The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-01
kANSANS AT CAPITAL
Plan to Be Carried Out This
Congressional Session.
RECIPROCITY WITH CUBA
TO Be the Principle Feature of.
the Session.


Washington. D. c., Oct. 31-Reciprocity
with Cuba, which has been hanging in
the balance for two years. will be an
accomplished fact when the coming ex-
! traordinary session of the Fifty-eighth
congress is over This session, which
meets enc week from Monday. Novem-
Der g. was called by the president for the
express purpose of enacting this Iegis-
lation.
The probable procedure of the legisla-
ton through congress will be something
like this: A resolution will be intro
duced in the hou se-probably by Mir.
Payne. of New York, chairman of ways
and means, providing for an adjustment
of the duties of the Dingley law with
respect to goods coming into the United
States from Cuba, and going into Cuba
from the United States to conform 10
the provisions of the commercial treaty
between the two countries which WAS
ratified by the special session Of the
United States senate last March. This
will provide for a reduction of 70 per cent
of Dingley duties on interchange OF mor-
chandise between Cuba and the United
States. This resolution viii go TO the
committee on ways and means, being
measure affecting the revenues and Will
be reported promptly to the house. It
will then be passed the same as a bill
would be, and go to the senate. In the
senate it will go either to the commit
tee on finance, which corresponds 10
ways and means in the house, or else to
the committee on relations with Cuba,
If ohaf
1t was this latter committee which had
charge Of the reciprocity treaty at the
special session of The senate last spring
The committee on finance may waive it's
jurisdiction over this measure affecting
the revenues and give it over TO the COM
mittee on relations with Cuba.
There will be little debate in the house
in all likelihood, on the resolution. This
can be arranged by the committee en-
rules bringing in a rule which will limit
the debate, and confine it to given
time-a day, a few days. In the SEN
ate, which has no cloture, of course, 4
will be different. There will likely be
considerable discussion of the resolution,
though all the discussion, as usual may
not be pertinent to the subject at hand.
But it should not take the senate long In
pass the resolution, and for it to become
a law. The senators Will have a few
days TO make speeches in, while the
house is going through the Formally of
passing the resolution-which, as it is a
revenue measure, must. OF course, orig
ate in the house. So the session should
quickly have done with reciprocity with
Cuba ge
1t was necessary to have action on
the resolution ratifying the treaty be-
cause of a provision in the DingIey law
which says that a coiflfnercial treaty
shall be ratified by the senate, and
approved by congress" The senate rati-
fled the treaty last spring. Congress
means both houses, of course, so "appro-
VAL is now to be had. The resolution
is treated as a bill would be- being
passed by both houses and then signed
by the president
There is heard no opposition to the re-
ciprocity resolution. The stubborn and
bitter fight waged for nearly two years
this administration measure seems to
have dropped TO pieces. The great jour
nails Of the East and West which waxed
wroth against reciprocity with Cuba have
a murmur here and there against the |
principle of reciprocity in general and |
the Cuban kind in particular. 1t seems |
a case of plain sailing for reciprocity
All this seems difficult to realize. in |
view of what has happened in Washing !
ton and elsewhere for so many months |
The public still remembers well the agi- /
tatiOn of two years ago. when the, Fifty |
seventh congress was about to meet. and |
later, when the house had passed the bill /
granting a % per cent reduction il 4
duties on interchanged products between |
the United States and Cuba. Everyone re-
members the beet sugar lobby. main
tanned by Henry OXnard, and how VIC
ous the fight was There was the CO.
-erie in the house. headed by William Al /
len Smith of Michigan. and Littlefeld OF
Maine. which vigorously and unmerci-
July fought every inch OF the way. Ches-
er l. Long, then representative from the
Seventh district OF Kansas. was one OF
he house leaders on this question. AMI
member OF the ways and means, whicn
inally reported the bin to the house. In
he senate, there was a sitter fight. The
or boxers. as they were call
"a, defeated the passage of the reciproc-
" bill in the first session of the Fifty
seventh congress. a treaty was finally |
ormed, and ratified by the Cuban senate.
md then by the United States senate last
March
Reciprocity with Cuba wns intended 70
10 several things IL was intended that !
I should pave the way Cor Cuba's COM
nercial upbUlding. which vas suffering
hen. and Is now. Then It would also
mooth over much Of the feeling n .Cuia
gainst the United States. X would also
'e OF advantage 10 this country and T..
question with moral. political and a
commercial chase. And il IS row about
o be realized fact.