The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-15
is THE PRESIDENTS INFLUENCE
WANINGf

The message which the President
sent to the Senate on Friday, asking
that reciprocity with Cuba be granted,
will, in a measure, be a test of his in
iuence with that body, which is under
the control of his own party. If his
request should be granted his chances
for being the presidential nominee Of
his party in 1904 will be greatly in
creased. On the other hand, If it
party would be inclined to look else
where for a standard bearer in the next
national contest. The President I'M
derstood that he was risking his
chances for succeeding himself when
he sent the message. Indeed, there
are reasons for thinking that he was
advised not to send it.
The eighteen Republican senators
who are opposing a reduction of the
tariff on Cuban imports are from the
section of the country where the
Presidents strongest supporters are to
be found. The people of that section are
against tariff reduction to assist Cuba,
because, in their opinion. it would in
jure an industry in which they are
deeply interested, namely, the beet
sugar industry. The President, how
ever, so his friends claim, put duty
ahead of political success.
1t must not be forgotten, however,
that reciprocity with Cuba is a part
of the administrations policy. 1t was
announced in the Presidents message
to Congress last December. In urging
it therefore in a special message he
simply tried to prevent an administra-
ton defeat. Defeat after the special
message would hardly be more dis
astrous to his political fortunes than
defeat without such a message would
have been.
There is no doubt that Cuba has
some claim on us for assistance, not
withstanding all we have done for her.
If we do not lend her a helping hand
it is probable that she will become
involved in financial ruin, and in that
ruin the lately established government
may go down.
reciprocal arrangements with any 9TH
er country than this the responsibility
resting on us to lend her a helping
hand would not be SO great, but we
have put it out of her power to look
elsewhere for help. She cannot make
a commercial treaty with any other
country than this without the consent
of our government. 1t is so provided
in the Plat amendment, which was
made a part of her constitution at the
command, practically, of our Congress.
She is therefore helpless and appeals to
us to come to her assistance.
1t is claimed by the administration
and the administration senator's that
the revelation made before the Senate
Committee on our Relations with Cuba
the other day, namely, that Gen. Wood,
Governor General of Cuba, paid out
about $4,000 of Cuba's money to inf1u-
epce public opinion in this country in
favor of reducing our tariff on Cuban
imports, and that the sugar trust paid
out $500 for the same purpose. will
have no effect in regard to the ques-
ton as to whether or not this country
ought to assist Cuba in the way that
she asks, but it is pretty safe to say
they are mistaken. 1t was no doubt
highly improper to use the public mon
ey of Cuba to influence public senti-
ment in this country in a matter in
which Cuba seeks our assistance. Be
sides, the fact that the sugar trust paid
money for the same purpose strength
ems the suspicion that that trust would
be the chief beneficiary if we should
lower our tariff barriers for Cubas
benefit.
If Congress approves reciprocity
with Cuba it will be after hard fight
in which all of the influence of the
administration will be used in favor of
it.