The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-03-24


reciprocal relations proposed by the
treaty, and commended that the only ad-
. vantage Cuba would have over the
United States in the production OF
sugar would be found in the fact that
the Cuban soil is somehow better
adapted to that industry than is ours.
On the conclusion of Mr.. Simmons
speech voting began. The committee
on foreign relations announced through
Senator Cullom, it's chairman, the ac-
ceptance of two amendments in addi-
ton to those already recommended
by the committee. The first of these
was the amendment increasing the
rate of reduction on flour, corn meal
and corn imported into Cuba from the
United States. Senator Nelson spoke
yesterday in support of IN amend
ment along these lines, and Senator
Burton prepared the amendment. AS
! offered it provided for a reduction of
40 percent, but the committee modi-
fled the amendment SO as to provide
for a reduction of 80 per cent.
/ The other amendment by the COM
mittee was suggested by Senator Ba-
con and fixed a uniform reduction of
| 80 per cent on American cotton goods
imported into Cuba. The only aye and
nay vote taken on the committee
amendments was on the amendment
adopted some time ago by the sugar
republican senators, providing
against further treaty reduction duty
on sugar imported into the United
States for the next five years, or while
the treaty remains in force. A divi-
sion was called for on this amendment,
and it was sustained by a majority Of
% votes, the vote being A for the
amendment and % against it, the
negative votes being cast by demo-
Gratis. The other committee amend
ments, including those accepted today
and the amendment making the ap-
prevail of the entire congress neces-
sary to render the treaty effective,
then. was read.
After the committee amendments
had been accepted the democrats Of
fered a number Of amendments, but
they were all voted down by a strict
party vote. One of these amendments
provided for the striking out of arti-
Gle 6 of the treaty, which makes
specific declaration against the grant
ing of any concession to American
tobacco imported into Cuba. That
article was left just as it was when
the treaty was sent to the senate. The
amendment to strike out article 6
was offered by Senator McEnery, as
was also another amendment provid-
ing for the admission of American rice
into Cuba free of duty.
Senator Foster presented an amend
ment providing that the treaty shall
not go into effect until Cuba should
accept the Chinese exclusion laws of
the United States, but it, like the Nc
Emery amendment, met defeat. Sen
ator Newlands withdrew his amend
ment authorizing the United States to
issue an invitation to Cuba to enter
the union and become a state thereof,
but gave notice that he would renew
it when the question of approving the
treaty should come up in the next
regular session.
When the result of the vote on rat
ures were announced from the chair,
and the presiding officer stated that as
the treaty had received the necessary
tWo-thirds vote, it had been ratified.
Senators Allison and Cockrell were
appointed a committee to wait on the
president and notify him that if he
had no further communications to
make to the senate the senate was
ready to adjourn. These two senators,
the two Oldest in point of service in
the senate, Immediately took their de-
parture for the white house, but they
had scarcely left the chamber when
the senate found itself again plunged
into controversy. The question this
time was whether the debate on the
canal treaty, which had taken place
after the calling in of the official re-
porters, should be given to the public.
About an hour was spent on this sub
ject, the deabte being merely the
same as that of yesterday on the
same subject.
Ultimately the difficulty was COM
promised by a suggestion made by
Senator German that all the speeches
should be made public, but that none
Of them should be given out except