The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-08
ATTACK ON
CUBAN Bill
WILL BE LED BY JUDGE NORRIS
or MINNESOTA.
SENATOR CLARK OPPOSED
Hard Fight Will Be Made In the Gen.
ate Against TIE Reciprocity
Measure.

Minneapolis Journal Special: The
plan of campaign Of the beet sugar
insurgents of the house has been out
lined.
Representative Morris, as soon az
the bill is before the house, is to Of
fer the Babcock bill as an amendment
TO 1t. He will be ruled out Of order
on the ground that the Babcock bill
IS not germane. Morris will appeal
from the decision Of the chair, supports
ed by Representatives William Allen
Smith Iof Michigan and Tawney Of
Minnesota. n
1t is said the democrats will vote
quite solidly to sustain the appeal
from the chair, and there are grave
fears that there are enough insurgents
added to the democrats to overturn
the ways and means committee plan
and adopt the Morris motion. At any
rate, the vote promises to be close.
Precedents have been found on all
sides, first, that the speaker may re-
fuse to entertain the appeal; second,
that he may submit the appeal to the
house, and third, that he may refer
the whole matter to the house with
out a ruling. The weight Of prece-
dents is in favor Of the speaker sub
mitting the appeal to the house.
Speaker Henderson has practically de-
cided too follow this course
Opposition in the Senate.
Opposition to the Cuban reciprocity
bill in the senate is beginning to show
its hand. Senator Platt of Connecti-
cut, chairman of the committee on
relations with Cuba, has received two
formal notices from bis colleagues.
One, from democratic senators, is that
they will figth reciprocity at every
stage and have formed compact for
that purpose. The other comes from
several leading republican members
who will offer an amendment to the
bill providing that there shall be no
reciprocity until Cuba makes a treaty
with the United States embodying the
text of the Plat amendment.
Both notices mark the beginning of
the terrific fight which will be made
in the senate against the Cuban bill.
The Platt amendment, which outlined
the relations which should exist be-
tween the United States and Cuba,
was primarily framed with the purpose
cf preventing Cuba from making de-
mands upon this government under
threat to violate the Monroe doctrine
by entering into relations with Ger.
many or some other European power.
After a good deal of chicanery the
Cuban congress finally adopted the
Plat amendment and incorporated it
into the Cuban constitution. The
amendment also provided, however,
that 1t should be made the basis of a
treaty with the United States as soon
as Cuba enjoyed Independent govern
ment
"Cubans Not to Be Trusted"
Senator Platt was informed that un.
less this treaty was formulated before
reciprocity was granted there would
he serious doubt as to it's negotiations.
lie was told that the Cubans were not
to be trusted, and their attempt to
nullify the plain meaning Of the Flatt
was quoted to him as evi-
dence Of their want Of good faith. He
was also notified that prominent re-
publicans, who shared In the sus-
picion of Cuban honesty. would oppose
the reciprocity measure to the last
ditch unless the Platt amendment was
protected and that he might prepare
10 face fight in his own party unless
action along this line was accepted
by him,
Senator Plat agreed to give this
chase Of the case his honest consider
ation, although he suggested that II
reciprocity was not to be enjoyed by
Cuba until the treaty had been signed
End ratified, it would postpone until
next winter the proposed relief for
the island.
"And BESIDES" he is quoted as say
ing. "if reciprocity becomes dependent
Az