The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-18
TALK ON CUBAN BILL
IN HOUSE OF REPRE-
 SENTATIVES.
Stevens (Rep., Minn.) and Mayor Elect Mcclellan of New York Deliver the Principal Ad-
 dresses of the Day.

Washington, Nov. 1.-The House today resumed consideration of the Cuban bill. The only notable incidents of the day were the speeches of MT. Stevens, a Re- publican member from Minnesota. who spoke in opposition to the bill and the speech of Mayor-elect Mcclellan of New York. Mir. Stevens opposed the measure for reci-ocity with Cuba at' the last ses- sion. Today he argued that the bill was A ''cruel blow Ut lone of the most prom ising industrial industries of this country and that the measure will imperil our vast foreign trade"
 MT. Mcclellan delivered his valedictory to the House, making an argument in fa- vor of the bill, during the course Of which he criticised the administration of General Wood in Cuba and charged the Republicans with responsibility for what is lacking in the fulfllment of the duty of the United States to Cuba. Under the rule two days more are given for speech es.
 When the House convened to-day, Mir. Fowler. of New Jersey, and MT. Brun- didge of Arkansas, were sworn in after which the House went into committee of the whole and resumed consideration of the Cuban bill.
 MT. Knapp. Republican of New York. was the first speaker to-day.
 MT. Knapp said that above the com mercial reasons why the treaty should be made effective, justice to Cuba, for the future prosperity of which the Unit ed States must be responsible. demand ed favorable action on the pending meas ure.
 thirty minutes in opposition to the bill a haf rot Artt af he believed the time near at hand when some reductions in the present tariff schedules must be made. He said it was nonsense to think there will be any great increase in our trade with Cuba. For the sake of securing some SIP 0o0, 900. to go. .000. .000o he said the United States will expose millions of dollars of its foreign trade.
 'I believe the measure is a cruel blow to one of the most promising agricultural industries of this country" said MT. Stevens, adding that there would be a greater reduction in revenues than esti- mated by advocates of the bill.
 In the course of his remarks, Mir. Mo Clellan said: Two years ago Cuba was on the verge of bankruptcy and that she has escaped ruin is not due to any effort on our part. That she has been able to exist at all during the last three years is because of two reasons. First, the change in her government; second, the of an increased amount of to- baco and sugar.
 ''In 1902 the spectacular and extrava- gant rule of General Wood having sad dled upon Havana for ten years the in- famous gambling monopoly of the Socie- dad Anonyma Jai Alaix. gave way to con economical and business-like of President Estrada Pal ma who has proved himself an executive of the very highest order"
 After quoting figures. Mir. Mcclellan said: Tn other words, under President Palma. the cost of Government is more than $7.OOO,OOO less per annum than it was under General Wood.'
 In conclusion MT. Mcclellan said: And now at last, after years of waiting, after the spectacle of an insolent lobby prac- ticaly dominating the Congress, we pro- pose partially to fulfill our pledge to Cuba by giving her this tuppenny meas ure, of relief, that is warranted not to of-l fend the susceptibilities of the most sen-s sitive trust in existence. We. have made a solemn promise to Cuba. If aFRepublfgs can majority In it's might Is only willing partially to keep that promise, the blame and the shame rests with the Republican fdTty. put the Dlll IS unQuSStlOnaDIy a. breach in the wall of protection"
 MT. Mcclellan received the applause of his colleagues when he had concluded.
 MT. Crumpacker, Rep.. Ind.). said re-, ciprocity was not in harmony with the tarin policy of this country as exempli- fled in the last two Republican tariff bills; it Is not scientific, he added, and a policy based on special, agree ments with all commercial powers arrests the operation of economic law. He said if we are to have permanent reciprocity policy we should put tax on non-com- petitive articles that we might have on which to negotiate.
 MT. Douglass, (N. Y.), and Mir. Morrell (Pa.). spoke on the Republican side in fa- vor of the bill, and Messrs. Macon (Ark.), Thomas (N. CD. and Hughes (N. J.), on the Democratic side, also spoke in favor of the bill. MT. McDermott (N. J.), said there was no claim for sympathetic leg lslation; all had been done for Cuba that sympathy called for and the bill, if it is to be passed. should be passed on the common sense theory.
 At D. m. the House adjourned.