New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-01
REARING FROM THE COUNTRY.

Washington is hearing from the country upon
the subject of Cuban reciprocity 1t mas iohs
heen hearing from it through the press anu
through personal expressions. Now 10 lhese
testimonies are added the formal and authorlta-
five declarations of the formal and authoritative
organizations of the dominant political party
The Republican State conventions OF Iouf great
Republican States have spoken in no uncertain
tones in favor of the policy dictated by nalIonal
honor and national interest. The nrSt otdle
thus TO make itself heard was Indiana anu II
was followed by Illinois. Last week saw oIio
and Kansas added to the list, with lhcFeas4hS
emphasis Of utterance. In each or those States
the Republican party has put itself upon recotu
as in favor of fulfilling the policy begun u!
President Mckinley and continued by Fresi-
dent Roosevelt-the only policy in the premises
which accords with Republican principles and
Republican practice
The identity OF the States in question Is
worthy of special notice They are all agricult-
ural States In them agricultural interests are
dominant. and popular sympathy is strong!
with the farmers of other States and OF the
whole Union Yet they ali four declare for the
Motley which is falsely denounced as lnimlcal 10
agricultural interests. If the farmers OF these
fo,,1. States declare for reciprocity with Cupa anu
for tariff concessions TO Cuban sugar, one OF TWO
things must be true: either they are convinced
that such policy would not be injurious 10
United States agriculture, or they thlnk 1ld'
national honor and general eXpedlency out-
weigh restricted class advantage. Inc enemies
of reciprocity are welcome to adopt ellheF coh-
struction as they please. Again II Is 10 pe
observed that tWo of the States, the TWO WHICH,
bo,-a snozen latest and most forcibly, are two
v-b;cb have furnished several of the most actlVe
and conspicuous opponents OF the adnlhiSll'i-
tion's policy-opponeI 5. We mean, WITHIN tue
Republican party Evidently these latter geh'le-
men have been reckoning without their most OF
talking and acting without the sanction OF IheH
constituents.
The trump card Of the beet sugar ring III us
wicked attempt to Cypress Cuba and TO hamper
American commerce and disgrace the American
government has been to threaten Congressman
with punishment at the polls il they do not
show themselves subservient to its sordid and
selfish dictates We have hitherto expressed
the hone that no Congressman would show him
GOLF 81 lacking in moral courage and in political
sbrovvdnsss as TO be intimidated by such com
hipation of bIuffing and blackmail. We should
+binl, no man would wish a better issue upon
which 10 appeal to his constituents than the
fact that he had been threatened with deieat
for acting according to his principles ana 10 HIS
narrv's policy. But now the hollowness and
futilitv of the Beet Trusts threats are maze
manifest These State conventions show clearly
the temper of the rank and file OF the Repuoh-
can party upon this subject We may De sure
the Beet Trust has spared no pains or enort 10
get the conventions to speak III its FAVOR. IN
at least one case efforts to that end were openly
made. in the most strenuous fashion. But they
failed; and to-day Republican Congressman
have the formal assurance that in voting for
reciprocity they will be sustained by their con-
stituents all over the land The news from
these conventions should have, and we believe
will have. a salutary effect at Washington IN
dispelling false pretences and in stffening and
STRENGTHENING moral backbones.