The Washington times., 1902-04-05
Trouble Anticipated Both
in House and Senate
Over Reciprocity.
TIE INSURGENTS WILL FIGHT
Democrats in Upper Legislative Branch
Preparing for Organized Opposition
Republicans Who Demand Treaty
With Cuba Before Passing Tariff Bill.

At this mornings meeting of the SEN
ate steering committee programme OF
! legislation for the remainder of the ses-
sion will be agreed upon that will in
clude a vote on the Chinese exclusion bill
now pending. the Philippines temporary
civil government bill, the Cuban tariff
bill. and the interoceanic canal bill
These measures will probably be con-
sidered in the order named, although this
depends largely upon the length of time
consumed in debate upon the Philippines
bill, and in the House upon the bill
granting tariff concessions TO Cuba. But
that there will be action upon all these
bills before the sessions end there now
seems to be no reasonable doubt.
Developments at the Senate end of the
Capitol yesterday foreshadowed most de-
termined fight on both sides Of the cham
Ter against the bill of the Ways and Means
Committee providing 20 per cent recipro-
cal tariff reduction between the United
States and Cuba.
The Bill in the House.
The bill will be called w In the House
next Tues day, and will be passed after a
debate lasting fortnight or so, and will
then be referred to the Committee on
Cuban Relations OF the Senate, OF which
Mr. Platt of Connecticut is chairman.
He is the author of the so-called Platt
amendment setting forth the terms upon
which the United States agrees TO with
| draw the American forces from the island
| he IS an earnest supporter of the Ad-
| it,iut tgra'c Nla nf linn tn tt1
| the commercial relief recommended by the
President in his annual message.
The Senate committee will not formal
| ly consider the subject until the House
passes the bill of the Ways and Means
| Committee Informal conferences on the
subject have been held which indicate that
| a majority of the Rel ublican Senators fa-
vor a proposition 10 change both the
| form and the substance of the House
| measure
| The House bill gives the President
| power to negotiate a treaty and con-
| tainG provisions regarding the enforce
! ment of the immigration and labor laws
| by Cuba. The Senate proposition is more
| simple, and provides merely that when
ever the Cuban government shall grant
| tariff concessions to American products
| equivalent in amount to like concessions
| granted by The United States to Cuban
|
| States shall issue a proclamation an
| nouncing that duties to thu amount OF
only 4. per cent of the Dingfey law rates
| shall be collected on imports from Cuba
| into the United States.
A Twenty Per Cent Cut.
| This means a % per cent tariff reduc-
ton instead of the 20 per cent provision
of the house bill. The Senate proposition
| contemplates also the extension of the
time during which the reduction shall
| operate.
| Opposition TO this plan has been en-
countered in a most unexpected quarter.
II has been thought ali along that the Re
publican Senator'S who oppose IL COM
prise only those. who. representing beet
sugar States. are in favor of no Cuban
tariff legislation. The discovery has been
made that some OF the most influential
Republican Sectors have determined TO
oppose any tahff reduction bill until
binding binding assurances shall first be
given by Cuba that the terms OF the Platt
amendment shall he fully and completely
| carried out.
| In other words, these Senator's are not