The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-10

that some Of the Republican sem
"A ators who opposed the adminis-
tration's policy of reciprocity
with Cuba are feeling the necessity of
Offering explanations. Others will come
to this ere long. The leaders of the
anti-reciprocity revolt in the upper
chamber was Senator Elkins. of West
Virginia. Through "close friend" he
has given to the press the following
apologetic statements:
Senator Elkins felt that in opposing
reciprocity with Cuba BY means of a
bill passed by congress, as was pro-
posed, he was thoroughly in accord with
the views of President Roosevelt and
President Mckinley, who favored the
idea Of reciprocity with the nations of
the world. Mr.. Elkins represented to
the president that to take up the house
bill in the senate would provoke long
and disastrous debate, and, perhaps
lead to a general revision of the tariff,
which the president and the leading
and most influential members of his
party in both branches of congress were
very anxious to avoid. He also repre-
sented to the president that whatever
financial relief Cuba might need could
be granted by means of a rebate with
out injury to any domestic industry of
this country. 1t was his impression
that the president agreed with him at
first, although later Mr.. Roosevelt stat
ed that the rebate system would not be
acceptable, as it might offend the SEN
sibilities of the Cubans, who would be
placed in the position of supplicants.
Mr.. Elkins then proposed the framing
of reciprocity treaty by the executive,
to be ratified by the senate, as are other
reciprocity treaties. This proposition
was at the time rejected, but it is now
substantially assured that it will be
the means by which the object of the
president will be finally attained" The
statement continues:
Senator Tlkin took his keynote from
the annual message of the president, in
which he said. "Reciprocity must lie
treated as the hand maiden of protection
Our first duty is to see that the protec-
ton granted by the tariff in every case
where it is needed Is maintained, and
that reciprocity be sought for, so far as
~ YAH Dc SilclS tDilt, WITHOUT injury 10
any of our home industries" Mr. Elkins
argued, with number of other senators,
that reciprocity along the lines of the
house bill would be injurious to at least
one of "our home industries" and he be-
licved that he was thoroughly in accord
with the doctrine enunciated in the pres-
dents message, that reciprocity should
not be sought after when 1t might prove
injurious to home industries, which was
the same doctrine as maintained by Nc |
kinley, Blaine and Harrison. The sena-
tor one day pithily defined his stand by
saying: "There is no precedent for in
creaslng or lowering the duties by legis-
lation, except ~ a whole You cannot |
take links out of Il chain and still main |
tain the strength of the chain, or claim |
you have a chain at ALL" The fact that
Senator lilkins was willing to donate
ssOOo,OOo or SS,OW,OOO year from the
United States treasury by means of a
rebate plan shows 1t was not his desire
tg be >parsimonous with the people of
Cuba. Mr.. Elkins offered to support the |
house bill If 1t could be brought into the |
senate and passed unchanged, That pro-
position was rejected, because, so 1t ap- |
pears, the bin carried with it the removal |
of the differental on refined sugar |
which did not meet with the approval of |
certain influential Republican members |
of the senate. Mr.. Elkins declined to |
support the bill II It was to be brought |
tnto the senate subject to all kinds of |
amendment, accompanied by a running |
DEBATE on the revision of the tariff. 1t |
must be apparent to all that Il discussion |
of the tariff extending over one, two or
three months, with a campaign coming |
on, would have unsettled business, and |
would certainly have afforded the Demo-
Gratis ample opportunity to exploit their
visws CONCERNING the tariff and the |
trlsts, and given them an abundance of |
cahpaign material.
Watcher the country endorses Senator |
Elkins' position ON Cuban annexation or
not, he Is determined to continue, his |
efforts in that direction, with the knowl- |
edge that, as it has been supported by
leading statesmen from the time of JEFF
fersen down to and including Mckinley,
he,7las VERY respectable backing. and in
the belief that, as annexation Is bound |
toseome,t the sooner 1t comes the better
for both countries He maintains there Is
no impropriety in inviting ward TO en-
ter the family, and that an adopted child |
rs better off with the full rights and
privileges of the other members of the
family than It could possibly be when
Kept in tutelage.
Senator Elklns cannot be stopped
from continuing his efforts to put the
chief executive and the administration