Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-25
EXCHANGE OF VIEWS
By President and Congressman
on Cuban Reciprocity.
Latter Convinced that Executive
Wants to Relieve the Island.
President Will See Other Members, To-
day, on Same Subject.

Washington, March PA conference
was held at the White House, TINS
afternoon between the President anu
seven of the Republican members OF
the House of Representatives who nave
been foremost in opposing the plan OF
Cuban reciprocity urged by the ways
and means committee ana understood
to have the support OF the administra-
ton. The members who called were
Representatives Tawney and Morris,
Mimi: Dick, Ohio; William A. Smith
Mich: Miner, Wis; Metcalf, Cal; and
Dayton, W. Va.
The call was at the request of the
President, who desired an exchange of
views to the end that harmonious ac-
ton might be secured in such steps as
are taken in behalf of Cuba.
The President and the congressman
remained alone in the cabinet room for
the hour and 4 half that they were to-
gether. The talk took wide range,
covering the conditions in Cuba, what
should be done to meet these conditions
and also the question of harmoniZing
conflicting interests so that there
might be unanimity of action on the
part Of the Republicans in Congress.
III
who had participated in the conference
that it was of the most agreeable ana
pleasant character, and that there was
not the rem0test suggestion on the part
of the Chief Executive which could be
construed as seeking to urge them to
yield their personal convictions.
ON the contrary, it was stated. the
President listened to the recital of diff
rod
By those who opposed the reciprocity
plan, and also heard from them the va
rious plans by which they had hoped to
reach an agreement.
The callers were frank to concede
that they found the President DESTROYS
of extending effective relief to Cuba by
the reciprocity plan.
In this connection, it was stated, the
President drew attention to the fact
that the Sibey amendment, limiting
the reciprocity period to Dec. |, 1903,
gave the Payne bill n rather one-sideG
aspect as it asked Cuba to adopt our
naturalization and immigration laws
and give us tariff concessions limited
to about 2 year and a half. Some of
the congressman present were inclined
to admit that we were asking a good
deal from cuba in return for the little
we would grant to her.
The interchange of views became
quite general, there being nothing in
the way of definite propositions one
way or the other but merely an agree
able expression of opinion as to what
was best to be done under all the cir
cumstanccs of the situation.
The suggestion was made that if the
Payne bill had been modified so as To
take off the diffcrential refined sugar
some of the grounds of opposition
might have been removed.
However there was no request, SO far
as can be learned, that the bill be
amended in this particular at the pres
ent stage.
At the conclusion of the conference
the general understanding was reached
that any statements made to the pub
lie would be to the general effect that
no conclusions were reached and that
the conference was confined to a gen.
eral interchange of views.
1t is understood that the President
will see some of the members of the
ways and means committee, tomorrow.
He hopes that this general interchange
with the leaders from both sides may
bring about unanimity of action in
whatever is done in behalf of Cuba.