The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-09-12

49, -
the admission of the two territories
as 1t was first proposed. There was a
lobby evidence in Washington, and 1T
worked literally night and day to de-
feat In the senate the statehood bill
| as 1t had passed the lower house.
The Ohio senator paid no attention
at all to the stories of outside infu-
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 it is this sort of sticking to
one course no matter how the tides
| and the winds may set in and blow,
that kept Mr.. Foraker's 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 nine-tenths
Of them think that he ought not to
have done.
If the Ohio state convention of sew
eral years ago had declared specifical-
ly in its platform that a 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 his
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-
ton to that spent for the prosecution
Of the war against Spain. Eight years
ago President Roosevelt called con-
gress together in extraordinary SEES
sion for the express purpose OF dis
cussing a measure Of trade reciprocity
with the island which had just taken
place among the independent ma
lions 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.
tons 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 ia 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 1t 1t went tc
the floor for debate and there both
the Democrats and the Republicans
tried their best to make political can
ital out OF the legislation. The Dem
ocrats held that the Republicans were
coming over to their way of thinking
and that the Cubans could thank thei,
stars that Democratic doctrine had
prevailed.
The Republicans held that reciproc
ity was principle of the party EN-
phasized by James G. Blaine and late,
by William Mckinley. At is was. the
bill went through the house practical
~ unanimously, and 1t was sent over
to the senate in plenty OF time TO,
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 4
deliberate body. almost maddeninxly