New-York tribune., 1902-02-04
CONCESSIONS TO CUBA.
SITUATION IN THE WAYS AND
MEANS COMMITTEE.
NOW TREATED AS A JOKE, But TO
COME UP LATER IN A MANNER
THAT WILL COMPEL FA-
VORABLE ACTION
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. !

lBf TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEJ
Washington, Feb. 3-Mr Steele Of Indiana,
gave the Ways and Means Committee shock
to-day by making motion that the committee
report a bill for reduction of % per cent in
the tariff on Cuban sugar This motion fol-
lowed the defeat by one vote of the Babcock
proposition to abolish all tariffs on the products
or the United States Steel Corporation. other
wise known the Steel Trust that are now
protected. Mr.. Robertson. a Democrat of
Louisiana. and other avowed friends of the do
mestic sugar industry greeted the motion with
loud protest and before their fright could find
expression Mr.. Steele withdrew the motion, de-
claring that he was only joking. Then all the
representatives of the sugar interests the
committee laughed at what some of them after
ward said "a very fine Hoosier joke" And
thus the cause of Cuba stands at present in the
great Ways and Means Committee of the House
of Representatives.
Unless all signs fail. however. similar mo-
ton will be made in the Ways and Means Com
mittee before the close of this session of Con-
gress, and it will cause neither a shock nor a
laugh, On the contrary it will be made in all
earnestness. and will have behind it all the
power Of the administration and the Senate
leaders. Indeed, it will be supported by a force
even stronger than these powerful influences
the insistent and irresistible demand Of the
American people for simple justice to Cuba.
When the motion is then made 1t will receive
the votes of the majority of the committee. in
spite of the clamor and threats of the beet root
magnates through their lobby in washington.
PRESIDENTS ATTITUDE MADE PLAIN.
President Roosevelt and the Senate leaders are
firm and resolute in their stand for concessions
to Cuba, and there is no likelihood of either
the President the Senate weakening. Mem
bers of the Ways and Means Committee have
been pleading with the President to change his
attitude since the national conscience became
aroused by the committees action last week in
putting internal revenue reduction ahead of
concessions to Cuba, but they have been in
formed plainly by the President that he does
not intend to abate one jot or title of his eff
forts to secure fair treatment for Cuba at the
hands of Congress before the session closes.
He has referred them to the strong language he
used in his annual message on the subject of
reciprocity with Cuba, in which he declared that
the nation was bound by every consideration of
honor and expediency TO make substantial tariff
concessions to Cuban commerce. So clearly and
plainly has the President made his position
known TO the members of the Ways and Means
Committee that II is believed that they
are willing 10 frame bill carrying substantial
reductions in the Dingley rates on Cuban sugar
and tobacco in return for concessions the Cuban
American flour and farm machinery
But If the committee should refuse to recede
from its position. without further ado the Senate
can be depended upoo to provide way for
reciprocity agreement with the Island which
would grant the concessions desired The Senate
may do this by resort to the treaty making
power by amending the Ways and Means
Committees internal revenue reduction bill so
to force Cuban concessions on the House.
The ablest lawyers in the Senate contend that
reciprocity treaty can he entered into with Cuba
without consulting the House At the same
time the earnes. desire of the administration
is for the House to take part in the govern
ments generous and magnanimous course tow
ard Cuba, which Senator Platt of Connecticut
describes the adopted child of the United
States, which did not have to be adopted. but
now that this relation is established the ele-
mental principles of humanity demand that it
be treated fairly
SENATE MAY BRING HOUSE TO TERMS.
It is not improbable that when the Ways and
Means Committees internal revenue reduction
bill reaches the Senate Finance Committee the
House soon Will be brought TO terms. There is
scarcely any doubt that the Senate committee
will refuse to concur in the entire bill 1t is
more likely that at least one-half the tax abol-
ished by the House blanket bill will be restored
II
Aldrch and the other leaders of the Finance
Committee not yet ready to talk about
what schedule of reduction they will indorse al
though it is known that they favor the retention
of the full tax several articles made free by
the Ways and Means bill, while they do not in
dorse the complete abolition Of the tax on other
articles. 1t is pointed out that If the Senate
Finance Committee retains half more of the
tax which the House seeks to abolish, the only
argument presented by the Ways and Means
Committee against concessions to Cuba will he
destroyed, for the committee gives tentatively
its excuse for not taking up the subject
of reductions TO Cuba a this time that the
abolition OF the remaining war taxes will leave
the nations revenues in bad shape. 1t has been
demonstrated frequently in The Tribunes
Washington dispatches that substantial conces-
sons to Cuba sugar and tobacco would not
cut down the revenues of the United States
more than $10,OOO,0OO. and that this would be
in the volume of trade between this country
and the island that would follow tariff reduc-
tons The retention of the present beer tax
alone would than cover this cut in GUS
toms revenues. However this feature of the
case is only a detail not even the discussion of
which is interesting the Senate leaders at this
juncture. In fact, one-half OF the cut in the
beer tax ordered by the Ways and Means Com
mittee would more than cover the amount of
concessions likely to be provided for by the
Senate at this session.
Chairman Payne and Mr.. Grosvenor of the
Ways and Means Committee, had a long con-
of the reduction of the duty Cuban sugar
HAMILTON FISTS BARN ROBBED.