The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-15
"ROOSEvELT INSOLENTLY
 USURPS HIS AUTHORITY"
MT. Bailey Thinks the Republicans Are Honest in Their Position, But He Asserts it is a Question of
 Intelligence.

Washington, December 14-The senate spent the day on the Cuban bill most of the time being occupied by MT. Bailey of Texas in an elaborate argument against the consttutionality of the proceeding. He claimed that no treaty changing the revenue laws that was not first authorized by legislation, originating in the house of representatives, was vald MT. Bailey also opposed the bill as a matter of gem eral policy. Brief speeches were made by Senators Teller Depew and Lodge
 When the senate convened MT. Bailey of Texas spoke on the Cuban bill. He opposed the measure declaring it to be vicious, both a matter of law and ] policy The question of law, he said, should be considered first, and in that connection he laid down three proposi- tions. The first was that the house of representatives alone has the right to originate revenue bills. and neither the President nor the President and senate joined, possess the power to enact legis- lation affecting revenues. The second de- clares that the constitution of the re- public commits the treaty-making power to the President and the senate. and the  approve or disapprove the Cuban treaty.
 Must Be Null and Void.
 The third proposition asserted that neither the President and senate alone, uor the President and the senate acting in conjunction with the house of repre- sentatives, has the right to originate such revenue measures, and that what is null and void in its beginning, must be null and void throughout. In the course of coloquy with MT. Stewart, MT. Bailey said that the President believed just as the Nevada senator did.
 Then he is a good lawyer" responded Senator Stewart.
 T never heard that he was a lawyer at all" answered MT. Bailey. While I have heard that he has spent some days and nights at lighter literature, I am not aware that he has encountered the drudgery of the law and mores the pity for it.
 He declared that the President by the course followed in this treaty had per formed an insolent usurpation of the privileges of the house.
 The proceedings, he declared amounted to mere political coercion, and 1t is lit- tie wonder that the house did not sub stitute for the present measure the bill which it passed under implication less than two years ago. Why did the house forego it's judgment of less than two years ago. he asked. Why did it so mildly ex- ecute the Presidents will? It was be- cause the house was under the stripes of the executive lash
 A Great Commercial Stroke.
 NIT. Bailey said that the first argument advanced in support of the bill was that it was a duty to the suffering Cubans, but driven from that, the friends of the bill say that it is great commercial stroke. But" said MT. Bailey, T say those who will reap the benefits are the sugar and tobacco trusts, and they have no right to it. I believe the republican senators are honest in their support. In fact I do not think there is any difference between the two sides of this chamber on questions of honesty. l believe the sole difference is one of intelligence"
 Senator Spooner observed: You pay us high compliment"
 Tn discussing the benefits of the bill MT Bailey said that every time the bill was about to pass, sugar trust stock went up. and whenever the bill was about to fail. the stock went down.
 Mir Bailey announced at 3:45 o'clock that owing to the condition of his throat, he would not continue his speech. until tomorrow
 Mr. Depew remarked that many speeches against the bill had contained statements that the industries of the four or five great states were in danger of be- ing destroyed by reason of competition with Cuba. Cuba was only half as large as the state of New York, and 1t stood to reason that such a territory could not work absolute disaster to the states mak- ing the complaint.
 MT. Teller replied that Cuba was capa- ble of supporting a population of 15.0o0- GOO; that New York had only 100000 and was not capable of supporting that num- be-.
 Mir Lodge said that he had been looking ,p the matter of Cuban laws relative to the immigration of Chinese, and had been informed by the Cuban minister that the island had adopted the exclusion law of this country on that subject
 At 4:1O o'clock no senator desiring to sneak on the bill. the senate went into executive session, and at 4;l5 p. m ad- tourned.