Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-14
CUBAN RECIPROCITY
An Agreement on the Spoon
er Bill Expected.
THEN A CONFERENCE
A MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS TO
INDoRSE IT.
Pressure to Be Brought on the oppo-
nents to Vote for Ex-senator
Elkins' Bill.
THEN A CONFERENCE

The republican members of the Senate
committee on relations with Cuba will hold
a meeting next Tuesday morning, at which
il is expected an agreement will be reached
to report to the Senate the Spooner Cuban
reciprocity bill This bill. which has been
referred to heretofore, provides for reci-
procity, with a tariff reduction of 20 per
cent; vests the President of the United
States with wide authority TO regulate the
dispensation of the benefits to Cuban pro-
ducers; eliminates the provisions of the
House bill regarding immigration and labor
regulation. and strikes ont the amendment
which the House adopted providing for the
abolishment of the differentiaI duty on re-
fired sugar.
Ii is now thought by the republican lead
OF the Senate that when a bin is
ported Of the general character above out
lined a conference of republicans of the
Senate Will sndGrSe it. Such conference
Will be called Immediately after the repor.
of the bill to the Senate. and il is certain
VIII be supported by more than a majority
Of the republicans.
The question will then arise whether a
sufficient number of republicans will be
found who will vote with the democrats TO
abolish the differential duty on refined
sugar The fight on the reciprocity bill IN
the Senate will narrow down to the
proposition which the beet sugar senators
Will have to confront. namely: Will you
support the administration and the repuD-
Iican tariff policy or bolt your party and
vote with the democrats on a distinctly free
trade amendment?
Argument of Administration Senators.
The argument which the administrat' on
senators advance in opposition to the pro-
posal to take the dinerential off of refined
sugar is this: That the industry of sugar
refining now receives the lowest ad valorem
protection of any industry in the United
states. The equivalent ad valOrem of the
t!nerential is said to be about 4 per cent.
The democratic proposition is that this
protection should be abolished because the
article is manufactured by trust. The re-
pubicans have contended that it was not
the way to hurt a trust by taking off tt
tariff duty, especially when the artIclr
affected is controlled by foreign trusts.
In the conference of republicans of the
Senate the beet sugar men will be he'd
strictly 10 account on the question of sup
porting republican policy or a democratic
economic proposition. The line will be
sharply drawn, and no room will be left
for evasion. One Of the stories which has
been circulated at the Capitol is that the
President was not averse to striking off
the differential duty. The administration
leaders reply that the President in his mes
sage yesterday told in plain English what
he thought was necessary with respect to
Cuban reciprocity legislation. The Presi-
dent did not say that he wanted the duty
off of refined sugar and il is not believed
that he does want to abolish the protection
The President in his message referred to
the necessary steps to guarantee that the
Cubans should receive the benefits of the
legislation. and this safeguard will be
thrown about the bill when it is perfected
by the committee relations with Cuba.
In the opinion of well-informed Senate
leaders, after the conference of republicans,
when the choice between supporting re-
publican and democratic policies is put
squarely up to the beet sugar senator's
there W a m of ha
beet sugar forces and the Cuban reciprocity
bill will pass the Senate without amend
ment affecting the differential on refined
sugar. The senators who popularity
credited with being opposed to Cuban reci-
procity are Mitchell of Oregon, Burton of
Kansas, Deboe of Kentucky. Kearns of
Utah. Mason of Illinois. Dietrich and Mil
lard of Nebraska, Bard and Perkins of
California Clark and Nelson of Minnesota
Gamble and Kittridge of South Dakota
Burrows Of Michigan and Elkins and Scott
of West Virginia.
Situation in the House.
The situation in the House is uncertain
If there Is an overwhelming majority of re-
publicans for the Spooner substitute in the
Senate. leaving only one or two irrecon-
cilible republican senators outside the
breastworks, il is the conservative opinion
that the opposition In the House will be
weakened There are thirty-nine republi-
cans In the House who opposed to Gu
pan reciprocity. II they should hold to-
gether they could, with the democratic
votes insist upon the retention of their
amendment abOlishng the duty on refined
sugar. That would make deadlock with
the Senate But II is pointed out that these
thirty-nine republicans would be under ire
mendous pressure by collea CUES in the
House from the administration and from
the republicans in the Senate The same
arguments will be applied to them which
are intended for the beet sugar senators
in next weeks conference. 1t is too early
he
the hardihood to hold out against the com
bined republican sentiment of the country
and defeat reciprocity.
Senator Elkins' Bill.
Senator Eikins, who Is prominent in the
opposition to Cuban RECIPROCITY introduced
q resolution in the Senate today looking To
the annexation OF Cuba as a state II is
annexation which the protectionists of the
Senate are eonfessedIy trying to prevent
and it is the reciprocity bill which is con-
sidered BY many senators TO be one of the
means of staving off annexation The death
blow to the beet sugar industry would be
the annexation of sugar producing C,l,ha
Senator Elkins' resolution therefore is
not readily understood by those who
are working to keep off annexation
One prominent senator, who is mart
owner in beet sugar refineries, is an
advocate of reciprocity. He says that
aside from the reasons urged by the Presi-
dent for reciprocity. in which he concurred
he regards reciprocity as a measure of
seif-protec ect!On- He thinks that without IT a
situation would result in Cuba which in
the end will result in annexation and his
stock in the beet sugar factories would NOT
be worth a dollar.
Beet Sugar Men Confer.
The beet sugar republicans of the House
and Senate held several conferences TODAY
TO discuss the situation. One of the meet
fngs was attended by Senators Elkins and
burrows and Representative Tawney of
% Minnesota The situation was thoroughly
discussed, but definite program was
agreed upon, the opinion being expressed
that futher conferences are advisable to
decide upon line Of action which might be
supported by the beet sugar men of both
the House and the Senate.
Congress Must Now Face It's Duty.
yrOm the Philadeiphia Press.
President Roosevelt makes another spe-
cial and ea fo for {,,ct