Evening star., 1902-03-05
At THE WHITE. HOUSE
Conference With Members OF
the House.
CUBAN SUGAR DUTIES
WHY WESTERN REPRESENTA-
TIVEs DO NOT CALL.
Interviews With Boer Representatives
Talk Wholly 1nformal-Some Of
Today's Callers.
CUBAN SUGAR DUTIES


with much earnestness to members of the
House about the urgency Of legislation
that will reduce the duties on Cuban sugar
and other articles. The President is send
ing for republican leaders of the lower
House and comforting with them on this
most important subject. The President, it
Is thought, is not using pressure i'm
properly meddling with the affairs of Con-
gress. He is simply advocating, as the
leader of HIS party, the adoption of a law
that he thinks is fair and just to neigh
boring country, and that apparently has the
approval of the people OF his own country.
The President continues hopeful that Con-
gresS will see fit to grant relief to Cuba,
but there Is a feeling of more doubt In ad-
minstration circles than has existed in a
long time befores Among many Of the men
who have talked with the President during
the last week there is serious uncertainty
of the political wisdom of cutting the tariff
in behalf of Cuba, and these fears are put
before the President though probably not
strongly or as forcibly as presented in
the House..
Sentiment in the West.
The President has been informed from
various sources that Representative Taw-
ney and other western men are standing
for the real, live sentiment of their sec
tions. and that 1t will be impossible to in
duce them to change their views. Through
out the west. it is represented to the Presi-
dent. there is a feeling among the farmers
that to lower the duty on Cuban sugar will
be a blow at an Industry that is beginning
to open new field to them and to yield
them more or less revenue. They are walk
ing up In such way as to send many let
ters to their representatives. Whether this
sentiment is adrotly manufactured by the
beet sugar kings makes very little difference
so far as the actual existence of the senti-
ment is concerned. 1t is with the beliefs of
their constituents that representatives have
to deal
Mr. Babcock's Ideas Gaining Strength.
1t is further represented to the President
that Representative Babcock's tariff ideas
are taking on strength in the west The
farmers are writing to their representa-
tives saying that if Congress wants to
make tariff reductions, why doesn't it
tackle big industry like the steel combi-
nation, with it's millions of profits yearly
rather than to cripple a new and alleged
unprotitable industry. The beet sugar peo-
pie are again held responsible for this view
as 1t may result in the opponents
of Cuban tariff reduction receiving acqui-
sitions from those in Congress who do not
want the steel industry to be touched. The
beet sugar people are telling the western
farmers that the steel trust made $50, ,NC9-
oU in profits last year, while the beet
sugar industry is represented as financially
just making ends meet.
Western congressman who are up against
TINS state OF affairs are not going to the
White House and be put in the position of
having to oppose the Presidents views.
They are remaining away unless sent for.
personally, some of them may wish to give
Cuba chance. but they do not care to
invite political injury for themselves.
The President sees and realizes much of
this situation and makes no criticism. He
believes. however that everything would
work out all right without serious damage
to the republican party If a bill for lower
tariff duties on Cuban sugar should become
law.
Boer Delegates Received.
The President today received In an ind-
vidual capacity three representatives of
the Beers of South Africa. They were DR..
Hendrick Muller. who is the Orange Free
State representative in Europe: c.. II.
Vessels and A. D. w. Wolmarans, repre-
sentatives of both the Transvaal republic
and Orange Free State. DIR. Muller was
first presented to the President by Repre-
sentative Gillett of Massachusetts. and
arranged for the interview with his col
leagues
The interviews were all short and were,
stated. informal and unofficial. The
Boer delegates made no statement of what
they presented to the President and rather
left a mysterious air of what might have
been done 1t is we'll understood that
President Roosevelt will not, on represen-
tations made to him either by letter or
word Of mouth. take any action that would
cause this country to become a party to
the troubles in South Africa. President
Roosevelt will follow the policy Of his pre-
decessor. President Mckinley.
Ii is said that II the Beers had time to
talk with the President it was only long
CROUCH to possibly make a protest against
the shipment OF mules from this country to
South Africa. That is what it is said they
wanted to do.
Attacking Commissioner Evans.
1t is declared on authority that the pen
sions committee of the G. A. r., which has
teen in session in this city, is preparing a
most vigorous attack on Commissioner Ev-
ans of the pension bureau. Commander
Terrence and the members of the commit
tee have had talks with the President and
are reported to have briefly laid before him
their objections to Mr.. Evans, the details
to follow in written report that is to be
made by the committee. The hostility of
the committee is believed by some of the
opponents of Mr.. Evans to amount to
something President Roosevelt is giving
consideration to the views Of the officials
of the G. A. r., and is disposed to grant all
REQUESTS made by the organization he con-
siders reasonable and fair.
A Book by a Hunter.
Representative Pearre of Maryland pre-
sented some constituents to the President
today among them being Arthur Stabler Of
Mont gonery county. Mr.. Stabler presented
to the President 4 book entitled Forty
Years in the Life of Hunter" 1t was
written by Meshoe Browning. a famous
hunter of Garrett county, Nd, and was
revised by Mr.. Stabler's father. The Presi-
dent was much pleased to receive the book.
Mr. Pearre presented DR.. Edward kersh-
ner, formerly of Maryland, but now OF