Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-10
DECIDED TO REPORT
Action of Committee on the Porto
Rican Bill,
THE Vote Was EIGHT TO FIVE
On Party Lines With Exception of
Mr.. Mccall.
TO PASS BY SMALL MARGIN

AT a special meeting of the ways and
means committee held today 1t was decided
by vote of S to 5 to report the Porto Rico
bill as 1t passed the Senate. without amend
ment, and to move a concurrence in the
Senate amendments. This means the ac-
ceptance of the territorial form of govern
ment for Porto Rico. as added to the bill
by the Senate, and other minor changes on
the tariff and other features.
The vote on concurring in the Senate bill
vas on party lines, with the exception of
Mr.. Mccall of Massachusetts, the republi-
can member of the committee who first dis
sented from the bill. The full vote was as
follows:
Yeas-Payne, Dalzell. Hopkins, Grosvenor,
russell, Dolliver, Steele and Long, all re-
pubiicanS-S.
Nays-McCall repub!ican). Richardson.
Swanson, Mcclellan and Underwood, demo-
crats-5.
The vote was not preceded by any ex-
tended discussion, Mr.. Grosvenor promptly
making the motion to concur and report.
1t was made known during the meeting
that the bill would be taken up tomorrow,
and a strong intimation given that the
pan contemplated was to allow each side
two hours.
A meeting of the rules committee has
been called for II o'clock tomorrow MORN
ing, when the question of a special rule fix
ing the time and duration Of debate will be
determined If two hours on each side is
allowed the vote Will come late in the day
If at all tomorrow, as considerable time will
be spent i'll passing the special rule.
AS to the final result of the vote there
continues to be much doubt and not a lit
tie anxiety on the republican side owing to
the extremely narrow margin between the
two sides.
Representative Long. the republican
whip, said: There is too much doubt to
venture prediction. The situation is sum-
med up thus: The republican majority in
the House is 10; there are y republicans
against the bill: that leaves d majority of
only 3. 1t is an extremely narrow margin"
Representative Underwood, the demo-
cratic whip. said: I'VE will have every
man present. except two sick in bed. There
will be no democratic votes for the bill.
This will make the vote very close and we
hope to prevent concurrence.
Will Pass by Small Margin.
The bedrock calculation on the Porto
Rican tariff bill is that the motion made in
behalf of the ways and means committee
tomorrow to concur in the Senate amend
ments will be adopted by a majority Of
from 3 to 5, and the bill will go to the
President for his signature No one can
tell with absolute certainty what will be
Gone by men who have privately declared
their purpose to vote against the bill. but
have refused to make their opposition
public or give any pledges. Experience
teaches that men in this attitude are pc
culiarly subject to party pressure. and
even those who are conducting the fight
against the bill are not counting upon this
concealed opposition. Democratic leaders
say that there will be no democratic votes
cast in favor of the ways and means mo-
ton The small band of republicans in
ayowed opposition to the bill have not been
able to figure out confidently acquisitions
TO their forces sufficient to bring it up to
ten which is reckoned as the necessary
number Of republican votes to defeat the
10
who declared they would vote with the
opposition have changed their minds. and
therefore those who are not pledged are
not counted on 1t is claimed. however
tEat there will be three more republican
votes against the bill in addition to the
six who originally voted with the opposi-
ton.
The republican managers express perfect
confidence that the motion Of the ways
ana means committee will be carried by
about the majority the bill had when it
originally passed the House. While it is
possible that no democratic vote will he
cast for the bill. there is the contingency
of absenteeism to be considered and it is
not improbable that there may be two or
three democrats absent without pairs.
A Gain for the Opposition.
Representative H. C. Smith of Michigan
IS one of the recruits of the republican op-
position to the Porto Rican tariff bill. and
1t Is understood that he will vote against
the bill The Michigan republicans of the
House are to hold a conference this after
noon, the purpose Of which Is said to be to
whip Mr.. Smith into line. The following
kilograms have been received by Mr. Smith
urging him to stand out against the tariff:
ADRIAN, Mich.
Henry c. Smith, NJ. c.:
Better an outcast with principle than
king without. Vote no.
Signed) IF. E. ANDREWS"
Mr.. Andrews is chairman Of the republi
can committee of the district which MT
Smith represents.
Another, from F. r. Metcaf, director of
the census for Michigan. says:
stand frm; vote against the bill If the
heavens fall
Another, from Milo c. Campbell state
commissioner of insurance, says:
Stand by your own convictions though
the heavens fall
Another. signed by Seth C. CrandalI, state
oil inspector. says:
"Ninety-eight per cent of Washtenaw
voters are for free trade with Porto Rico
Don't be bulldozed.''