Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19
CUBAN RECIPROCITY
House Leaders Must Concil-
late Insurgents.
EFFECT OF DEFEAT
CONDITION OF THINGS WHICH
CANNOT BE OVERLOOKED.
Speculation as to Fate of Bill in Senate
Senator Te1ler's Resolution
Of Inquiry.

Yesterday afternoons events in the House
bring up two interesting questions: First
what will be the fate Of the Cuban reci-
procity bill in the Senate? Second, what
will be the future Of the republican insur-
gents in the House?
The second question is the most impor-
tant, because it is the most imminent
There is no concealing the fact that the
situation in the House is very important
from the viewpoint Of the House leaders
They have been ridden down and oyerruled
In a way which is most emphatic and sig
niffcant. 1t brings to the front Immediately
the question Of what shall be done to pre-
serve the prestige of the leaders in order to
carry out the policies of the party and the
administration for the remainder of this
Congress.
.he most conservative opinion expressed
today is that the leaders will be compelled
Immediately to adopt conciliatory pro-
gram 1T is known, of course, that for some
time there has been spirit of resentment
in the rank and file of the republicans of
the House against what they term, whether
Justly or not, the autocracy of the leaders.
This feeling of resentment has been grow
ing Tor weeks. 1t received partial express
sion Thursday in the speech of Mr.. Cush-
man. The remarks of the gentleman from
treme, express, it is claimed, someth ,ng at
least. Of the general feeling existing in
many republican state delegations.
Condition That Cannot Be Overlooked.
The decisive overruling of the House
leadership yesterday emphasized the stu
alton. 1t showed the House leaders that
a state of affairs exists among the rank
and file of the republicans which cannot
longer be overlooked. One of two courses
must be followed. Either a policy of con-
cnlat1on must be adopted or the House
leaders must stand firm in their alleged
Isolated position of direction and command.
Ihe conservative opinion expressed about
the House today was that the House lead
ers would be compelled to adopt the policy
or conciliation; that there would be- and
must be, an effort to reach an understand
ing between the little group Of three or
four men who have been accustomed to d.
rect the affairs of the House and the great
body of representatives who might OF
might not differ upon important party
questions.
There is no mistaking the Significance of
yesterdays vote. 1t made public record of
state of affairs which has been recognized
to exist for some time. The DISPOSITION of
republicans to yield to party discipline is
well known. The fact there has been such
a positive revolt from party discipline is
taken by many to indicate the necessity
of frequent conferences with the end in
view of destroying the old harmonious
system, even if at the sacrifice of arbitrary
opinions entertained by few leaders
Therefore 1t is believed that before the
Cuban reciprocity bill comes back from the
Senate there will be radical revision of
the present system existing in the control
of the House, and that the House leaders
Will be compelled to hold some conferences
with factions which hitherto have been
overlooked in the equation.
The first question Of the prospect Of the
Cuban reciprocity bill in the Senate is very
Oh Inv, T< ~
sugar men will make vigorous fight in the
Senate. They will be supported, of course,
by the democrats, who not only want to
embarrass the administration as much as
possible, but who could consistently vote
for the amendment removing the differen-
tial duty on sugar, because that would be
democratic policy.
A Desire for Cuban Reciprocity.
But back of it all lies the fact that the
republican administration, which ts in ma
jority in both the House and Senate, desires
this Cuban reciprocity to pass. It is re-
garded as an hereditary obligation The
statement is not denied that Mr.. Mckinley
promised, as Tar as 1t lay in his power to
promise, to the Cuban delegates who came
to Washington to agree upon arrangements
for the vacation Of American power in
Cuba that commercial ARRANGEMENT of
the kind proposed in the pending bill should
be made.
That agreement. although tentative of
necessity. is held by the present admins
tration to be binding. 1t will be enforced,
If it is in the power Of the administration
to enforce 1t. The question therefore arises
whether it is possible for the republican ad-
Tinistration controlling, as 1t does, a ma
Jority In the House and the Senate. to carry
out the tentative arrangement suggested
by the former republican administration
The best Judgment Of senators and repre-
sentatives competent to express an opinion
Is that ultimately the Cuban reciprocity
bill will be enacted, providing for a reduc-
ton of tariff duties amounting to at least
70 per cent, and that in such a bill will be
no provision removing the tariff which af-
fords protection to the American sugar re-
finer, including beet and cane refiners as
well.
Effect of the Amendment.
Chairman Payne today pointed out that
the effect of the amendment was to take off
not only the differential on sugar, but also
the countervailing duty provided by the
Dingley law. a result not intended by the
author Of the amendment. Under the Ding
ley act an additional or countervailine duty
Is levied on sugars coming from countries
paying a bounty on sugar equal in amount
to the bounty received. This is by section
five Of the Dinsiey act. and Is q provision
separate from that making differential
between the duty on raw and refined sugar.
Mr.. Payne holds however, that as the
amendment specifies that the rate Of 1925
CSHtb SNAIL Do IN ttcu OF the duties thereon
now provided by law" it takes of both the
diferentiai OF about II cents a hundred
pounds and the countervailing duty of the
Dngley law, amounting to between 26 and
q cents hundred pounds.
Representative Morris Of Minnesota, who
framed the amendment, is examining the
Dingley and other laws to determine
whether Mr.. Payne's point Is good. Mr.
Morris said that from his inquiry so far he
did not think the claim was good, but if Il
was the matter could easily be remedied by
amendment.
The Senate Situation.
The Senate Is by no means decided as to
what it win do with the Cuban reciprocity
bill. The measure reached the Senate q
few minutes after that body convened to-
day. and was received with exceptional in
terest. which was made evident by the
private comments Of senator's
The bill has been referred today to the