New-York tribune., 1902-06-10
END OF THE FIGHT NEAR
VICTORY FOR RECIPROCITY
WITH CUBA IN SIGHT,
ADVOCATES OF THE REBATE PLAN PRE-
PAIRING To YIELD AS GRACE
FULLY AS POSSIBLE.
rBy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE


washington. June 9--The supporters in the
Senate Of the administrati TONS Cuban policy
are showing signs Of determination no longer
70 parley with the unreasonable beet sugar Sem
stors, and IT is believed that no more alleged
conferences" between the representatives of
the two so-caIled factions will be held 1t is
entirely within the limits of exact truth to say
that the rebaters have made no progress for
v-eelx and In fact il is evident that their cause
is not SO strong it was when they first
announced their intention TO fight the admins
tration. They have been much pleased, not to
say fattered, by the newspaper notoriety their
efforts at what they call Cancellation have
brought them, and il cannot be denied that
they are still anxious to keep up this show of a
desire to continue the struggle. Obviously. how
ever they realize that they stand no earthly
chance OF bringing the Republican majority
around to their view Of the question, and are
preparing to yield gracefully as possible to
the inevitable. Although about eighteen Sen
afors attended Mr.. Elkins's fine luncheon a week
ago. which was given under the guise of a
hate rally Il is now known positively that not
half Of the number who partook Of the West
yirginian's opulent hospitality be depended
upon by him and Mr. Burrows, Of Michigan, to
stand by them when the final test comes. In
other words. was announced in these dis
patches g week ago on no less an authority
than that Of Senator Aldrich If the rebaters
have nine votes when the question of sustaining
the administrations policy is put to square
test they will make a better show than even
their leaders now believe 1t possible to be made
EFFECT OF THE TRIBUNES EXPOSURE.
The Tribune's exposure of the direct and i'm
mediate concern OF the combined sugar inter
ests against reciprocal trade arrangement with
Cuba has contributed no little to the favorable
result now in sight and although its repre-
sentatives in Washington and elsewhere have
denied by outcry and exclamation the truth Of
the assertion that the Sugar Trust. through its
recently acquired control of the beet root in
dustry is fighting reciprocity, evidences multiply
daily under the very nose Of Congress that this
is the influence which. working secretly, is re-
sponsibIe for the halting and hesitating course
Of Cuban legislation for the last two months.
Realizing that further efforts at 'conciliation'
are useless the administration leaders will take
g vigorous initiative as soon as the Canal bill
is disposed Of and report favorably from the
Committee Relations with Cuba the Spooner
bill providing for straight reciprocity basis
Of g 20 per cent tariff reduction, and every
friend OF the President will be lined up in aid of
that measure. If many eight nine Re
publican Senators care to stand out against the
bin their opposition will have practical effect
on the course Of legislation. In the end they
viii either have to support the contention Of the
Democratic free traders, who will seek to burden
the bill with every conceivable variety Of tariff
revision amendments to cooperate as heart
lily as possible with the overwhelming majority
of their party. This is the situation in nut
shell. and no amount Of speculation which is
vastly pleasing 10 the beet sugar people
make it otherwise.
TO FOLLOW THE CANAL BILL.
II is not intended TO bring the Spooner bill
forward until the Senate has disposed of the
Canal bill On the question as to how long the
Canal bill will be debated there is considerable
diversity of opinion Senator Hanna, the leader
Of the opposition TO the Hepburn Nicaragua
bill, hopes to get final vote not later than Sat
urday Of this week, on next Sunday he is to
leave Washington for Cleveland to attend the
marriage Of his daughter. The consensus or
opinion, however, seems to be that vote can
not be obtained until the middle or last of next
week, there still several speeches to be
made on both sides of the question 1t is also still
believed IN the best informed circles that the
SpoOner amendment delegating to the Presi-
dent full authority to select the route will be
adopted, and thus leave for a year or more the
settlement of that important question. While the
President would greatly prefer that Congress
take definite and decisive action on every phase
OF the canal subject at this session, still he is
willing to accept any responsibility in the
premises which the lawmakers may see fit to
impose him If the Spooner amendment is
adopted the President doubtless viii appoint a
commission TO examine carefully into the
ability CT the French Panama Canal Company
TO make. in conjunction with the Colombian
Government, clear title to that property, and
how much time this delicate and important task
viii require is not now known