The Iola register., 1902-03-07
LONGS VICTORY
was Backed by President but had a
Hard Fight in Ways and Means
Committee

W Win CUBA, now being considered,
accords With the policy that was ad-
vocated by Blaine and incorporated
into the Mckinley and Dingley tariff
laws. 1t also meets with the hearty
approval of President-elect Palma, of
the new Cnban republic. This is clear
ly shown by the foil owing telegram.
Hon. Chester II. Long, Washington.
ID. G. "Allow me to convey to you
my expression of personal thanks for
the noble and broad stand taken by
you on the Cuban economic question,
which If satisfactorily settled by con-
gress will greatly contribute by
strengthening the good feelings of Gu
ba toward the American people. to
better prepare the way for the treaty
and relations between Cuba and the
United States will not be reached.
ct. ESTRADA PALMA"
1t is not quite likely that proper
conception of the desperate struggle
for the initial triumph of the principle
of reciprocity.
The Porto Rican battle of two years
ago does not compare with it. Neither
has any other contest in congress for
years. The friends of reciprocity be-
lieved that three things could be ac-
complished by making reciprocal
agreement with Cuba: First, reiev-
ing Cuban sugar planters and com
mercial interests second, permitting
the early withdrawal of United States
authority from the island and the es-
tablishment of the Cuban government;
third, enlarged markets flor the pro-
ducts of the United States.
The opponents of Cuban reciprocity
were divided into three classes:
First--The -protectionists, who
regarded reciprocity as another name
for general tariff revision. They
thought the protective structure was
doomed when Cuban reciprocity was
granted.
Second-Beet sugar interests, which
steadfastly insisted .that Cuban reci-
procity meant the injury if not the
ruin of their industry. Partly through
fear; largely through selfshness, they
maintained their point in opposition
to the fact quite clearly demonstrated
during the hehearing and contest that the
beet sugar industry would not mater
tally suffer.
Third-Those who favored tariff re-
vision, like the Babcocki element, yet
who joined with the first and Sec
ond classes because they themselves
could not secure their point, and SO
wished to prevent others from gaining
theirs.
These three classes threw their rep
resentatives on the majority side of
ways and means, hurled themselves
repeatedly against the handful of Gu
ban reciprocity advocates and defend
ers on the committee, headed by Mr..
Long, OF Kansas; each time TO be re-
pulsed by fact and argument and con-
vincing logic.
For ten days the contest waged. For
ten days the debate in the committee
sensational. And on the tenth daylthe |
opposition broke; the determination |
to submit the question to q conference
of the Republicans of the house was
reached, and young Kansan's plan
was adopted. But words cannotl tell |
the story of what happened and how
the conclusion was reached.
The correspondents for the leading |
journals of the country had their ver-
sion however, and portions of their
comment is given below as part of
the history of the great struggle in the
greatest committee in congress:
New York Herald: Victory for the
friends &C Cuba was won among the |
Republican members of the ways and |
means committee only after one ofthe |
most desperate contests of the kind |
that ever took place in that important |
branch of the Legislative service. |
First of all, it was the direct result of |
persistent pressureby President Roose-
velt on the high tariff members of the
committee, and, second, the insist
ence with which Representative Long,
of Kansas, argued in favor of letting
down the tariff barriers. To be sure,
only half loaf was given, but the
fact that the lRepublican members Of
the committee have been forced to
grant any tariff concession whatever
is looked upon as distinct triumph
for the administration. Representa-
tive Chester 1. Long, who comes from
the beet sugar state Of Kansas, and
who in spite OF all kinds of pressure
amounting, in some caseslto threats of
political extinction-has made a most.
courageous fight for the administration
l.