Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-06-04


this afternoon by vote of As to 30.
The Republicans voting against it
were Hoar, Mason and Wellington,
while McLaurin of South Carolina,
Democrat, voted for it. All the mi
nority amendments were voted down.
Washington, June 1.-The coming
week in the senate promises to mark
the beginning of the end of the pres
ent session of congress. Not only
will the debate on the Philippines
civil government bill, which has been
dragging along for six weeks, be
brought to a conclusion, but the pro.
gram OF action upon the Cuban reci-
procity and isthmian canal bills will
be marked out.
While it is, of course, impossible to
predict any length of time in advance
what the senate will do, it can be
stated that the chief men of that
body expect the session will have to
come to an end by June 25th.
Tomorrow and Tuesday will be de-
voted to fifteen-minute speeches on
the Philippine bill with the under
standing that at o'clock Tuesday af-
ternoon the vote shall be taken on
the bill and all pending amendments.
The isthmian canal bill will then be
taken up. 1t is already evident that
there will be a very long debate on
the canal bill, with opinion very near
ly evenly divided as to whether a fin
al vote will be reached or not before
the end of the session.
Anti-canal sentiment in the senate
has united upon the Spooner substi-
tute for the Nicaragua bill, which
throws the choice of routes upon the
president. and as an opening gun to
the debate, which begins this week,
the minority of the canal committee
has filed its report. 1t was prepared
and submitted by Senator Kittredge
and goes into the various features of
the canal question at length.
The report recommends that the
Spooner amendment be adopted by the
senate and then argues that the Pan
anna route is superior to the Nicarag-
ua. 1t recommends that the report of
the isthmian canal commission be fol-
lowed on all technical questions. as 1t
is the opinion of the highest compe-
tent experts, and states that in all the
testimony before the committee moth
ing appears against it.
The minority also finds that the
isthmian canal commissions earlier
reports in favor of the Nicaragua route
were based wholly upon the impossi-
bility at that time, Of acquiring the
property and concessions of the Pan.
anna canal company at a reasonable
price.
The meeting of the Republican sen
ator's who are opposed to Senator
Spooner's compromise bill for Cuban
reciprocity held conference last
night in Senator Elkins' committee
room at the capitol and agreed to sup
port only bill which will provide a
rebate of 20 per cent on Cuban mer-
chandise.
The Spooner compromise proposes
reduction in the tariff, to run FIVE
years, of 20 per cent in the duty on
imports from Cuba, with a provision
of repeating it IL any of the benefits
Of the reduction 90 to other than bona
fide Cuban planters.
This was utterly rejected by the con-
ference. which agreed that no other
concession than rebate would be ac-
cepted. The conference is said to in
clude eighteen senators, representing
largely those states which produce
beet sugar. They include Senator's Bur.
rows Of Michigan, Bard and Perkins
Of California, Nelson and Clapp OF
Minnesota, and Scott and Elkins of
West Virginia.
This dissipates to some extent the
prospects of an agreement on the Gu.
ban question, but there is strong be.
lief that a reciprocity bill will be
adopted. Unless this is done, Presi.
dent Roosevelt will call an extra ses.
sion TO consider the question.
In the house the week will be occu.
pied in the consideration of the anti.
anarchy bill. the Pacific cable meas.
ure and the irrigation bill.