Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-06
RECIPROCITY WITH CUBA.
The Law Makers Discussing Points TO
Come Before Congress.

Washington. Nov. 5.-There were
some interesting developments. touay'
as to the method of congressional pro-
cedure on the Cuban reciprocity treaty.
The treaty will be amended by the
Senate adding the words: This treaty
shall not take effect until the same
shall have been passed and approved
by the Congress-.
1t has been generally supposed that
a Joint resolution, or Dill approving
the treaty, would be all that was neces-
sarv but the members of the House
and some senators take an entirely
different view. They say that bill
must he passed reducing the duty on
the products of Cuba and that every
provision affecting duties must be en-
acted in the legislation.
Representative Tawney of Minnesota,
who was the leader of the Republican
minority minority that opposed the
reciprocity bill in the last Congress,
said. today, that the provision requir-
ing congressional approval when in
serted in the treaty, was known by
him to be defective and open to con-
stitutional objection.
Mr.. Tawney contends that to APP
prove the treaty by a single resolution
would be void, and asserts that the
sugar provision Of the treaty is nothing
more than a pledge of the good faith
of the government that the duties on
sugar shall not be changed during the
life of the treaty.
Any tariff bill, he contends, can abb
of no f
self. The finance committee which will
meet, tomorrow, will take up the sub
ject of the form of legislation neces-
sary to carry the treaty into effect.
Generally, the senators believe that a
simple resolution of approval will be
all that is necessary, but some sena-
tors notably Senator Teller of Colo
RADIO, think that if approval is attempt
ed in any such form it will raise
constitutional question, which Will
cause long debate in the Senate. Sen
ator Teller expects that the whole tar
iff question will be opened up for dis
cussion by the Cuban measure and that
it will be we'll into the regular session
before action on the matter is taken
by the Senate.
This afternoon, Representatives
Payne, Hemenway, DalZell. Tawney
and Kane conferred with Mr.. Cannon
on the form of the proposed Cuban leg
islation Later Mr.. Cannon said the
matter would be determined by the
ways and means committee.
Mr.. Payne, who is to be chairman OF
that committee, said he could make no
definite statement about the form OF
legislation until he had consulted all
members of the committee, but it was
his opinion that the measure in form
would be a bill rather than a resolu-
ton, as he did not see how the House
could do otherwise.
Senators Allison, Aldrich, Spooner
and Platt of Connecticut, arrived IN
Washington. tonight. and Immediately
went into conference in Senator Alli-
sons apartments at the Arlington no.
tel. At the conclusion Senator Allison
said he believed the Cuban treaty
would be made operative by joint reso-
luton. He cited the method adopted
by Congress in relation to the Mexican
treaty as a precedent.
The special committee appointed by
the Senate at the last session to pre-
pare a financial bill to be submitted for
consideration at the 5Sth session OF
Congress has not prepared draft OF
it's ideas, and Senator Allison said, TO-
night, that he does not look for much
financial legislation. However, the
Senate finance committee will meet
tomorrow, and some definite program
may be made.