The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-11

bill in its present form. Coming from
the chairman Of the committee on for
eign relations, the protest created a
profound impression upon the senate.
Senator Cullom, while expressing him
self as in favor of the exclusion OF
Chinese laborers, believed that many OF
the provisions Of the pending measure
were in c~ontravention Of our treaty OBJ
legations with China. He urgeu that
the United States could not afford to
ignore its solemn treaties although he
conceded the authority OF congress to
enact the proposed law if 1t saw mt to
do so.
enato Patterson, OF Colorado, and
Senator Perkins, Of California, present.
ed arguments in support of the pending
bill. Both maintained that, in no way
did it c~ontravene existing treaties. as
by the convention Of 1894 China had
agreed that Chinese laborers should be
excluded from this country. The bill
was drastic in it's provisions, they ad-
mitted. but no more so than was ne
cessary to eliminate the possibility of
fraud.
Senator Hoar called up his resolution
providing that Rule xix be amended by
inserting at the beginning Of Clause 9
thereof the following:
N enator in debate shall directly
or Indirectly by any form OF words i'm
pute to another senator Or 10 other SEN
ators, any conduct or motive unworthy
or unbecoming n senator: no senator in
debate shall refer Extensively to any
state of the union"
The resolution was adopted without
debate.
House of Representatives.
The first a of the debate on the
Cuban reciprocity bill, which opened
in the house today, was disappointing
from a spectular standpoint. There
were no sensational clashes after the
debate was actually inauguarated, and
none of the bitterness wnIch was ex-
pected to crop out OF the floor came to
the surface. The vote on the motion
to go into committee of the whole to
consider the bill, however, developed
the lines of cleavage and showed that
the democrats are quite as much di-
vided on the question as is the major
ity. The motion was carriCd-177 to so.
In the division, which is regarded as
practically a test vote upon the bill, 113
republicans and 60 democrats voted for
the motion and Al democrats and 80
republicans against it. The vote was
in reality more embarrassing to the
democrats than to the republicans, rs
the members of the minority had called
a conference for tonight, at which they
desired to get together upon a course Of
action. The vote forced the hands of
the democrats as individuals beforc the
caucus.
Mr.. Payne, the republican leader,
opened the debate for the DILL today In
a strong speech which commanded close
attention from both sides of the house.
Mr.. Payne declared that If Cuba. was
to have a chance to become a free n
independent republic it was absolutely
necessary to tide her over the present
crisis. The 20 per cent. reduction would
save the planters from bankruptcy I'M
til the emoVal Of the bounty system in
Europe, which the Brussels conference
abolished to taxi effect September 1,
1903. 1t was hoped this would result in
the return of sugar to its norman price.
Mr.. Payne declared that he q not
been ready to make this concession I'M
til he became convinced that it would
injure no American industry.
Mr.. Payne was very insIstent in his
| contention that the Cuban planters
would reap the entire advantage of the
20 per cent. reduction of the duty and
that the sugar trust would get nothing.
He denied that the sugar trust had
bought up a large portion Of the pres
ent crop inHTrban
Mr.. Paynt~ aid it had been predicted
that as a resul of concession to Cuba
in q few years we would have the bulk
OF the Cuban trade and that our exports
to that country would reach 5000, 000, 900.
He also dwelt upon the other advan-
tages-the exclusion of cheap labor from
Cuba by the enactment OF our immi-
grafton and labor laws
DO you propose to treat Cuba as ii
she were a part OF the United States"
asked Mr.. Lloyd, of Missouri.
Cuba is not now a part Of the United
States replied Mr.. Payne. Il do not
want her to be, but 1 believe she viii
be and so believing 1 am in favor Of
preparing her as best We can for the
day of her incorporation within oul
limits"
w. A. Smith, OF Michigan, created
some amusement in springing on Mr.
Payne an extract from a speech made
by the latter during the consideration