The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-02-01
Ways and Means Committee At
tackled by the Administra-
ton Senators.
SENATOR PAYNE's STATEMENT.
President FayOrs Il Reduction of
Duties on Sugar and Tobacco
Anywhere From Fifty to
Twenty Five Per Cent.
REFTRLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Washington. Jan. 31.--Admfnistratlon Sem
ators are on the warpath. ard the Repub-
lican members OF the Ways and Means
Committee. vino are holding off relief for
Cuba. are hunting cove
Chairman Payne and General Grosvcnor
both Issued apologies to-day, but. notwiih-
standing this. the general belief is that be-
fore any action IS taken looking to relief
for Cuba. the majority OF the Way. and
Means Committee vii, have to be forced
into II hy public sentiment, which is strong
iy behind the administration.
The President talked over the Cuban
question with the Cabinet Mt considerable
length to-day, and after tho meeting It was
announced that the administration woId
press the question before Congress- with all
the power Il possessed 1t IL further an
nounced that II the concessions could not
be made TO amount to SO per cent or %
per cent. OF the present rate. % per cent
would be acccptcd-anythng, so long as
some relief bill is passed.
Conspiracy Charged.
The spokesman for the administration IN
tho Senate insists that the House leaders,
including Speaker Henderson. who is now
said TO he the leader of the conspiracy
against Cuba, are acting In opposition 10
public sentiment. to the administration, TO
majority OF the Senate and to a Jority
Of the House. They do not seem to realize
that the question OF Cuba over which the
United States holds sovereignty. Is far diff
fereht from that of other countries with
which reciprocity has been proposed. The
administration does not deny that annexn-
ton may como in time. but thinks 1t ex-
uefnely bad policy. and n violation of all
OF our obligations. to appear to be forcing
Cuba to come into the United States. In
M sod H.
idfions which brought the war with Spain.
which expressly stated that the object was
not the acquisition Of territory. such action
would put America In extremely unfortu-
nate position before the world.
such high protective Republican leaders
az senators Platt of Connecticut, Aldrich,
Hale. Allison. Lodge and Platt of New
York. hre earnestly In favor OF concessions
10 Cuba and will be found working hard
for this object.
The plan OF these Senators is to give the
Ways and Means Committee another
bring in bill. II was the original inten-
tion to put Cuban relief on 10 the Philip
pine terin bill. but as this will be passed
decided to give the House more time to act
ard then II nothing is done the bill grant
Ing concessions TO Cuba will come 10 :he
nre. Administration Senators insist that
there s!re not twenty members OF the Up
per branch who will vote against relief,
and ttese come almost entirely from the
sugar-oeet Stateq.
They further say that a bill for relief
would undoubtedly pass the House by 4
safe majority. md the committee, in post
poninR action, marifestly acts against the
rentiment Of both branches.
Chairman Payne In prepared state
war tax question the committee had sought
to Dispose of Cuban reciprocity. He says;
Payne's Statement.
"A report Is being industriously circulated
to the Gffect that the Ways and Means Com
mittee. by taking action on the bill reduc-
dispose Of the subject Of Cuban reciprocity.
Nothing could be further from the facts.
and th'. erroneous report appears to be the
result Of q mixture of self-interest and un-
warranted speculation. The Ways and
Means Committee has taken no vote on the
been any such conference or exchange of
views among the members or among the
Republicans Of the committee, as would
warrant any conclusion that there was no
purpose to deal with the subject Of Cuban
reciprocity.
"The bill to reduce war revenue taxes
was taken up because II was the sentiment
Of the committee that the burdens resting
upon cur own people should be lightened
before We turned our attention 10 tighten
not with any idea Of making the reduction
Of war revenue taxes q barrier to full con-
Of the relief asked by Cuba That
subject Is to receive the full and early at
tention Of the WAYS and Means Committee.
and any report suggesting that It has been |
covertly prejudiced Is unwarranted by the
facts Enually unwaIranted is the state |
ment that any informal exchange among the |
members Of the committee discoses a ma
1ority against any action on Cuban reci- !