New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-03
RECIPROCITY AND CANAL
.SENA TORS HOLD IMPORTANT
CONFERENCES.
THE ADMINISTRATIONS POLICY on
BOTH QUESTIONS EXPECTED
TO PREVAIL.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]
TO PREVAIL

Washington, June 2.-Conferences on three i'm
portant subjects have marked the day for the
Republican Senators. These subjects are the
character of commercial relations the United
States is TO establish with Cuba, which Senator
Plat of Connecticut calls the adopted child
Of the United States; the direction and extent
isthman canal legislation shall take at this
session and the date of the adjournment of
Congress The fact that nearly everybody is
agreed that Congress will not be here much
longer than another month is the most encourag-
ing tangible sign that the administration S
policy. both TO Cuba and the canal. Will
finally prevail. Considerable confusion how
ever exists in the popular mind at Washington
as to the status and the prospects of reciprocity
and the canal proposition The opponents OF
these measures in both parties in the Senate are
so outspoken while their supporters maintain so
discreet a silence. that they confuse even some
Of the most experienced experts on affairs in
Congress. Enough is known however. again to
warrant the assertion so often made in these dis
patches that provision for reciprocity with Cuba
will be an accomplished fact before this session
of Congress closes and that the Senate Repuo-
lfcan leaders will steer the party in the safe
middle course the canal question. which Is
that leading. not TO a definite settlement Of the
question at this time but rather suspension
until fuller light is thrown the much mooted
problen OF the route to be chosen. To this end
il is considered highly probable that under the
leadership of Senator Hanna the Spooner reso-
luton will be adopted, authorizing the President
10 determine the question of the ability of the
French Panama Canal Company TO make a clear
and satisfactory title 10 that property, failing in
which the President is TO proceed under the
terms of the Hepburn bill TO construct canal
by way OF the Nicaragua route II he satisfies
himself that the French company can make a
sound transfer of its property TO the United
States then he is to pay that concern the $40
100000 valuation fixed on the property and
franchise by the United States Isthmian Canal
Commission and agreed 10 by the Frenchmen.
and go ahead with the completion of the great
work started by De Lesseps
THE RECIPROCITY SITUATION.
As to Cuban reciprocity. the situation really
is simpler than to the canal, in spite OF the
entertaining gossip in Congress and most Of
the newspapers to the contrary notwithstand-
ing It so happens that a number Of excellent
men in the Senate, representing both parties In
about equal numbers, are pleased at this junct-
ure to talk as If they firmly believe that the
administrations Cuban policy is in serious
straits Few press writer's fit to realize in
their work that most Of the Senators who talk
10 them in this way are exercising the recog-
nized privilege of statesmen in a pickle to in
duge in the same delights Of fancy that made
the late Mr.. Pckwick at the joy and bane
of a host Of admirers. Some of the Senators of
this class are, of course. in earnest when they
assert that they going to fight reciprocity to
the last ditch, and will never surrender their
conviction that no outright reduction of the
tariff should be made to Cuba for like reduc
ton on the part Of the struggling young re-
public to the United States But this ele-
nent mostly consists OF Democrats it naturally
follows that they will not have much to do with
tie eventual settlement of the Cuban question
The supreme fact of Importance is that the
Senate Republicans soon will hold caucus on
the subject Of reciprocity. and even though at
the present moment there may be as
many as twelve or fifteen of them earnestly OPP
posed to straight reciprocity, few Of them would
care TO get at cross purposes with their party
organization and the administration by ignoring
the caucus mandate. Hence. ii is safe to rely
on the prediction made with such confidence
in the best informed circles in Washington that
all this fuss and feathers about reciprocity will
disappear almost completely, SO far as the Re
publicans are concerned when the caucus takes
action and binds its members to the support
of the bill which IN q short time will be re-
ported from the Committee on Relations with
Cuba by Senator Platt, of Connecticut. as the
unanimous expression of the Republican MEM
bers OF that committee The bill that virtually
has been agreed on by them was framed by Mr.
SpOOner, OF W 1SconSin, VINO represents a large
and growing beet sugar constituency. and has
the approval of Mr. Mcmillan, of Michigan,
whose people are more largely interested in beet
sugar than the people of any other State, If
the course of the Michigan delegation in the
House be accepted criterion 1t pro-
vides for straight reciprocity with Cuba
basis Of 20 per cent tariff reduction, and its
operations be limited Ave years. Just
as soon forty-fve Republican Senators agree
10 support this bill caucus will be called, and
II Will then be made party measure. There
are now forty-two votes pledged the bill, and
1t is expected that three others will be won over
in a few days
OPPONENTS OF RECIPROCITY MEET.
The Republican opponents of straight reci-
room Of Senator EIkns this afternoon dis
cuss ways and means for defeating the admin
fstration's policy. 1t was commented a
singular fact that Senator Elkns, who was an
enthusiastic follower of James G. Blaine, the
father of the principle of reciprocity a Re
publican tenetIan the sublimated form of
protection, should call a meeting to protest
against his party giving practical expression to
this doctrine in a case deserving and urgent
that presented by Cuba. AT the same time, it
is realized that Mr. Elkins is a of many
affairs and Varied interests, and if he has