The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-06
SUGAR PUZZLE
FOR CONGRESS
President Roosevelt EVinces No
Desire to Dictate Solution.
Would ACCEPT REBATE PLAN
WHATEVER LEGISLATORS DE
eide WILL NOT BIZ VETOED.

VTIAsHINGTON, March 5.--Speaker
wv Henderson and Representative
Cannon Of Illinois called at the
White House today and discussed with
President Roosevelt the subject Of Gu
bar. reciprocity and sentiment thereon
in the house. Active canvassing con-
tinued among Republican members to-
day preliminary to the third caucus on
Cuban reciprocity, to be held tomorrow
night. The most positive claims were
made by those opposed TO Representa-
tive Payne's 20 per cent reciprocity
plan that there was a clear majority
against it.
Mr.. Payne and his associates did not
concede this, however, and expressed
the belief that a concession TO Cuba
ultimately would be granted. 1t was
said in this connection that Speaker
Henderson is aOW favorable to the po-
sition taken by the majority on the
ways and means committee, and that
this would exert much influence IN
Shaping he final outcome.
During day several members Of
the cabiT~ ere called on by Messrs.
. Tawney the ways and means COM
mlttee, who has proposed the rebate
plan as a substitute for Chairman
Payne's 20 per cent reciprocity plan,
and Morris Of Minnesota, who also has
proposed a plan differing from that OF
Mr.. Payne.
Cabinet Not Divided.
As an outcome of these calls it was
asserted that three members of the
cabinet, namely, Postmaster General
Payne, Secretary Shaw and Secretary
Wilson, were hopeful of seeing a sOlu-
ton of the problem which would not
endanger any American Industry. This
was construed in some Quarters to
show division in the cabinet, but it
was stated by those cOnversant with
the situation that the attitude Of the
cabinet members did not warrant any
such construction.
Later in the day Representative Taw-
ney called at the White House and had
a conference lasting nearly an hour
and half with the president At its
conclusion MIR. Tawney joined several
of his associates who are opposed to
the Payne resolution. It developed
that Mr.. Tawney had told the presi-
dent there was little or no possibility
a
Republican conference, and that if it
were adopted, some forty Republican
members would not consider them
selves bound and would carry the
question to the floor of the house,
where there would be additional COM
p!ications, owing to the attitude OF
Democratic members.
The president is understood to have
made his proposition quite clear. and
in so doing is said TO have removed
several misrepresentation which have
been afiOat of late. He said he had no
intention at present of sending a spe-
cial message to congress on the subject
The president expressed the most ear
nest sclicitude that a satisfactory ad-
justment be reached by congress. say
ing THAI this was an inherited prob
lem,' meaning that it had come to
him from the Mckinley administration.
Leaves it to Congress.
Furthermore, the president, it is as
serted, indicated no positive determin-
alton in favor of any particular idea,
but rather a desire that congress should
deal with the subject according to its
best lights. After hearing from Mr.
Tawney, his associates expressed the
belief that the president would accept
the rebate proposition if congress sent
it to him. They also were considerably
encouraged to hear from Mr. Tawney
that the president was not laying down
any emphatic ultimatum in favor of
the plan presented by Mr.. Payne.
While these conferences were going
on at the White House Chairman
Payne and members of the ways and
means committee supporting him were
in conference, Later one of the mem
bers said that he was confident that
the Payne reciprocity proposition COM
manded a majority of the Republican
members, but that the minority was so
large and was so disposed to carry the
contest into the house that Mr.. Payne
and his friends recognized the serious
ness of the situation. However. there
was no disposition, ne said, to accept
the rebate plan, as it was stated that
this was merely "a repetition of the
plan proposed by the head of the beet
sugar organization two months ago
Members of the house were informed
during the afternoon that several
members of the cabinet would confer
with the president on the Cuban ques-
ton. but also so far as could be
learned at the capitol, the only mem
bers of the cabinet to call were Post
master General Payne and Secretary
Root, and the nature of their confer
ences was not divulged.
Says it Was Harmonious.
Postmaster General Payne said to-
night that the conference at the White
House was perfectly harmonious and
agreeable. He said that it was brought
about by the report that the president
yvOuld today send a MESA sc to CON
gress expressing his views on the sub