The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-03-06
CUBAN RECIPROCITY FIGHT
CLAIM THAT TWENTY PER CENT.
 SCHEME WILL FAIL,


 A Clear Majority Said to be Opposed to
 the Payne Scheme-Mr. Payne, How
 over, Will Not Concede This-Hopse
 Members Confer With the Prestdent-
 Members of the Cabinet Call on MT.
 Tawney Who Has Proposed the Re-
 bate Plan.
 Washington, March 5.-Speaker Hem derson and Representative Cannon, of Illinois, called at the White house to- day and discussed with President Roosevelt the subject of Cuban reef the house.
 Active canvassing continued among republican members to-day preliminary to the third caucus on Cuban reciproc- ity to be held tomorrow night. The most positive claims were made by those opposed to Representative Payne's 20 per cent reciprocity plan LudL there was ClGdI lHdJOIIly against 1t.
 MT. Payne and his associates did not concede this however, and expressed the belief that a concession to Cuba ul- timately will be granted It was said in this connection that Speaker Hen- derson is now favorable to the position taken by the majority on the ways and means committee, and that this would exert much influence in shaping the final outcome.
 During the day several members of the cabinet were called on by MT TaW- ney, of the ways and means committee, who has proposed the rebate plan as substitute for Chairman Payne's 20 per cent. reciprocity plan, and MT. Morris, of Minnesota, who also has proposed plan differing from that of MT. Payne. As an outcome of these calls it was as- serted that three members of the cabi- net. namely, Postmaster General Payne, Secretary Shaw and Secretary Wilson, were hopeful of seeing a solution of the problem which would not endanger any American industry. This was construed in some quarters to show division in the cabinet, but it was stated by those COIlN SdUt WllIl tIft lluI lilcL tiiC attitude of cabinet members did not warrant any such construction.
 Later in the day Representative Taw- ney called at the White house and had a conference lasting nearly an hour and a half with the president. At it's con- clusion MT, Tawney joined several of his associates who are opposed to the Payne resolution. It developed that Mir. Tawney had told the president there was little or no possibility of adoption of the Payne plan by the re- publican conference and that if it was asiopte5 some forty republican members would not consider themselves bound and would carry the question to the floor of the house.
 The. president is understood to have made his position quite clear and in so doing is said to have removed several n,isapprehensions which have been atloat of late. He said he had no in tention at present of sending a special message to congress on the subject. The president expressed the most earnest sollcitude that a satisfactory adjust ment be reached by congress saying l that this was an inherited problem" meaning that it had come to him from i the Mckinley administration. Fur | thermore the president, it is asserted, | indicated no positive determination in | favor of any particular idea, but rather a desire that congress should deal with . the subject according to it's best lights.
 After hearing MT. Tawney his asso ciates expressed the belief that the president would accept the rebate prop osjtion if congress sent it to him.
 While these conferences were going on at the white house Chairman Payne and members of the ways and means committee supporting him were in con- ference. Later one of the members said that he was confident the Payne reef procity proposition commanded a ma jority of the republican members but that the minority was so large and was 90 disposed to carry the contest into the house that MT. Payne and his friends recognized the seriousness of the situa- +ion. However, there was no disposi- tion, he said, to accept the rebate plan, IS it was stated that this was merely k l repetition of he plan proposed by the head of the beet sugar organization two months ago.
 Members of the house were informed turing the afternoon that several mem- oers of the cabinet would confer with he president on the Cuban question but SO far as could be learned at the capitol he only members of the cabinet to call were Postmaster General Payne and Secretary Root and the nature of their were not divulged.
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