Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-07
At THE White HOUSE
President Confers With Six
Senators.
CUBAN RECIP ROCITY
AND OTHER SUBJECTS OF LEGIs-
LATIoN TOUCHED ON.
A Complaint as to the Congo Free
State-Many Congressional
Callers Today.
CUBAN RECIPROCITY

With six such prominent leaders OF the
Senate as Senators Allison, Aldrich, spoon
er, Cullom, Hale and Platt of Connectlcut
in conference an hour or more with the
President this morning there was pretty
free discussion of important subjects TO
come before the extra session of Congress
when it assemblies on Monday. and the reg
ular session later. The usual retcence
characterized the sextet on their departure.
1t was learned that there was no formal
conference: that the Senate leaders just
dropped In on the President, and when they
had got together they proceeded to give
their views and to get the views of the
President
The Cuban reciprocity question, the Pan
anna situation, finance and tariff were all
touched upon but there was no attempt to
have an agreement about anything. The
question of whether the Cuban reciprocity
legislation will take the form of bill or
a resolution was gone over, and the sena-
tors gave their ideas of what was proper,
but they did not try to agree upon a pro-
gram. Neither did they conclude that II
would be eminently proper that the Senate
should now oppose the House in its de-
cisSion that the legislation should ne In the
form of bill. The nearest thing 10 oe-
cision was that the House should not De
interfered with at the beginning, and that
the Senate should follow precedent and wait
-bide its time to do the dictation act 10
the House II 1t was concluded worth Wnlie
to insist upon having it's way. Most OF
the senators with the President believed
that joint resolution approving the rec
iprocity treaty was amply sumclent anu III
keeping with law. Several saw no reason
| to seriously oppose the House plan OF
| bill. but they thought it would be just
| as we'll to wait for the House to act, IN
| asmuch as the legislation must originate III
| that body.
The Panama Situation.
The handling of the Panama situation by
| the administration was praised by the SEN
ators and the President was consratula'eo
| upon the ease with which he has met the
! problems that have arisen. Senator Cuiloih'
as chairman of the senate committee OH
foreign relations, may be called upon any
| time to present some legislation touchins
upon this question. Senator Spoohef, as
| the author Of the canal amendment under
which this government has been neeotlalns
with Colombia for concessions on the isln
mus also feels a deep interest In tne prop
able future of the canal question Inc talh
on this subject was OF importance.
No Financial Legislation.
The drift of the views in the conference
on the financial question was all IN the Oh
rectIon of no material legislation at the
N.
financial measure had majority in the last
session of Congress and was Killed py MI
clustering. will not. 1t Is now understood.
press that or any similar measure at the
coming session. He will stand with the
majority of the republicans that 1t Will De
wisest not to enter upon extensive nnanciai
legislation at the regular session
On the tariff the agreement was also
against any legislation at the regular ses-
sion.
The Congo Free State.
The President had a visit today from
Representative Livingstone of Georgia ex-
Representative Harry st. George Tucker
of Virginia and Rev. w. M Morrison OF
Lexington, Va, constituting a committee
from the Southern Presbyterian Church to
present to this government a complaint
against the violation Of treaty stipulatlons
by the government Of the Congo Free
State. Africa. Dr. Morrison mas peen work
ing to have something done for long time.
and has seen the authorities of the British
and Belgian governments. In July last the
members of the committee presented the
subject to the State Department. but as no
| results have been obtained it was deemed
| best to bring the matter to the personal
| attention Of the President today. and ask
| him to press the subject with the officials
| of the State Department.
1t is charged that neither freedom of
| trade nor of religion can be had under the
| Congo government. which is managed by
Belgium. and that this is in violation of all
| treaty arrangements. DR.. Morrison was sit
| mated at one of the PreSby terrain missions
| in the Congo country. There are two mis-
sions and he declares that it is impossible
| to get an inch of ground anywhere on which
| to build new missions. The authorities are
| cruel and inhuman to the natives ana do
| everything they can TO peNttie fensloh' IL
| is claimed.
| DR.. Morrison will soon return to the Con-
| go Free State. but hopes to have something
| accomplished before he goes back.
Many Congressman Make Calls.
| large number of congressional callers
entered the executive offices. but their
visits were almost wholly of respect. The
list included Senators Mallory, Long, War
rem. Mitchell and Fulton, and Representa-
| tives Scott Kansas; Reader. Kansas: La
cey. Martin Burke, Foster of Vermont,
| Gaines ard Dayton of West Virginia, Grad
ner and Loudenslager of New Jersey, Gran
and Wilson of Illinois, Goulden or New
| York Hldebrand, Hinshaw. Holiday
| Grosvenor, Gibson. Perkins and Binger
Herman of Oregon.
Renresentative Jones of Washington pre-
scented Jesse Frye, United States attorney
| of that state.
| Henry Oxnard, the beet sugar king. Ed
| ward Rosewater OF Omaha, Victor Gillian
! the cartoonist, and John A. Slecher OF
| Frank Leslie's were among the other cali
ers.
| The President shook hands with the pu-
nils composing the history classes OF the
| Lansdowne public school OF Baltimore
The Result in Maryland.
| Senator McComas, looking none the worse
! for his hard campaign in Maryland, saw
and talked with the President. 1.-The result
| in Maryland was due to the complicated
| ballot system and to the springing Of the