The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-03-13
CUBAN RECIPROCITY
House Republicans Hold Pro-
longed Caucus.
MANY SPEECHES FOR AND AGAINST,
Exhaustive Argument by Long of
knnsas In Favor of n Twenty
Per Cent Conccssion-strong
Opposition liz Developed.


WASHINGTON, March 12.-About
iS0 members were present at the
fourth conference Of house Republic
ans called to consider the question of
Cuban reciprocity. Speaker Henderson
and the leaders on both sides of the
controversy were in attendance. Rep
resentativc Cannon Qll) presided, and
an arrangement was made for a divi-
sion of the time between the advocates
and opponents of reciprocity. Repre-
sentative Long CKan), a member of the
ways and means committee opened
with an exhaustive argument in favor
of the 90 per cent concession advocated
by his colleagues of the ways and
means committee.
He argued that the maintenance of
protective tariff was not involved in
the proposition of the ways and means
committee, but that the policy of rec
iprocity was. "rhe defeat of this BILL"
said he, means that the Republican
party has refused to follow the leader
ship of Blaine of Mckinley and of
Roosevelt and it would mean that rec
iprocity was no longer n part of the
Republican faith"
He pointed out that the Republican
platform of 1896 referred to the repeal
of the reciprocity agreements under
the Mckinley law as a national calami-
n ~ and demanded their renewal and ex-
tension. The original section of the
4 Dingley bill authorizing reciprocity
agreements he recalled, named sugar
us one of the articles on which the
president was authorized to reduce the
duties. but the section was changed in
4 the senate and sugar was stricken out
This was not charity 1t was n good
bargain. Mr. Long contended that in
addition to self interest there was
moral obligation upon the United States
TO grant concessions He declared that
when the commission from Cuba was
prevailed upon to accept the Platt
amendment President Mckinley assur-
ed them that in consideration of its ac-
ceptance he would do all in his power
to secure economic concessions and said
a that the commission so reported to the
Cuban convention. In conclusion Mr.
u Long said
"If this legislation fail and no con-
ression be made to Cuba. if the policy
OF President Mckinley and President
n Roosevelt be defeated by this house,
II does not mean that the beet sugar
Industry. by the control of this house,
can prevent free sugar from Cuba.
After the establishment of the republic
n of Cuba treaty can provide for the
annexation of Cuba, as the recent trea-
n ty did for the annexation of the Dan
fish West Indies, and that treaty can be
submitted to the senate and ratified.
Annexation will come in the not far
distant future, but when it does come
I want 1t to come by the free act of
the Cuban people, and when they come
permanently under our flag | do not
want them to feel they were the vic
\ Tins of forcible annexation, which
President Mckinley characterized as
criminal aggression"
When Mr.. Long finished speaking,
Mr.. Tayler (OD presented a protest
against the plan of the ways and
means committee. The protest was
drafted at the conference which the
Republicans opposed to reciprocity
held Sunday night. 1t was in the ma
lure of a manifesto setting out the
grounds on which their opposition was
based. being largely an amplificaton
Of the contention that reduction of
n the duty on Cuban reciprocity involved
4 a relaxation of the protective princi-
fle.
Mr.. William Alden Smith (Alich)
made a rousing speech of over an hour
against reciprocity, eliciting frequent
applause from his supporters. While
n announcing great admiration for the
president, he insisted that there should
be no executive Interference with the
legislative branch of the government.
He also assailed the organization of the
house for leading the party into dis
sster and declared amid tumultuous
applause that he would decline to fol-
low blindly when the leaders blum
dered.
He was followed by Mr.. Cannon
ullD.
At IL 40 Speaker Henderson moved
an adjournment until next Tuesday
and I.ittlefield (Me.) moved to amend
and strike out Tuesday" which would
have caused sine die adjournment,
but his amendment was lost by vote
Of 81 to 20. Mr.. Henderson's motion
was then carried by vote Of " to 54.
Rural Delivery Dill Passed.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE bill
to classify the rural free delivery serv-
ice and place the carriers under the
contract system, which had been de-
bated in the house for over week,
was passed yesterday, but In form
that completely changed the purpose
for which it was framed Before it
was passed the bill was altered radi-
rally by its opponents. All the proyi-
si0ns relating to the placing of carriers
under the contract system were strick-
en- out, and the salary system not only