The Washington times., 1902-03-10
Attitudes of the President
and House Leaders.
THE REPUBLICANS DIVIDED
A Practical Demonstration of Temper of
House on Sugar Question - Mischief
Raised - Proposition for Commission
to Cuba Finds Favor


ences. has been justified in every par
ticular.
Such men as Speaker Henderson. Rep
resentative Payne chairman of the Ways
and Means Committee; Representative
Dalzell of Pennsylvania and Representa-
tive Grcsvenor of Ohio, the Republican
members of the Committee on Rules, and
Representative Cannon, chairman of the
Appropriations Committee. told the Presi-
dent that if it were proposed to force
through a reduction of the duty on Cuban
sugar it would simply raise mischief
in the House.
Foundation for Prediction.
Their predictions were based on
much more comprehensive knowledge of
the situation than that possessed by the
President Some of them were members
of the House when the President was in
college; others were in politics when the
President was in shcrt trousers, while
still others have spent almost as many
years in S:udying the tariff as the Presi-
dent has spent in political life.
1t was agreed, however, that some
proposition should he submitted to the
Republicans of the House in order to test
their sentiments. The proposed 20 per
cent reciprocity compromise was brought
up for that purpose. The conferences
which have been held were sufficient to
have convinced the President that the
majority of his party in the House is
against his position, as he was told in
advance by those mentioned
The question now at issue is whether
words, will the Republican party, collec-
lively, and the President and those lead
ers" who are committed to the compro-
mise, individually, derive more benefit
from riding rough-shcd over an acknowI-
edged majority of their party in the
House or from gracefully submitting to
the majority rule?
Entire Fabric Threatened.
There is now no question that the
entire fabric of protective tariff is threat
ened- The Dingley law is a complex
measure. framed to guard as many inter-
ests as possible.
When one interest is threatened its
friends attack the others, SO that, follow
ing in the wake of reduction of the tar
iff on Cuban sugar and tobacco will in
evitably come the cry from the West and
Northwest for a reduction in the steel
schedules, from the East and New En-
gland for free hides. from Pennsylvania
for free lumber, and so on through the
list.
& on N.r.fc
present situation and that when the
Porto Rico bill was before the House. But
those who attempt to draw parallel be-
tween the two must fail, for they are
radically different.
AT that time there was President who
had spent most of his life in legislative
and executive positions; whose long SER
vice in the House had familiarized him
with public matters and public policies;
whose companionship and association
with the leaders of the House had en-
deared him to them who had framed the
great protective tariff bill which landed
him in the White House, and who had
successfully guided the country through
brief but glorious war.
Consulted His Associates.
He took care to consult his old asso-
and made his utterances with the knowl-
edge they would meet with the approval
Of a majority Of his party. In addition
he had at his disposal hundreds of COM
missions in the army and thousands of
appointments to postoffices and civil po-
sitions
President Roosevelt, on the contrary
int ,r-fr ~
no such friendships. and no such asso-
Citations. Forced against his will into the
Vice Presidency by politicians who de-
sired to shelve him. his accession to the
Presidency was accepted by them as a
trick of fate, but one with which they
had no sympathy.
On the strength of the recommendation
OF his old friend, medical army officer,
who naturally desires to cover his ad-
ministration of affairs in Cuba with glory,
and the endorsement of a corporation
lawyer whose time has been devoted to
the practice of the law and TO the ad-
ministration of the War Department, the
President has been led into making a
recommendation to which a majority OF
mis- party is distinctly opposed.
Committee United.
Again, in the case of Porto Rico, the
Ways and Means Committee was prac-
tically united; the Speaker and the Com
mittee On Rules brought their influence
to bear, and many votes were secured
through fear that pet measures would
be defeated by failure of the Speaker TO
recognize their authors Such is not the
case now
Political exigencies, amply justified by
results. demanded slight duty on Porto
Rican products; no such emergency now
confronts the Republican party. Repre-
at that time merely thought |
their political positions would be i'm !
periled By abandoning our plain duty" |
In the present instance many OF them are |
painfully aware their political existence |
depends on protecting the interests OF |
the beet sugar districts.
Many Of the Republicans in the House |
are convinced that reduction in the duty |
means a Democratic House. A new ele-
ment has been introduced into the contro-
gersy, and that is the quiet organization
Of those opposed to the reduction for the |
purpose Of overturning the organization
Of the House In case the reduction is |
forced down their throats and the Repub-
icsns ye; succeed in carrying the next |
House.
Proposition Gains Strength.
The only proposition which seemed to
gain any strength yesterday was that for
commission to investigate Cuban con-
iitiens and compare them with those in
his country. Both sides rested compara-
lively easy on their arms yesterday in
finn of the struggle Tnosiay |