The Saint Paul globe., 1902-03-20
PAYNE PRESENTS HIS BILL.
Opposition Still Talks of Calling
Caucus to Fight Reciprocity.

Opposition Still Talks of Calling
Caucus to Fight Reciprocity.
WASHINGTON, March 19.-Chairman
Payne of the ways and means commit
tee today introduced the following bill,
entitled ITO provide for reciprocal trade
relations with Cuba" as result of the
Republican conference decision last night:
''That for the purpose of securing recip-
rocal trade relations with Cuba, the pres
ident is hereby authorized, as soon as
may be after the establishment of an in
dependent government in Cuba, and the
enactment by said government OF lmml-
grafton and exclusion laws as fully re-
strictiYe of immigration as the laws of
the United States, to enter into negotla-
tions with said government with view
to the arrangement of a commercial
agreement in which reciprocal and equiv
alent concessions may be secured in IA
vor of the products and manufactures of
the United States by rates of duty which
shall be less by an amount equivalent
to at least 20 per cent ad valorem upon
such products and manufactures than
the rates imposed upon the like articles
when imported into Cuba from tie most
favored Of other countries, and shall not
be greater than the rates imposed by
the United States upon the like articles
imported from Cuba, and whenever the
government of Cuba shall enact such
ana GAC1uSlOH laws, anu SHdll
enter into such commercial agreement
with the United States and shall make
such concessions in favor of lie prod
ucts and manufactures thereof as afore-
said and which agreement, in the judg-
ment of the president, shall be reciprocal
and equivalent he shall be authorized to
proclaim such facts, both as to the en-
actment of such immigration and exclu-
sion laws and the making Of such agree
ment and thereafter until the first day
of December, 1903 the imposition of the
duties now imposed by law on all arti-
cles imported from Cuba, the products
thereof, into the United States shall be
suspended, and in lieu thereof shall be
levied, collected and paid upon all such
articles imported from Cuba so per cent
OF the rate of duty now levied upon like
articles imported from foreign countries
The president shall have power, and it
shall be his duty, whenever he shall be
satisfied that either such immigration or
exclusion laws or such agreement men
toned in this act are not being fully ex-
ecuted by the government of Cuba, to nc
tify such government thereof and there
after there shall be levied, collected and
paid upon all articles imported from
Cuba the full rate Of duty provided by
law upon articles imported from foreign
countries"
The steering committee of the eIe-
ment which has opposed the ways and
means committee reciprocity plan met
this afternoon at the call of Representa-
tive Tawney, of Minnesota, chairman of
the committee, and with several other
leaders in the movement canvassed the
situation carefully. Individually most of
those present expressed a desire to carry
the contest to the floor of the house. 1t
was considered desirable, however, to
take no action until all of those who
voted in the conference against reciproc-
1ty were called into conference, This
meeting will be held later in the week.
Beyond this decision no action was
taken.