The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-19
ADVOCATES OF RECIPROCITY HAVE
A LARGE MAJORITY IN RE-
PUBLICAN CAUCUS
MANY TEST VOTES TAKEN
Exciting Roll Calls Preceded nv
ForcefuI Address by Congress
man Dic1 in Behalf OF
the Insurgents
FINAL BALLOT IS IS TO 81

! WASHINGTON, March 18.-Tba ad,.o
Gates OF Cuban reciprocity scored ! ia
/ ciSIVe victory tonight at the conferanc,
| OF Republican members of the house nj
! representatives, the proposition of Chair
man Payne, of the ways and means com
mlttee, for a 20 per cent reduction Of amy
/ with the Sibley amendment, limiting the
/ duration of the reduced rates to Dec. l.
/ 1903, being adopted by a vote of IS nays
I to 81 nays This result was reached Al
ll:5O o'clock, after a protracted debate.
followed by a series Of exciting roll calls
( me first test was when Mr. Payne con-
/ Guided the speechmaking with a motion
Tor the previous question on all pending
propositiors
This motion prevailed. IS to So. A vote
was then taken on substitute offera1
by Representative Dick, Of Ohio, In be-
nan OF those opposing the reciprocity
plan offering in its stead a plan of direct
payment to Cuba covering several Years
This was defeated, 81 to 70.
An amendment by Mr.. Morris. of Min
nescta, to take off the dinerential on re-
! fined sugar was defeated, 50 to r.
The ways and means proposition fer re-
| ciprocity with the Sibley amendment i'm
iting its duration was then agreed TO. s.
to 81. While the voting was in progress
the ways and means plan left the cnam-
Der
In Haste for Action.
Republican members of the house OF
| representatives met ir general confer
| ence tonight to consider the Cuban tariff
question, this being the fifth gathering
held fer the purpose of seeking to recon
| cile the differences existing on this sub
ject. One hundred and forty members
were IN attendance including Speaker
Henderson, Chairman Payne, Of the ways
and means con4mittee, and others VINO
have figured prominently in the contest
Representative Overstreet, of Indiana
proposed at the outset that the discussion
| be limited to an hour on each side say
ing the arguments on the subject had
been thoroughly exhausted and the time
had come for action. This view was ap-
proved by the conference with a reserVd-
ton that the agreement did not necessi-
tate vote at the close of the two hOGls.
Chairman Payne made q statement oil
the difficulties encountered by the arbi-
traung conference which had been seek
ing for several days to bring the two
elements together, He frankly confessed
that nOSling had been accomplish I'd as
each side had adhered firmly to its orig
inal position. Mr.. Payne said that the
position of the ways and means commit
tee was in effect that presented by Mr..
Sibley at the last conference, namely. for
~ per cent reciprocity, limited 10 Deem
Der, 1903
Dici1 Offers Reciprocity.
Representative Dick. of Ohio, one Of
/ the conferees of the element opposing
the ways and means committee, agreed
with Mr. Payne that no progress had
been made by the arbitrating body to-
ward reaching solution. At the same
time Mr.. Dick said he was still hopeful
of an ultimate agreement. and he urged
deliberate action in order that harmony
hight prevail in the end. Mr.. Dick Clos
ed by presenting resolutions representing
| the views of the conferees who had lep-
resented the element opposing the ways
and means committee as follows:
Resolved That ii IS the sense OF this
conference that the committee on WAYS
house a bill for the relief of Cuba, SAB
stantally embodying the following pro
visions
% That the president be authorized 10
enter into a commercial agreement with
the government of Cuba, when the SANE
shall have been organized and establish
ed whereby, on account Of the relations
winch have existed between the Ontted
States and Cuba since 1858 and in cOnsid-
Grafton of such reduction Of duties as
shall be satisfactory to the president on
goods, wares and merchandise. the growth
or product Of the United States imported
into Cuba, he shall agree to pay each
year to the government of Cuba a sum Of
money equivalent to 20 per centUm OF the
moneys collected and paid into the treas
ury of the United States on goods wares
and merchandise the growth On the
product Of the island of cuba imported
into this country.
Sure Cuba Would Benefit.
In support of these resolutions Mr.
Dick submitted The following formal
statement for his side:
a
| have heretofore made to this conference
expressing our reasons for opposing d
reduction of the duties on the products OF
Cuba and in the interest of harmony and
for the purpose Of affording relief ID
Cuba, if such relief is needed, and mind
full of the fact lately developed thta dur
ing the last fiscal year there was delicit
IN the public treasury the island of
Cuba Of nearly $500, 600 we submit the
foregoing resolution with the following
additional statement Of our reasons there
for:
First-It will afford relief both to the
government and to the people of Cuba
Second-It makes certain that Cuba and
her people and no one else will be the
beEeficiaries Of our action
Thirdly its adoption we keep faith
with the people Of this country and with
the people Of Cuba.
FOurLh-It does not violate our national
party platforms Of 1896 and 1900
Fifth-It does not disturb existing con
ditions in this country.
SIXUQ--lI uOeS not alter or InOulIN any
schedule Of the present tariff law.
Seventh-It does not modify or disturb
any present established industry or pre-
vent its further development.
Eighth-It avoids an inOppOrtune agita-
ton of questions affecting industrial con-
ditions of unparalleled prosperity
Ninth--It would secure reciprocal trade
concessions from Cuba and give time to
ascertain the value of such trade rela-
lions between the two republics under
existing conditions.
Tenth-Its reciprocal features urnish a
consideration which makes the proposed
measure of undoubted cOnstitutonaIity II
is as competent for congress to purchase
trade concessions from foreign countries
as to purchase naval or cOaling stations.
Lacey in the Opposition.
Eleventh--It is sustained by precedent
since the establishment of our govern
ment and particularly by the legislation
refunding duties collected on the pro-
ducts of Porto Rico and the Philippine
Islands.
Twelfth-It affords the means and op-
portunity for successfully inauguratfng
and permanently establishing the new
government of Cuba during time which
the experience of all nations has shown
will be its most critical period.
Thirteenth-It affords relief for the
present adverse trade conditions affecting
sugar approved by the conference
abolisfing sugar bounties
Fourteenth-It discharges every obliga-
ton assumed by ms under the provisions
of the treaty Of Paris the Platt amend
ment. and by our Intervention guarantee
ing the independence of Cuba
Representative Lacey, of Iowa sup
ported the ways and means proposition.
pointing out that the farm interests ~
his districts would reap benefits from
e 17< n THIS sit