The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-07
CUBAN RECIPROCITY.
The House VIII Line Up For and
Against 1t This Week.

WASHINGTON, April 6.-The great bat
tie over Cuban reciprocity, which created
such a protracted struggle among the Re
publicans both in caucus and in the com
mittee on ways and means, will be fought
out on the floor of the House this week
The ultimate passage of the Payne bill pro-
viding for a 20 per cent reduction on the
products of Cuba after the negotiation of a
reciprocity treaty and the enactment of
our immigration laws by the republic of
Cuba is regarded as a foregone conclusion.
but the situation is a complicated one,
owing to the divisions among the Demo-
Gratis as well as among the Republicans.
How far the Republican opponents of the
proposed legislation will carry their opposi-
ton is not definitely determined. The
strength of this opposition has dwindled
until it probably numbers less than thirty.
On the other hand. up to the present time.
a large majority of the Democrats favor
the greatest possible freedom of trade with
Cuba and would vote for a deeper cut than
the ways and means bill proposes. Others.
like Newlands Of Nevada, are in favor of
the immediate annexation of the island.
ard quite a number under the lead of the
Louisiana members. will strenuOusly oppose
any tariff concessions whatever 1t is
hinted that the attitude of the Democrat Is
i'm the Senate, who have fixed on a pro-
gramme of opposition there. may result
before the vote is taken, in more unity of
action on the part of the Democrats of the
House. Some of the Republican opponents
of the bill will speak against it, but the
leaders of the Republican opposition show
a strong dsinclinatiOn TO participate in the
debate on the ground that there is no hone
of defeating the bill and that their speeches
would become Democratic campaign ma
terial in the coming congressional cam
paign The bill will be brought up on Tues
day as a revenue BILL which is privileged
under the rules. but no special order will
be brought in for its considera ton. In this
way the possibility of a defeat OF rule
through a combination of the Republican
recalcitrants and the Democrats viii be
avoided. The general debate will be al
lowed TO exhaust itself. The leaders on
both sides estimate that not more than
three days will be consumed in general de-
bate The real fight will come subsequently,
when the bill is read for amendment under
the 1ve-ninute rule. Ii Will be then that
the Democrats will seek 10 offer amend
ments having for their purpose the open
ing UP OF the whole tariff question. While
some of these amendments might command
some Republican votes II they should actu-
ally come 10 vote. they will be ruled out
of order in the House as they We're i'm COM
nittee, and the only method by which they
decision OF the chair. Ii is certain that not
half dozen. IL, indeed. any, Republicans
will go to this length. SO that the Repub-
lfcan leaders feel assured that none of these
propositions will come TO an actual vote.
The only amendments which will be held
10 be gernane and in order will be those
increasing or decreasing the amount OF
the concession and the leaders feel reason
ably safe in the prediction that the caucus
decision for 70 per cent reduction viii