Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-09
OPPOSED TO THE BILL
William Alden Smith on Rec
iprocity With Cuba.
CONCERN OF LEADERS
APPREHENSIvE OF A "coMBINEn
AGAINST THE MEASURE.
Debate Likely to Occupy the Rest Of
the Week-Not Made q
Party Question.
CONCERN OF LEADERS

The debate on the Cuban reciprocity bnI
in the House will drag along for the rest
of this week, and probably run over into
next week An effort will be made later
after the beet sugar men have delivered
their speeches, to reach an agreement for
vote but It is not the intention OF the
House leaders to push the question.
The House leaders are very much con-
cerned as to the probable course Of the beet
sugar republicans when It comes to the
offering of amendments. They have tried
to learn from the beet sugar men what that
faction may probably do, but have had no
success in getting them to commit them
selves. The leaders are very much afraid
that the beet sugar men may combine with
the democrats to overrule the chair and
open the bill to general amendment.
In the House today in the course of the
debate Mr.. William Alden Smith of Mich
fgan, one Of the beet sugar leaders, chal-
lenged Mr.. Underwood, one of the demo-
cratic leaders. to announce what the dem-
ocrats would do on the question of over
ruling the chair. Mr.. Underwood did not
commit his colleagues. but said that he
would vote. and he thought the democrats
would. to take the duty off refined sugar.
Mr.. Smith announced that he and his COL
leagues would be with the democrats on
that proposition.
The object of the beet sugar mon In at
tempting to take the duty off refined sugar
is two-fold. They think that the rivalry Of
the American sugar trust with the beet
sugar refiners for control of the western
market would be hampered, but their prin-
cipal object is expressed in the statement
that they believe if the Cuban reciprocity
bill should take the duty off refined sugar
the sugar trust would kill it,
Democrats Still at Sea.
The democrats are still at sea as to their
policy in regard to the bill. The party met
in conference last night and spent three
hours in bitter wrangling without reaching
a conclusion. The cane sugar men OF
Louisiana and Texas urged their colleagues
to vote with them against the bill, but the
general trend of opinion among the ma
jority of those present was clearly i'm the
direction of supporting the bill on the
ground that any reduction Of the tariff is
democratic policy.
This fight in the democratic ranks pre-
cludes the possibility of making the Cuban
reciprocity bill a party measure, as Speaker
Henderson and the ways and means COM
mitteemen desired. The bill will be passed
by republican votes.
The beet sugar men have not abandoned
hope of ultimately defeating the bill in
Congress. They think that there will be no
effective legislation upon this subject This
view is not had by senators and representa-
tives who are indorsing the measure. They
feel confident that all the circumstances OF
the situation demand legislation along the
line proposed by the bill, and they believe
that the legislation will be obtained at this
session of Congress.
Routine Business Transacted.
Before the debate upon the Cuban reci-
procity bill was resumed in the House to-
day some routine business was transacted.
Mr.. Olmsted (Pa.) presented the report on
the contested election case OF Fowler agt.
Thomas from the third North Carolina dis
trict.
Mr.. Henry Comm asked unanimous con-
sent to disagree to the Senate amendments
to the oleomargarine bill, but Mr.. Richard
son CTenn) objected, and the bill went 10
the committee on agriculture.
The House then went into committee Of
the whole and the Cuban reciprocity bill
was taken up.
Opposes the Bill.
VIM. Alden Smith (Mich) was the first
speaker. Mr.. Smith spoke against the bill.
He presented the question from the view
point of the republicans who have opposed
Cuban reciprocity on account of the beet
sugar interests. Mr.. Smith said in part:
Il would not for anything have you be-
lieye that We, who for two months have
been battling for what believe to be
right, were animated by any hostility or un-
frendliness toward the Island OF Cuba.
Such is far from the truth. We have al,
ways aided and sustained her in her strug-
gle for independence. We glory in her ap-
preaching sovereignty. But We must not
forget that while We may sympathize with
Cuba, our first duty is toward our own peo-
pie, and everything that tends to strength
en- and develop our multiplied resources at
home and add to the measure of our ma
tional strength and independence, should be
the object of our profoundest solicitude.
Il am opposed to this measure because I
believe ii is calculated to breed strife and
dissatisfaction with the other sugar coun-
tries Of the world which are thus discrimi-
mated against believe 1t will have a ten
dency to provoke commercial hostility
among the other West In0ia islands and
our neighbors in South America
II am opposed to this measure because, In
order to give it effect, 1t becomes necessary
to violate a solemn promise OF the republic
can party deliberately made In solemn con-
believe it will be harmful to agricultural
and industrial classes of the United States.
whose great interests have been confided
to our care; because / believe II will be
harmful in the extreme TO the Island OF
Cuba; because I believe that the principal
beneficiary will be the American Sogar Re-
ining Company. who do not need our SYM
pathy; because believe that the people OF
the Island of Cuba will receive no benefit
therefrom."
A Little Sparring.
In the course Of Mr.. Smiths speech Mr..
Underwood (Ala.) asked Mr.. Smith if he
would vote to take the differential of OF
refined sugar coming from Cuba
Mr.. Smith replied that no refined sugar
came from Cuba, and In his turn he asked
Mr. Underwood IL his (the democratic) side
would vote to overrule the chair and join
in voting to take the differential on of the
sugar of the world.
After some sparring during which Mr..
Underwood showed a disposition to evade
the question in response to the promptingg
of the democrats around him. he finally
ventured the prediction that there would b
an opportunity to vote upon the proposition