmed despite his
physical infirmities. The Senator had
said himself that this would probably
be his last Get speech in the Senate,
and his colleagues OF both parties paid
him the compliment OF gathering
around him and listening with marked
attention to his arraignment of a
measure so dear to Republican inter-
ests and policy.
At the instance OF Senators Berry
and Mitchell. Senator Burrows has
promised that his committee will re.
port one Of the several resolutions
providing for change of the constitu-
ton 90 that Senators shall be elected
by direct vote OF the people and the
debate which will follow the report
will be replete with interest. The
Senators could, perhaps, choose no
more suspicious time for the discus
sion of this subject, assuming that
they desire to perpetuate the present
system. The House of Represents
lives is daily manifesting its inability
to deal with important measures and
is constaR4ly relying upon the Senate
to properly revise the bills which it
passes. With such an object lesson
at hand the Senators will not lack for
examples Of the advisability of the ex.
isting provisions OF the constitution.
On Monday the House of Repre-:
sentatives passed the rural free deliv-
cry bill, but not until it was so
amended o. TO bear little resemblances
to its former self. The contract pro.
visions were stricken out and Q salary,
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