New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-05-30
RECIPROCITY GAINING.
CONGRESS HEARS FROM THE
COUNTRY.
PASSAGE OF THE CUBAN BILL AT THIS
SESSION PRACTICALLY ASSURED.
EBr TELEGRAPH 10 THE TRIBuNE.I


with Cuba win report its substitute bill for reci
proeity with Cuba next week. The Republican
members of the committee are about agreed
on a measure which 1t is confidently thought
will enlist virtually the full strength Of the
party in the Senate, and thus relieve the ad-
rninistraticn Of whatever embarrassment might
he caused by the possibility OF of its most
cherished and insistent policies depending for
legislative success on Democratic support This
statement could not have been made q week
ago with entire accuracy verify. But in
the last week or ten days influences have been
work n the country which have produced
marked change in the Cuban situation in Con-
gress. Scores of Republican Congress con-
MENTIONS in the West and Middle West have
strongly Endorsed the movement for reciprocity
with Cuba, and top of this the State con-
ventions of four great Republican States have
declared in unmistakable terms that the policy
toward Cuba enunciated in the Presidents first
message to Congress, and which has been
strenuously urged the national lawmakers
by the party leaders in both houses, must be
expressed in law couehed in unambiguous
terms and clothed in a character so magnani-
NOUS that the most suspicious citizen of the new
republic no longer will have cause to doubt the
sincere friendship of the United States.
ACTION IN FOUR GREAT STATES.
The Republican State conventions which acted
thus were those Of Indiana, Illinois. Ohio and
Kansas. Republican members of the House
from every one of these States aided the move
inent in that body against straight reciprocity,
and. joining with the shortsighted representa-
tives of both parties from the beet sugar States.
made possible the patchwork labelled ''reciproc-
ity,'' which the House sent to the Senate, and
but for which there never would have been any
difficulty in getting the Republicans of the up
per chamber together on the proposition. The
Indiana convention, under the leadership of
Senators Fairbanks and Beverage. both loyal
supporters of the President. led off in the good
work. and then came Illinois both of whose
Senators are enthusiastic supporters of recproc-
ity. but some of whose representatives in the
House, like OF those from Indiana,
operated with the Democrats and disgruntled
Republicans from the beet sugar States of
Michigan, Minnesota, California and Nebraska.
The action Of the Republican State conven-
tions OF Ohio and Kansas yesterday however
has had a more determining effect on the gen.
sral reciprocity situation in Congress than did
that Of the other two States conventions. Cen
eral Dick, of Ohio was one of the leaders among
House Republicans to defeat the administration
en- the reciprocity proposition. He is chairman
Of the Ohio State Committee, and man of com
manding political influence in the Buckeye
State. He is known to have carried from Wash
sngton TO Columbus a platform that Endorsed
the conduct Of the House insurgents. and the
beet sugar forces here were depending him
TO steer the Ohio convention against reciprocity.
But Senator Hanna at Columbus in person.
while Senator Foraker was there in spirit, and
General Dicks anti-Cuban plank not in
serted in the platform. On the contrary, that
instrument contains an utterance which could
$not have been more strongly tnctured with
(kympathy for Cuba or could not have more firm
= ly demanded that the pledged honor Of the party
enc the administration be sustained by Congress
even if it had been made by the President him
self or Senator Platt of Connecticut. the recog-
nized leader in the movement for Cuban reci-
procity.
IMPORTANT VICTORY IN KANSAS.
But the victory for reciprocity was even more
decided and is of more immediate impor-
lance in the Kansas State convention than in
that of Ohio. Senator Burton left Washington
an out-and-out opponent of reciprocity. 1t is
supposed that when ne returns he will cheer
fully Join the reciprocity forces of his party in
the Senate Only two weeks ago Mr.. Burton
declared his intention of doing everything in
his power to prevent the adoption Of a straight
reciprocity bin. He thought then that in this at
titude OF hostility toward the administration he
would be sustained by his State convention
But he was so completely overwhelmed at Wich-
Sta yesterday that II is not peneVed ne
ure Of such vital national and political concern.
Representative Chester L Long, member of the
WAYS and Means Committee, and one OF the
TWO Republican members of that organization
who from the inception Of the fight contended
firmly for straight reciprocity, was a member OF
the platform committee at Wichita and it is
believed here that he wrote the resolutions which
the Kansas Republicans adopted yesterday. AT
the opening of the fight IN the House he was
the only kansan with the President, aItnousn 10
the credit Of the political foresight or the other
Republican members from that State be IL said
that nearly ali Of them came around to the
reciprocity side before the struggle was over. II
IS believed that Mr.. Long viii win Senatorship
as a result Of the courageous and Intelligent
,1rht he has made in the House and in his state
convention for Cuban reciprocity
NO FEAR OF THE RESULT
With such influences as these at work in the
,ountry ali fear as to the ultimate outcome Of
the reciprocity fight at this session has ended.
III IS a foregone conclusion that half Of the in
furgent force in the House has already been
lost as a result of the response Of the voters to
the action OF the House on the Ways and Means
Cornroittee's bill. and IL is not doubted that
when other States act as have Indiana, Illinois
Ohio and Kansas the insurgent organization VIII
90 70 pieces and the opposition to reciprocity
thus will be reduced TO the Democratic party
the House II will encounter little or no Repub-
fican hostility. and with this assurance the work
of Senator Platt OF Connecticut, ano otner Re
publican Senators who are trying TO frame a
fiIl that viii enlist the full vote of the party In
both houses is being made all the easier. They
will now feel encouraged TO make the tariff re-
ssuction even heavier than seemed advisable a
few days ago and there is Frightening
prospect Of the original proposition or reclpro-
CITY with Cuba the basis OF a 70 per cent
tariff concession being successful at this ses-
sion.
AGAINST CONCESSION TO CUBA.
CONGRESSMAN BRoUssARD SAYS THE
SUGAR TRUST WILL GET THE BENEFIT.