New-York tribune., 1902-04-23
SENATE TO IGNORE ACTION
or HOUSE.
DECISION REACHED BY REPUBLICAN,
DERS-CONCESSION TO CUBA
MAY BE 80 PER CENT.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l !

[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIRUNEl
Washington. April 22.-The Senate leaders are
preparing to frame an independent bill for reel
procity with Cuba and utterly ignore the crazy
patchwork of the House on that subject with
this object In view eighteen of the most infiu-
ential Republican members of the Senate now
in the city held a conference this afternoon in
Senator Allison's committee room, and for more
than two hours discussed various features OF
the reciprocity question Mr.. Allison is out OF
the city and is Senator Spooner. Another
important absentee from the conference was
Senator Platt of Connecticut, the recognized
leader Cuban legislation. who was kept away
by a meeting in his committee room of the con-
ferrees on the Chinese Exclusion bill. Mr. Bur.
rows, of Michigan and Mr.. Elkins, of West N1r-
ginia, the avowed leaders of the opposition IN
the Senate to Cuban reciprocity, were the only
Senators invited who declined to attend without
sending excuse.
While the conference reached conclusion
on any phases of the subject discussed, still
enough was developed to show plainly that the
Republican leaders of the Senate are in nc mood
to be longer trifed with by the House, and that
they propose to proceed with the work in hand
as though it had never been considered by the
House The conference was attended by sew
eral Senators from beet sugar States who are
known to be opposed to any scheme St reclproci-
ty that touches the sugar tariff, and they learned
that the Republican leaders. who are supporting
the administration heartily, have determined 10
put through measure at this session which
will bring the United States and Cuba into
close commercial relations on the broadest pos
sible basis of mutual tariff concessions. 1t is
now the purpose of the administrators sup
porters frame straight reciprocity bill pro-
viding for fat reduction Of 30 per cent on all
articles imported from Cuba to the United
fIya #
sions the part of the Cuban Government 10
all imports from the United States
ABOLITION OF SUGAR DIFFERENTIAIA
The Senate bill will contain none of the hard
conditions with which the beet sugar people
weighted down the House bill. such as the re
auirement that the Cuban Congress enact the
immisration md contract labor laws of this
country before the President is authorized TO en-
ter into ncgota tions for reciprocity treaty,
nor will the Senate bill contain any time limit
for the proposal reciprocal trade arrangeneht.
like that forced the House bill by the Slpiey
amendment. Ii is not impossible, however, since
Il considera BILE element of the House Repupli-
cans have shown disposition to abolsn the
dinerential on refined sugar aiio"eu d! tne
Dingley law, that the Senate bill VIII carry
provision fully covering this point rms VIII
cut to the test the sincerity OF both tne
beet sugar Republicans who were responsible
1or putting the dinereutial clause into the HouSe
bIl and the Democrats who were responsible TOR
its adoption by the House. Ths Senate leaders
vino favor this proposition are earnest In their
support OF IT, and probably Will fortiy II Win
restrictions providing that the removal OF the
ifferentiai shall not be construed as applying TO
the countervaiiing duty now collected on sugars
imported into the United States from bounty
fed sugar countries that every friend OF pro
lection to American sugar can support IL WIN
perfect consistency and freedom
1t Is believed that the Committee on re
lations with Cuba will hold meeting the last
of this week or the first Of next, 10 begin Work
on the bill here outlined. The committee VIII.
OF course consider the House bill. but only Tor
the purpose of pointing out to doubtful mem
hers the imprac tcability and un-RepuDhcahisiii
of that hodge podge measure
ACTION TO BE PROMPT.
The Senate bill can be prepared within a week
after work on 1t Is begun. and II is confidently
expected that it will be reported to the Senate
bv the first week of May Then favorable
place on the legislative programme VIII he gwen
to 1t by the Republican steering committee the
great ma jority Of whose members are supporters
of the administration, and II Is generally thouGht
that II can be pushed through by the time the
new Cuban Government IS installed at Havana
The whole question can thus get into conference
before the last of May, and be finally disposed
of by the first of June. 1t is apprehended that
the House insurgents will do great deal of
Kicking when the Senate bill is sent over for
concurrence, and Will demand that the Speaker
appnint conferrees the part of the House TO
represent their faction, but Ii is not considered
at all likely that the Speaker will heed their
demands any longer When the DILL finally
comes from conference it may not contain the
diYerential clause, and the 30 per cent reduction
may be reduced to 40 or 33 1-3 per cent. but the
bill will then have such backing all the
country and will enjoy such advantageous
parliamentary situation. that the Republicans of
both houses eventually Will be brought to its
support almost unanimously n strict party
measure The Democrats then will be placed
in the unenviable position of opposing reciproci-
ty with Cuba on final vote