Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-12
CUBAN RECIPROCITY
BILL TO MAKE TREATY Eff
FECTIvE INTRODUCED.
It is Referred to the Ways and Means
Committee, Which Will Meet To-
morrow to Take It UP.

Mr.. Payne today introduced in the House
a bill making effective the Cuban reciproc-
ity treaty. The measure was referred to the
ways and means committee. Chairman
Payne will call that committee together to-
morrow to consider the bill.
The following is the full text Of the meas
ure: That whenever the President of the
United States shall receive satisfactory evil
dence that the republic of Cuba has made
provision to give full effect to the articles
of the convention between the United States
and the republic of Cuba, signed on the
eleventh day of December in the year one
thousand nine hundred and two he is here
by authorized to issue his proclama Ion de-
claring that he has received such evidence
and thereupon on the tenth day after ex-
change of notifications of such convention
between the United States and the republic
| of Cuba, and so long as the said conven-
ton shall remain in force, all articles of
merchandise being the product of the soil
or industry of the republic of Cuba which
are now imported into the United States
free of duty shall continue to be SO adj
mftted free of duty, and all other articles
of merchandise being the product of the
soil or industry of the republic of Cuba i'm
ported into the United States shall be adj
mitted at a reduction of twenty per centum
of the rates of duty thereon, as provided
by the tariff act of the United States, APP
proved July twenty-fourth, one thousand
elSHt hundred ana n1nety-SeVen, or as may
be provided by any tariff law of the United
States subsequently enacted The rates of
duty herein granted by the United States
to the republic of Cuba are and shall con-
tinue during the term Of said convention
preferential in respect to all like imports
from other countries:
Provided that while said convention is
In force no sugar imported from the repub-
lie of Cuba and being the product of the
soil or industry of the republic of Cuba
shall be admitted into the United States
at a reduction of duty greater than twenty
per centum of the rates of duty thereon as
provided by the tariff act of the United
States approved July "a, 1897, and no sugar
the product of any other foreign country
shall be admitted by treaty or convention
into the United States while this convention
is in force, at a lower rate of duty than
that provided by the tariff act of the United
States approved July "a, 1897, and provided
further that nothing herein contained shall
be held or constructed as an admission on
the part of the House of Representatives
that customs duties can be changed other
wise than by an act of Congress original
Ing in said House.
Section 9. That so long as said conven-
ton shall remain in force the laws and reg
ulations adopted or that may be adopted
by the United States to protect the reve-
nues and prevent fraud in the declarations
and proofs that the articles of merchan-
disc to which said convention may apply
are the product or manufacture of the re-
public of Cuba shall not impose any ad-
ticles imported, excepting the consular fees
established, or which may be established
by the United States for issuing shipping
documents, which fees shall not he higher
tnan those charged on the shipments of
similar merchandise from any other nation
whatsoever; that articles of the republic
or Cuba shall receive, their importation
into the ports of the United States treat
ment equal to that which similar articles
of the United States shall receive on their
importation into the ports of the republic
or Cuba; that any tax or charge that may
De imposed by the national or local authori-
ties of the United States upon the articles
OF merchandise of the republic of Cuba en-
braced in the articles of said convention
SUBSEQUENT to said importation and prior to
tnelr entering into consumption into the
United States shall be imposed and collect
ed without discrimination upon like articles
whencesoever imported
Smooth Sailing Promised.
Smooth sailing and speedy passage is as
sured the Cuban reciprocity bill in the
House. A movement is on foot to hold a
democratic caucus Saturday night to de-
termine whether the democrats shall at
tempt to embarrass the bill with a provision
removing the differential on sugar, but as
the republicans expect to bring in their bill
under convoy of a rule from the committee
on rules. as a defense against amendments
it is not in evidence that the democrats
could carry out an attempted amendment.
In the Senate there are no signs of trouble
yet. There is one provision in the House
bill which might be calculated to cause
some discussion the proviso that nothing
herein contained shall be held or construed
as an admission on the part of the House of
Representatives that customs duties can be
changed otherwise than by an act of Con-
gress originating in said House."
1nasmuch, however. as this is in line with
the contention of democratic Senators held
in the past it is not believed that demo-
Gratis will object to that proviso.
Republican leaders of the Senate said to-
day that there would be no objection on
their part to the provision in the House bill.
In fact, as stated in The Star yesterday an
agreement on that point between House and
Senate leaders has already been reached
and was contaminated in the presence of
night.