The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-08
REPUBLICANS AT eEACE.
Majority in the House Compromises
 the Tariff Contest.

Walter Wellman's Washington Special to
 Chicago Record-Herald.
 sPeace. or something like 1t, once more reigns among the majority in the lower branch Of Congress. The Republican leaders today succeeded in closing the breach in their ranks. How long 1t will stands closed Is another question, which no one pretends to be able to answer al this time.
 Speaker Henderson and his lieutenants have secured the assent of a majority of the Republican representatives to the first part Of their program, which is no tarin revision amendments to be put on the war tax reduction bill. Next week. therefore, the war tax bill will be taken up for consideration, and as a precau- tionary measure rule will be adopted by which the majority party declares no revision amendments shall be consid- cred.
 It is admitted that this expedient only postpones and does not settle the ques- ton of revision. The advocates of the Babcock bill are promised that their plea shall be taken up in caucus later on. It is always within the power of a ma- jority of the Republican members to call caucus, and any orders adopted by such caucus are usually considered binding upon the Speaker and the con- trolling organization of the House. Mir. Babcock. Mir. Tawney and other Western Republicans who favor revision of a moderate sort declare that they have enough votes to call and to carry eau GUS, and that before the session is over moderate tariff revision will become es- abolished and regular Republican policy. This confidence oh their part is not shar- ed by other members, but it is apparent that the question Is one which must be fought out later on. All that the Speaker and his lieutenants have gained so far is tacit agreement that 1t shall be fought out within the party lines.
 
 Strong arguments were used to whip the protesting Republicans into line. II was pointed out to them that if they insisted upon offering the Babcock or House would enter upon tarif revision under Democratic leadership. This would be true because revision could be car- ried only by division of the Republican strength, the smaller part uniting With the Democrats, and thus effecting legis- lation. When the matter was put in this way the good party men on the Repuo- lican side said they did not wish to carry out any policy under Democratic leader ship in a Republican House, and the struggle was over, for a time at least.
 The Democratic leaders, if such they can be called, are therefore not as happy today as they were yesterday. They had been fondly reckoning upon a split in were anticipating all sorts of fun when they got into close quarters on the floor, with formidable insurgent party from the opposition joining with them in the manufacture of campaign material. But once more the Republican party has closed up, and will fight out its battles within its own lines.
 The probabilities are that the House will not undertake even limited revi- sion of the tariff schedules. Every one knows 1t would be waste of time, un- less it's value for campaign purposes be taken into account, because the Senate will never consent to even the slightest revision at this session.
 Cuba's prospects are now very bright, It is admitted on all sides that The Record Herald was correct when it an- nounced several days ago that In strug- gle for the mastery between President Roosevelt on one side and the Speaker of the House and his organization on the other. the former was sure to come out first best There is now little concealment of the fact that the managers Of the House intend to do something for Cu- ba." It is only a question of the method President Roosevelt tells the men from Congress that he does not care what method Is employed so the Cuban people gain the relief of which they stand in sore need.
 Some one has figured out that a re- duction of 27 per cent. in the existing duty will give the Cubans fair chance in the American market without doing any damage to speak of to home indus tries. The talk among the leaders ranges all the way from 20 to 30 per cent The chief point is the moral cer- tainty that something will be done, and that President Roosevelt is to win out in his first contest with the leaders of the legislative branch. Every considera- ton of honor" is not to be a barren ideality.
 proposed by Senator Spooner Is gaining favor This is to charge full duty on Gu ban sugar, but to cover percentage into the Cuban treasury, thus enabling the Cuban government to pay an export believed the concession can be got into the pockets of the people who need it. If a direct cut is made in the tarin rate the fear is generally expressed that the sugar trust in New York will goboie up nine-tenths of it.