New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-18
SENATE CAUCUS TO DECIDE
FATE OF RECIPROCITY.
INDICATIONS POINT To DEFEAT OF
TREATY THE PROBABLE RECOURSE.
lay TELEGRAPH To THE rrInr>E-I

Republican caucus tomorrow night to approve
the Platt-Spooner substitute bill by a majority
vote recommend that the measure be reported
favorably by the Committee on Relations with
Cuba, and then fight the battle for reciprocity
out the floor of the Senate. with the assur-
ance of getting enough Democratic votes IN
both houses to pass the bill Candor compels
the admission. however. that seemingly the
probabilities at this hour all against this
course While the President and his supporters
stand firm and unshaken for reciprocity. still
the opposition has gained strength 50 rapidly
that in the interest of party harmony il is be-
lieyed the conference tomorrow night will non
suit the entire case. to speak and leave tn
the regular treaty making power the task Of
negotiating a reciprocal trade arrangement with
Cuba.
In other words while the administration forces
are strong enough to dominate the conferences
and put through the Platt-SpoOner bill by1 a
majority vote it has been considered desirable
all along to soIidtfy forty-fve Republican votes
in the Senate around the measure in order to
give it a strict party character.
TO CALL SPECIAL SENATE SESSION.
Since it is now evident that this cannot be
done it has been virtually decided TO devOlve
on President Roosevelt the responsibility of ne
gotiating Il commercial treaty with Cuba IN
the recess of Congress. which he probably VIII
present TO the Senate for ratification at a spe-
ciaI session to be called about the middle ot
next November. long enough in advance OF
the reassembling Of Congress in December to
guarantee the final satisfactory disposition of
the Cuban question not TO interfere with
the programme of the short session of the law
makers At the same time. the principle
that so long as there is life there is hope. some
of the Presidents supporters are still sangulne
that the conference can be brought around
to see the wisdom of forcing the fight on the
floor of the Senate in the manner described.
and trusting TO the spirit of discipline and or
ganization in the Republican party for success
This. however appears to be too sangu1ne an
expectation. and so it is more than likely that
the conference will decide that it is better TO
pass the reciprocity question over at this ses-
sion.
II this action is taken the leadership Of SEN
ator AIdrich it is generally agreed. will re-
ceive the severest blow it has ever had to sus-
tain The responsibility of bringing success to
the administrations Cuban policy was intrusted
20 the Rhode Island Senator by the President
Even now Mr. AIdrich does not admit defeat
and of course it is possible that ne may yet be
able to make an oIdtime vigorous assertion
Of his heretofore dashing and successful gener-
aIshfp If he fails his prestige viii suffer. per-
hans more than that of any other Republican
leader II has been observed by his friencs
that in this fight he has not displayed all those
qualities which have made him such power
in the Senate and this failure was attributed
10 the probability Of his having made the fatal
mistake Of Understanding the strength ana
resources of his adversaries. But. whatever
may be the cause. the fact remains that II
Mr. AIdrfch does not rally his forces at the con-
ference tomorrow night and lead them in SOLID
phalanx to victory he will experience some
difficulty in regaining the prestige he has en-
loved in the Senate for SO many years
RESPONSIBILITY NOT THE PRESIDENTS
The President feels neither Inundated nor
discouraged. He has employed every legitimate
resource To crown with success his efforts 70
bring economic relief TO Cuba at this session
os Congress The responsibility for failure, II
failure comes, will not be his. His message last
Friday has made it plain TO the country mat
tho weight of whatever ills may follow the
refusal of Congress to bring struggling Cuba
into close and mutually helpful relations Win
the United States must lie heavily on Ine
shoulders of the men who have boldly threat
ened TO dernoraIize the whole business system
Of the country by assau1ting the entire fabric
Of protection because they perceive. perchance.
that a single industry would be harmed by a
slight reduction of the tariff rates on imports
from Cuba. 1t IS true that the reclproclLS
treaty which it is now proposed tnaI tne PreSt-
dent shall negotiate with Cuba VIII cover the
next years crops of the island but II Is also
true that the bulk of this years products or the
Cuban plantations will not find market, and
this means suffering and hardship on the
island that will strain to the swapping point
the ca opacity of the new government at Havana
to maintain social and political order
LOSS OF CUBAS TRADE FEARED.
Naturally it will cause the distressed Cubans
TO look elsewhere for substantial business
friends and it is feared that England and Ger
many. which already dominate the commerce OF
the island will be able to fasten their hold on
Cuba's trade in the time that must intervene be-
fore by the slow processes of diplomacy. an
offer of a reciprocal trade agreement can be
made by the United States. The only hopeful
sign in the situation from this point OF view Is
that President Palma and his advisers are per-
Sonaly and politically more friendly 10 the
United States than TO any European power. and
that presumably they viii exert their fun power
to prevent the Cuban Congress from giving
some other foreign nation the advantage IN the
commerce of Cuba sought by the United States
In a large measure the Platt amendment strips
Cuba of free will in this respect and binds her
hand and foot to the United States This pecul-
lar relation intensifes the humanfties or the
case, which for more than a year nave heen
anpealing to the conscience of the nation
through the newspapers, every influential organ
Of public opinion with two exceptionS-One az
New-YOrk and the other at St IOu1S-hav1nS
been earnestly supporting the Presidents reci-
prOcity policy. Never before, perhaps. IN the
history of the United States have the news
papers had so little influence on the acton OK
Conpress In every section of the country they
have been pleading the cause OF CUBA ever
since il became evident that the United states
was to release the island and launch ~ on tns
uncertain sea of independent sovereignty con-
gress has been flooded with petitions 1ron
boards of trade and every other form or business
orga nization from New-YOrk TO san Francisco
anJ from chicago to New-Orleans- But. ap-
narentIy these influences were not strons
p1aIgb 70 overcome the power OF cabal OF
Of Cong