Show TALK ViTH PRESiDE Conference at the White House Over Cuba CALL MADE BY ROOSEVELT Chief JIaglstrato Desired an Exchange Ex-change of Viows I t tho End That Harmonious Action luight Bo Secured Se-cured in Such Steps as Aro Taken i Behalf oC tho Island Meeting Was Most Pleasant in Character No Conclusion However Reached Another Conference to Be Hed Washington March 24A conference was held at the White House this afternoon after-noon between the President and several Republican members of the House of Representatives who have been foremost fore-most In opposing tho plan of Cuban reciprocity urged by the Ways and Means committee and understood to have the support of the Administration Tho members who called were Representatives sentatives Tawncy and Morris of Minnesota Min-nesota Dick of Ohio William A Smith of Michigan Minor of Wisconsin Met calf of California and Dayton of West Virginia The call was at the request of the President who desired an exchange of views to the end that harmonious action might be secuied In such steps as are taken in behalf of Cuba GEN WOOD NOT PRESENT GovGen Wood has arrived here from Cuba and as several of tho Cabinet were at the White House while the Congressmen were there n report gained circulation that Secretary Root and Gen Wood were present at the conference con-ference This however was not the case as the President and Congressmen Congress-men remained alone In the Cabinet room for the hour and a half that they were together TOOK A WIDE RANGE The talk took a wide range covering the conditions In Cuba What should be done to meet these conditions and also al-so the question of harmonizing con flicting Interests so that there might bo unanimity of action on the part of the Republicans In Congress was the chief topic discussed I WAS PLEASANT CONFERENCE I was stated afterwards by those who participated In the conference that It was of the most admirable nnd pleasant character and that there was not the remotest suggestion on the part of the Chic Executive which par yield thelr < personal convictions J woi GAVE CLOSE ATTENTION On the contrary It was stated that I the President listened to the recital of the difficulties which had rcctal on countered by those who opposed the reciprocity plan and alfto heard from them the various plans by which they had hoped to reach an agreement ONE SIDED ASPECT The callers were frank to concede that they found the President desirous of extending effective relief to Cuba bv o reciprocity plan In this connection It was stated the President drew atten ton to the fact that the Slbley amendment amend-ment limiting the reciprocity period to December 1 1903 gave the Payne bill a rather onesided aspect n It asked Cuba to adopt our naturalization and nltura Immigration laws and give aton tariff concessions without limit of time and In return gave to Cuba tariff Ciba tarl concessions conces-sions limited to about a year and 1 halt ASKED MUCH FROM CUBA Some of the Congressmen present were Inclined to admit that we were asking n great deal from Cuba in re turn for tho little wo would grant to her herThe F The Interchange views became quite quie general there being nothing infhe way of definite propositions one way or the other but merely an agreeable expression expres-sion of opinion as to what was best to b done under all the circumstances of the situation ONE SUGGESTION MADE In the course of this general talk tho suggestion was made that If the Payne bill had been modified so as to take off the differential on refined sugar some sUhar of the grounds of opposition might have been removed However there Was no request so far as can be learned that the bill be amended In this particular at the present stage The plan of re bate whIch was urged at one time also came In for discussion and explanation NO CONCLUSION REACHED At the conclusion of the conference the general understanding < wns reached that any statement made to the public publc would be to the general effect that no conclusions were reached and that the conference was confined to a general Interchange of vicun WILL SEE OTHER MEMBERS I Is understood that the President will see some of the members of the Ways and Means committee tomorrow thus familiarizing himself with both sides of the issue which has recently arisen In the House He hopes that this general Interchange with the leaders from both sides may bring about unanimity una-nimity o action In whatever Is best In behalf of Cuba |