The Paonia progressive and the Paonia newspaper., 1911-07-06


NOR of Mark Twain.
Senator Foraker in addition TO be
ing opposed bitterly to railroad rate
legislation. was the chief stumbling
block In the senate to the securing of
such action on statehood questions
as the president wished TO have
taken Mr. Foraker did not wish TO
see Arizona and New Mexico united.
and he did not hesitate any longer to
take issue with the president on the
matter than be hesitated to take is
sue with his own rate Legislation.
Certain great corporations were
greatly interested in the question OF
the admission OF the two territories
lobby evidence in Washington. and II
worked literally night and day TO de
feat IN the senate the statehood bill
as IL 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 yitriolic in his
speeches on the matter of the admis-
sion OF the territories.
II the Ohio state convention OF sew
eral years ago had declared specihcal-
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. n 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 a 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 srent 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 n measure OF trade reciprocity
with the island which had just taken
n place among the independent ma
tions OF earth.
One OF the most interesting debates
and one of the most interesting situ-
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-
- 4.
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 II 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 1t 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 were
coming over to their way of thinking
and that the Cubans could thank their
stars that Democratic doctrine had
prevailed