New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-13
TANGLE IN CONGRESS.
TIE PUERTO RICAN PROBLEM
A HARD ONE TO SOLVE.
NO AGREEMENT REACHED AFTER A
DAY OF CONFERENCES AMONG
REPUBLICAN SENATOR'S


Washington March 12.-The Puerto RiCan bill
was not debated to-day in the Senate but it
was the subject of many and earnest consuIta-
tfons among Republican Senator'S throughout
the day and when the hour Of adjournment ar
rived the wisest and most sagaciOus Republican
leaders were not able 20 express intelligent
opinion as TO the probable outcome. Whether
there should be absolute free trade between the
United States and Puerto Rico; whether the
civil government features of the pending bill
should be dropped and what remained should be
Incorporated amendment TO the Puerto
Rican Relief BILL and whether the pending bill
should be dropped and effort made to pass
a bin providing a full-fiedged Ter toral gov
ernment for Puerto Rico. were among the ques-
tions which were earnestly discussed.
SENATOR FORAKER'S ATTITUDE.
Chairman Foraker, who reported the bill TO
the Senate, was and IS strongly opposed to drop
ping the civil government provisions. and indi-
Gated an intention, in case the proposition should
not be abandoned, to move as a substitute the
bill offered by NIr Cooper in the House OF Rep
resentatives or one similar to II. He also indi-
Gated a purpose to offer an amendment to the
bill now before the Senate, so as to give Puerto
Rico unrestricted trade except as to coffee I'M
ported into the island, thus reserving the con-
stitutional question TO be judciaIly settled by
the Supreme Court of the United States. It
was also suggested 10 him by one or two Repub-
Iican Senators that it might be a good plan TO
move the pending bill civil government pro-
visions included, amendment TO the Puerto
Rican relief bill. A number Of other sugges-
tions as to the parliamentary procedure in
regard TO the bill also tentatively offered
and discussed and the tangle of uncertainty
appeared to grow more and more intricate as
the day wore on one Senator this afternoon
expressed the opinion that the Puerto Rican
question is in such a snar that it is possible
that nothing will be done, and that DingIey
duties will continue to be imposed on Puerto
Rican products and the existing rates of duties
collected on imports from the United States into
Puerto Rico" That is an extreme contingency
which nearly everybody, especially in Congress-
is most anxious TO avoid.
WIDE DIVERGENCE OF OPINION
A general desire was also expressed among
Senator'S to-day that something should be done
which would take the administration OF affairs
in Puerto Rico out of the hands of the mill
tary authorities ard place it in the custody of
civil administrators, but TO this proposition
also there are wide diversities Of opinion con-
cerning matters of detail The President one
prominent Senator remarked, is of the opinion
that the pending bill goes somewhat too far in
that direction, although he favors the transfer
from military to civil administration. A num-
ber of Senators, on the other hand, do not think
the provisions Of the pending bill go far enough
in that direction, a few favor a full hedged
territorial government, and a number would
heartily support for the temporary government
of Puerto Rico an enactment similar TO that
proposed for the Philippines.
With the exception OF two or three Senator's
the Republicans are firmly united in support of
the rrODOsitiOn that Congress has nlana.,, r,o,.-
regarding legislation for Puerto Rico as well as
for the Philippines. and there is a unanimous
desire to have the contention over that propo-
sition settled for all time by a decision from the
Supreme Court. Al the same time. there appears
TO be some danger that a result Of other con-
tentions which have arisen. especially in regard
10 the proposed civil government. there may be
a failure TO provide adequate revenues for the
support Of that any form of government and
for making suitable provisions for public schools
and internal improvements
Senator Hoar to-day introduced an amendment
to the Puerto Rican bill providing for the free
admission into the island of fish. leather and
agricultural Implements from the United States
ANXIETY SHOWN IN THE HOUSE.
OF course, considerable anxiety prevails among
Republican members OF the House regarding the
Senate's probable action The sentiment there
against speedy Legislation 10 establish a civil
government appears to be stronger and more
general than it is in the Senate although the
Committee on Insular Affairs is working dill
gently to frame and bring forward a bill for
that object, which is much more elaborate in It's
provisions than the one now pending in the
Senate
The Insular Committee OF the House has its
hands full of Puerto Rican matters Just now
There Is a strong demand for speedy legislation