The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-04-23
CUBA HAS WON A VICTORY.
The Sugar Trust Is Struck
and Republican Bosses Are
Beaten.

.ho "eWS ana Courier gives the fol-
lowing account of the victory over the
Republican bosses in the House of Re-
representatives. in favor of reciprocity
WIN Cuba, in which thirty-seven Re-
publican members j lined the Demo-
Gratis In dealing a heavy blow at the
Sugar Trust, the first it has ever re-
celved at the hands of Congress:
Some possibility of relief for Cuba.
q severe blow at the Sugar Trust,
generalization for tho Republican
ieaders-these three things are written
IN M action of the House upon the
Cuban reciprocity bill.
Only some possibility" of relief,
Tor, althouglhtho reciprocity bill passed
the House, there is no certainty of it
ever getting through the Senate. 1t
passed the House only after there had
been tacked to 1t an amendment alb
ohshlng the dife entail duty upon re-
lined sugar. The real fight was upon
this amendment. 1t was meant as a
blow at the Sugar Trust, which has.
through this dif%ferentlal, grown into a
giant at tho expense of the sugar con-
sumers of America, and the Democrats
OF tho House, acting in line with their
decision at last nights caucus, pre-
sonted asolid front in opposition to the
trust.
Joined with them were the beet
sugar insurgents and O sufficient
number of other Independent Republi-
cans to make a clear and decisive ma
jority of the House.
On the other side, the Speaker and
all the leaders of the oligarchy which
runs the majority side were arrayed in
defence of the trust.
The battle was 6ercely waged and as
the climax approached to-day the ex-
cltement, not on the floor alone, but
in the galleries and throughout the city,
was greater than has been manifested
since the day of the adoption of the
Spanish war resolution.
Most of the members of the Senate
were on the floor as interested specta-
tors and thousands were unable to get
seats in the galleries. The House lead
ershlp died hard in its fight for the
trust and there was much rejoicing
over its death. The fact that tho
amended bill was finally passed by a
vote of 247 to SO means but little.
The one great feature of the contest
was the struggle made by the majority
of the Republicans to save to the sugar
trust the differential, which Is Its very
life. Briefly told, the story is this !:
The chairman of the committee of the
whole ruled that amendment not ger
name TO the bill. All the power of the
Republican organization was exercised
TO Dc Republicans in line to sustain
the ruling of the char, but by a vote
OF LII to 40 the chair was overruled.
There was another test vote on this
amendment after tho bill came from
The committee of the whole to the
House, this time ii being adopted by a
vote of 100 to los.
Ihls was upon a roll. call, and mum
Der OF Republicans, who had followed
The leaders before could not stand
going on record in support of the trust.
The Republican leaders were beaten
upon every test. In addition they suf-
tered the humiliation of seeing the
democrats present IN absolutely united
front in making war upon a trust
whose burdens are felt more strongly
by the people than those put upon them
by any other trust. IL was a square test
upon the trust question, with the Dem
ocrats on the side of the people; a dis
tlnct political victory for the Democrats
anu a personal victory for those Re-
publlcans whom the leaders have at
tempted TO bulldoze and browbeat as
insurgents. The Republicans are more
demorallzed than they have been at
any time in years.
The defeated crowd is fighting mad.
All sorts of threats are being made.
There is much uncertainty about the
ultimate fate of the bill, with the
chances against its passage in any
shape. The plan of the Administra
ton leaders is to increase the percent
age of relief, to strike out the time
limit and labor restrictions, and then
to strike out the differential amend
ment, restoring the Sugar Trusts pro-
lection. They talk of their ability to
put this sort of a bill through the SEN
ate and rely upon the ability of the Adj
minlstration to eventually whip the
beet sugar people of the House in line
IN its support. In this programme
they show no realization of the STU
aIiou III Iuc DcudCo
The, Democrats there will make a uni
ted fight for the bill as it passed the
House, that is for the the retention
OF The differential amendment, and in
this they will have the support of at
least twenty Republicans. There are
indications of a contest between the
Cuban and finance committees for the
possession of the bill. A majority of
the Cuban committee is against this
bill and any other form of relief to
Cuba at this time.
The majority of the finance COM
mittee is expected to vote to retain
the differential amendment. If the
bill Is not held up in the committee TO
which it is referred, it can hardly get
through the Senate. A majority of
the Re 2ublicans will not let the bill
pass with the differential amendment,
u the indications are they cannot get
enough votes to strike it out i'm view of
the combination between the Demo.
Gratis and the beet sugar Republicans,
under the leadership of Senators Nc
MILAN and Burrows, of Michigan.
The present outlook is that no relief
bill will pass, solely because of the de-
termination of the Republican leaders
to protect the Sugar Trust at all haz-
ards.