Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1903-06-04
THE TREATY HOLD UP
QUESTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL PRO-
CEOURE INVOLVED.

Action of the Senate Establishes the
Precedent That Concurrence of the
House Is Necessary Before Tarin
Duties Can BE Changed.
There is disposition in some quar-
ters to criticise the United States SEN
ute for appending the clause to the
Cuban treaty requiring approval by
both houses of congress before the in-i
strument shall go into effect. Senator
Platt is inclined to think that too
much of a concession was made to the
beet sugar and tobacco growers by this
action Two members of the Repub-I
lican end of the foreign relations COM
ulittee are dissatisfied because the ac'
ton was taken, preferring that the
matter had been left open for deciY
sion by the courts.
Aside from any questions relating to
the sugar and tobacco interests in the
United States, it is certain that if tha
change had not been made requiring
approval by congress the treaty would
not have been ratified by the rather
decisive majority secured. A number
OF southern senators who voted for
ratification would never have consent
ed to the proposition that the president
and the senate Of the United Stats
have power to make changes in tie
customs laws of the country without
participation by the house of repp-
sentatives in the matter. 1t is certain
also that number of Republican san
ators, some of whom have no objection
to reciprocity with Cuba, would not
have been willing to vote for ratifca-
ton if it was to be understood that the
changes in the customs laws would go
into effect without sanction by the
house.
1t is rather surprising, in view oflthe
deep interest felt in this matter by
some of the ablest men in congress.
that the action of the senate in post
poning the full effect Of the treaty un-
til the sense of the house of representa-
tives could be tested should be subject
ed to so much complaint in some quar-
ters, and there are charges thatit was
a hold up on the part of the beet sugar
and tobacco states senators to prevent
the treaty being carried into eject be-
fore next winter. Certainly the consti-
tutional lawyers in the house who have
examined the question do not pgard 1t
in that light Regardless of any opin-
ion as to the merits of reciprocity, these
members and some of the leading SEN
ators see in the Cuban treaty as it
was by some proposed to be carried
out, constitutional question of the
utmost importance. They do not be-
lieve that under the terms of tie con-
stitution the president and senate have
power to make effective treaty which
changes the customs and revenus laws
of the country unless the house ap-
proves of such changes. Some of the
members go even further than that
and assert that the house must take
the initiative in authorizing the treaty.
The latter class of representative, as
sert that the changes in the custom
laws provided for in this reciprocity
treaty will not be legal even If the
house approves of the treaty now hat
il has been ratified by the senate.
1t is by some of the best lawyers in
congress regarded as question of The
utmost Importance that treaties whth
change the revenue laws shall be mad lie
ouly in accordance with the terms Of
the United States constitution. 1t Is
believed by these representative men
to be matter of such Importance ba-
cause if it should be held that the pres
ident and senate may by treat!
change the revenue and customs laws
as was proposed in the Cuban treaty
there is no telling what future presi
dents and senates may elect to do III
giving away the public revenues
changing the trade relations between