The sun., 1902-03-06
SPECIAL MESSAGE ON CUBA?
PRESIDENT MAY ACT FOR THE
RELIEF OF THE ISLAND.


Result OF To-night's Caucus, He May
Send I'm Special Message TO Test the
Sentiment Of the Country on the subj
WASHINGTON, March 5.-A large part OF
President Roosevelts time to-day was
devoted to conferences with leading
Republicans Of the House Of Representa-
tives. with the purpose Of getting them
together on the subject OF Cuban tariff
legislation. The situation is becoming
intolerable 70 the party in Congress and
embarrassing TO the President. II is now
more than ten days since the Republicans
Of the Ways and Means Committee, after
a long talk with the President at the White
House. agreed TO recommend to a general
Republican conference that a bill be re-
ported authorizing the President TO negoti-
ate treaty with the new Cuban govern
ment, when established, granting a tarin
concession OF 20 per cent. on Cuban prod
ucts into the United States in return for
similar concessions to the products OF the
United States imported into Cuba.
Two caucuses or conferences have been
held since, and now the rank and file of
the House Republicans appear TO be as
far apart as ever. A third conference
will be held tomorrow night. and IL no
agreement is then reached, heroic measures
will be adopted TO harmonic the conflict
ing views Of those Republicans who are
willing that some legislation should be
enacted to meet the situation as outlined
by the President and the Secretary Of
War and those who insist that there shall
be no tariff conces ssions whatever 20 Cuba,
for fear any action in this direction would
necessarily be a blow at the beet sugar
interests Of the United States.
For several days 1t has been perslstently
reported. apparently on good authority,
that the President would send special
message to Congress earnestly urging
Cuban legislation in accordance with his
well-known views, IL a bill should not be
promptly reported TO the House as the
result Of tomorrow nights caucus. While
very earnest in recommending Cuban
legislation the President does not think
that the present situation demands that
he should make an issue with Congress
on the subject II il should become APP
parent after tomorrow nights conference
that Republican Congressman are 30 far
apart In their views that ultimate harmony
of action cannot be expected. the President
would be disposed, after talking with all
Of the Republican members Of the House.
TO make public his views in order to test
the sentiment Of the country on the subject
Of Cuban tariff legislation. The President
Is not recommending any specified amount
of tariff reduction, and he would favor any
bill that meets the views OF the majority
of the Republicans in Congress. What
the situation needs. he thinks, is a declara-
ton on the part of Congress that they are
willing to make good the promises held
out to the Cuban people by the President
in his annual message in December. and
he IL not particular whether the tariff re-
ductjon shall be 20 or IS or 80 per cent.
The time is rapidly approaching when
the new Cuban Government will be es-
tablished, and 1t is deemed by the Ad-
ministration highly important, II not alb
solutely necessary. that the good will of
the United States toward Cuba should be
shown by friendly legislation. In order that
the task confronting the United States
OF carrying out the terms Of the Platt amend
ment and turning Cuba over 10 a govern
ment Of its own people can be amicaby.
systematically and successfully carried
out
These are the considerations that are
being urged upon Congressman by the
President and the Secretary OF War, who
think that they far outweigh those raised
by the representatives from beet sugar
producing states. especially in view OF the
fact that experts say the proposed slight
reduction in the tariff on Cuban products
would not appreciaby affect the price Of
sugar in the United States. The Admins
tration and the leaders in both the Senate
L. hlr Al sIaN
agreement will be reached at the caucus
tomorrow night and that there will there
fore be no necessity for the President 70
send a special message to Congress- on the !
Advocates OF the proposition advanced
by the majority Of the Committee on |
WAYS and Means for a reduction Of |
ducts and those opposed to It alike
assert confidence In the success Of their |
plans. Tomorrow night the case for the |
Ways and Means Committee will be pre- |
sented by Representative Dalzell OF Penn
sylvania and others. Since the Monday |
meeting the rebate advocates, belle wing |
that the sentiment Of the caucus as mani |
tested then In the arguments made was
against a tariff reduction, have addressed |
themselves TO an effort 10 secure a post |
suggested by representatives from Mchi-
gan and California, and IL In understood |
that a resolution declaring that the time |
Is inopportune for action on the recon- |
mendatlon OF the Committee on Ways |
and Means will be introduced tomorrow |
by one OF the California members.
In case the Ways and Means Committee
should be sustained by the caucus, men, |
Der Of that committee said that bill TO
carry out the determination thus expressed |
would be introduced the next dsy and
taken up for consideration on Monday,
the 10th inst. Republican leaders are
greatly concerned over the parliamentary
problem presented by the situation. II
the beet sugar men remain frrn in their
determination, they will not vote for a
rule which prevents the offering Of amend
ments TO the bill, and their votes, with
Without such a rule, motion will be made
10 attach to the bill the Baboock PROPOSE
ton reducing the tariff on the iron and
steel schedule and this II is feared would
IN carry. and that Ia not desired by the