The Daily soliphone., 1902-04-19
The Final Debate In the House of Representatives On the Meas
 ure Was Interesting.
ALLEGED DEAL WITH THE DEMOCRATS.
eDyertures Said to Have Been Made On the Basis of Abandonment o1 the Crumpacker Resolution III Exchange for Democratic support For the Bill.

session ahead The general debate on the Cuban reciprocity bill was to close at three o'clock and it was the intention of the leaders, if possible, to hold the house session until the final vote was taken. The action of the democratic caucus, Thursday night, which decided to vote solidly for the removal of the differential on refined sugar, gave the leaders much concern, as they were unable to fig ure out exactly what strength the proposition would command on the republican side. The disclosures of MT. Underwood relative to overtures made to the democrats on the basis of an abandonment of the Crum- packer resolution added a new com pication to the situation, and there seemed a likelihood that it might figure in the debate in a sensational fashion. The whole atmosphere of the house, in fact, was charged with elec- tricity and presaged the coming storm.
 Mir. Richardson (Tenn.), the demo- cratic leader, was the first speaker.
 He made a careful, dispassionate speech, explaining why he had voted in favor of reporting the bill. He stated frankly that he doubted whether the enactment of the bill would do much to bring about the reciprocal trade relations between Cuba and the United States, which was earnestly to be desired. But he had voted for it in the hope that it might accomplish something. It would at least reduce, by 20 per cent, the outrageously high rates of the Dingley law so far as Cuba was con- cerned. These high rates could not stand and, he said Mr. Grosvenor's speech, a few days ago, was warn ing of the coming storm. He thought the time for revision of the tariff was at hand, and the fact that the pending bill began it in modest way commended the measure to him.
 MT. Richardson called attention to the action of the two counties in the district of Mr. Bobcock (Wis) indorsing the latter's bill to remove the duties from steel, and amid dem- ocratic applause said that the demo- crats proposed to give Mir. Babcock an opportunity, later on, to vote for the bill his constituents had in- dorsed. He also outlined the demo- cratic programme relative to offer ing an amendment to abolish the diff ferential duty on refined sugar. If this amendment carried, he said, five or six million dollars would be taken 1 h.. the American consumers of sugar. Just before MT. Richardson took his seat, Mir. Cromwell (O.) asked him this question:: 'sDoes the gentleman from Tennes- see know anything of a reported bar gain between the leaders on this side, and the democrats on that by which the Crumpacker resolution is to be smothered in order to aid the~pass- age of the pending bill?"
 "Absolutely nothing" replied MT. Richardson.
 Mir. Fordney (Micb.0 opposed the bill. He declared that not a single Cuban appeared before the ways and means committee in favor of the bill. VI cry one of the witnesses for it, he
 her an American citizen
 ar land in Cuba, or direct
 ectly representing the in-
 the Sugar trust.
 Ipburn Qa.) aroused consid-
 pexcitement by bringing for
 The revelation made in the dem-
 4tic caucus Thursday night con Nerning the alleged overtures made from the republican side to abandon the Crumpacker resolution if the democrats from the states threat ened would vote against overriding the chair.
 After reading the account of the caucus in morning paper, he pro- ceeded with great emphasis to de- clare that the charge, if true, or the statement, if made, was of a very serious character. Tt charges some members of this house with attempt ing to traffic with the legislation be- fore this body" he said. 'It charges them with willingness to shelve leg islation, which members here consid- CT very important, in order to secure the triumph of this bill"
 Fl don't believe it. think the gen
 an from Alabama (Mr. Under
 must have been mistaken or
 med, but nevertheless
 his duty to this house to be
 plicit and to locate this of
 Where it properly belongs
 great earnestness MT. Hep-