The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1902-04-10
BATTLE NOW ON
CUBAN RECIPROCITY QUESTION
TAKEN UP ON THE FLOOR
OF THE HOUSE.
FIGHT IS PROMPTLY BEGUN

Several Points or Order and ParIia.
mentary Moves Ruled Out by Ad
verse Decisions of the Speaker.
Standing Vote on Motion to Begin
Consideration Stood 107 to 1o7 but
Many Weakened on Record Vote.
Washington, April 9.-The debate
upon the Cuban reciprocity bill opened
in the house during the day. There
was much activity among the leaders
On both sides before the house con.
kened in anticipation of the coming
battle and when the speaker called the
house to order at noon the attendance
on the floor was unusually large. Aft.
er the approval of the journal some
routine business was transacted.
Mr.. Payne, chairman of the ways
and means committee and leader OF
the majority, then moved that the
house go into committee of the whole
for the consideration of the Cuban
reciprocity bill.
The battle began Immediately. Mr.
Tawney (Minn.), as a parliamentary
inquiry, demanded to know upon what
theory the bill was privileged.
Mr. Payne replied that the bill was
one affecting revenue, and the speaker
sustained that view. Thereupon Mr.
Robertson Ua.) raised the point of or
der that the bill did not come Within
the purview of the rule. His conten
ton was that the bill proposed to all
thorize reciprocal trade relations with
Cuba-that it was not a bill to raise
or reduce revenue and not amenable
as such.
The speaker held that, under long
line of precedents, the bill was priv
ileged.
Mr.. Newlands (Nev.) attempted tC
secure a ruling of the chair upon the
question of whether amendments eff
fecting the general reduction of the
tariff would be in order, but the speak
er declined to rule upon question not
before the house.
Mr.. Robertson Ua.) attempted tc
propose a proposition as to the length
of general debate, but Mr.. Payne cut
him off with a demand for the reg
ular order"
The first test of strength came upoL
the motion to go into committee of the
whole.
Opposition Strong.Voiced.
A laughable incident occurred Oh
the division. On the viva voce vote
the chorus of noes" was louder than
the ayes" and the speaker announced
that the noes" seemed to have it. He
lifted his gavel and looked at Mr.
Payne, the majority leader, expecting
him to demand a division, but Mr.
Payne made no move.
The noes have it," announces the /
speaker. simultaneously, Mr.. Nc
Clellan On. " saved the day by shout |
Ing, Division, I demand a division
The result of the rising vote was
watched with great interest. 1t result |
ed: Ayes, 107; nays, 107. A dozen
Republicans demanded tellers and Mr. ,,
Fordney (Rep., Mich.) and Mr.. Under !
wood (Dem. Ala) demanded the ayes
and nays. The roll call followed.
Many of those who had voteo
against the motion on the rising vote
changed their attitude when they were
placed on record and the friends of re
ciprocity won an easy victory, the mo.
ton being carried, 1T to 80.
Accordingly the house went into
committee of the whole, Mr.. Sherman
of New York in the chair. 1t was de-
cided that the time should be equally
divided for and against the bill Mr.
Payne then began his argument. In
opening he pointed out the peculiar re
lations existing between the United
States and Cuba growing out of the
SDaniSh war to which he rema rked in
cidentally he had opposed, and the linn
itations placed upon Cuban independ
ence by the Plat amendment and the
obligations which it placed upon the
United States. 1t was our duty, he
argued, to see that the new govern
ment was started under the best aus
pieces and to do all in our power tC
make the experiment successful. Mr.
Payne said that in time United States
exports to Cuba would amount tt
s2O0,000000. While he did not want
Cuba annexed, he believed that in
time she would be a part of the Unit,