Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-07-13

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the admission of the two territories
as it was first proposed. There was a
lobby evidence in Washington, and it
worked literally night and day to de-
feat in the senate the statehood bill
as it had passed the lower house.
The Ohio senator paid no attention
at all to the stories of outside infiu-
ences that were brought to bear to
secure the defeat OF joint statehood.
He at times was vitriolic in his
speeches on the matter of the admis-
sion of the territories. To him every
other mans logic was illogical and
every other mans reasoning was un-
reasonable. Seemingly he cared moth
ing for criticism, and in truth the
senior Ohio senator did care nothing
for criticism.
Possibly 1t is this sort of sticking to
one course no matter how the tides
and the winds may set in and blow,
that kept Mr.. Forakers constituents
at that time loyal to him. even though
they disagreed utterly with that which
he said and did. Certain it is that
they gave him an Endorsement for do
ing that which probably n;ne-tenths
of them think that he ought not to
have done.
II the Ohio state convention of sew
eral years ago had declared specifical-
ly in it's platform that certain law
should be passed by congress the next
winter and Senator Foraker should
have gone to Washington and caused
the defeat of the statute which had
been demanded, a great many OF mis-
constituents doubtless would have
patted him on the back for disobey-
ing them.
The agitation for Canadian reciproc-
ity during the last winter brought
sharply to mind the final success of
the demands to enter into reciprocal
trade agreement with Cuba during
the earlier part of Theodore Roose-
velt's administration.
Cuba already had cost the United
States large sum of money in addi-
tion to that snent for the prosecution
Of the war against Spain. Eight years
ago President Roosevelt called con-
gress together in extraordinary ses-
sion for the express purpose of dis
cussing d measure of trade reciprocity
with the island which had just taken
a place among the independent ma
tions of earth
One of the most interesting debates
and one of the most interesting stu
ations known to legislative history
grew out of the desire of this country
to give Cuba commercial advantages.
In the first instance new trade rela-
tions were provided for by the treaty.
The senate of the United States alone
has to deal with treaties after they
have been drawn in proper form by
the state department and have been
sanctioned by the president 1t Is for
the senate to ratify or to reject
treaties.
Under the Constitution all measures
for the raising of revenues must orig
mate in the house of representatives.
The leaders of the house, knowing
that the trade treaty with Cuba
touched the revenues, objected to the
form of the legislation and insisted
that instead of treaty the reciproc-
ity measure should have its origin in
the lower house of congress. The
reasoning of the house members was
disputed weakly, and the representa-
tives won their point
The Cuban reciprocity treaty be-
came the Cuban reciprocity bill. After
the ways and means committee of the
house had considered it it went to
the floor for debate and there both
the Democrats and the Republicans
tried their best to make political cap
ital out of the legislation. The Dem
ocrats held that the Republicans we're
coming over to their way of thinking
and that the Cubans could thank their
stars that Democratic doctrine had
prevailed.
The Republicans held that reciproc-
ity was principle of the party en-
phasized by James G. Blaine and later
by William Me- .inley. At is was, the
bill went through the house practical
ly unanimously, and it was sent over
to the senate in plenty Of time for
that body to have taken action before
the close Of the extraordinary session
which was to come perforce at the
hour set for the opening of the first
regular meeting OF the Fifty-eighth
congress. The senate. however, is a
deliberate body. almost maddeningiy