The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-12
EIGHT
Continued From First Page.

Q2mQaDie cndTReF ItitCIdltQ OlA LII ANSA
today, was baseless and false. Continu-
ing, he pointed out the reasons which
had led the president and his advisers to
change their opinions. New information
as to conditions had been obtained. The
Republican party was a practical party.
1t met conditions as they arose. 1t had
risen to the occasion and had framed this
bill, founded upon justice and wisdom
Mr. Jones (Va.) followed on the DEM
ocratic side. He devoted himself princi-
palIy to the civil government features of
the bill.
Mr.. Richardson then yielded thirty min
utes to Mr.. Mccall (Mass.), viii divided
his time among the Republican opponents
Of the bill First Mr.. H. c. Smith (Mich.)
stated the grounds Of his opposition. He
believed with Bismarck that the world
was ruled from above, not below, and
that the god of nations and of battles
points the victory to the right Now was
the exalted opportunity Of this country,
he said, and it should be the Republican
party which should lead it. But as be-
lever in the survival of the good and
the true, he said he could not bring his
conscience to support the bill. It was
piece of bad faith, against the people of
Porto Rico, who had fallen upon their
knees to the stars and stripes. General
Miles promise then should, he said, be
redeemed. Good morals demanded it.
Mr.. Warner Qll) urge the same ground
of objection The bill was, he said, a
breach of trust. eff this measure be
adopted he said, mo people can safely
become a part Of US, as they can have
no assurance of their status or treat
ment. We might as well write upon our
borders: All hope abandon, ye who enter
here"
Mr.. Crumpacker Qnd) in the minute al
lowed him. argued that the bill was fund
amentally wrong, contrary to the his
tory and traditions of the party to which
he belonged. The first platform of the
Republican party, he said declared that
the constitution carried political liberty
TO the people Of the territories as well as
the states and that declaration was as
true now as it was then.
Mr.. O'Grady and Mr. Hamilton (Mich.)
each spoke for a few minutes in support
of the bill.
Mr.. Lorimer Qll) delivered a ten-min-
which he elected frequent applause from
the opposition 81 have always favored
civil government for Uorto Rico he
saih but 1 have only thought of CIV
inea2he people of that island such govern
ment as free men shrould give to those
who come under their control by con-
quest or otherwise. I will only vote for
a civil government bill when it will give
them such government as we would ac-
cept for. ourselves. I am sure this meas
ure would not be accepted by any man
favoring it on the floor of this house if
the conditions were reversed, and were 1t
in his power to resist it."
Mr. Mccall (Mass.) was the last Re-
publican who antagonized the bill. 'Mr.
Speaker said he, sit may be well to
consider for a moment the sourse of
events since this bill first came into the
house. The committee on ways and means
Of which 7 have the honor to be a mem
Der, apparently misconstruing the mess
age of the president, voted to impose
plain duty of % per cent. The situation
has materially changed since that time
The duty has been decreased to Is per
cent Instead of being permanent in
form, it is self-repealing inside of two
years and may be repealed by the terri
torial egisa ture in two months. So much,
Mr.. Speaker, for what has been conceded
upon the question Of the tariff. When
we consider the arguments that were ad-
vanced in support Of the measure as 1t
was first presented here, and compare it
with the constitutional situation today,
f-1 " obo
was predicated upon the proposition that
congress was acting under general pow
ers of sovereignty outside of the consti-
tuition and was subject to no limitations
whatever. 1t may have occurred to you
who have been reading speeches recently
delivered. that 1t is now sought to bring
this duty strictly under the terms of the
constitution and 1t is now maintained
that 1t is constitutional. Some of my
colleagues who do not agree with me
have declared the doctrine which l have
asserted here, purely for ad oaptandum
purposes. as the doctrine of John c. Cal
houn. l have disputed the despotic pow
er on the part of congress. The doctrine
favor is the doctrine of every justice
who has spoken on this subject from our
Republican party, and-I assert It here in
the presence of the gentleman from Penn
sylvania who today made a contrary as
eertlon-it is the doctarine OF the Re-
publican platforms of 1856 and of 1860,
and 1t is the doctrine of Abraham Lin
coin"
In conclusion, he said that the proposal
to tax the products Of Porto Rico had
aroused indignation everywhere. 1t had
the whole country into
Boston tea party. Democratic applause)
Messrs Maddox (Ga), Williams Ull), |
Swanson Va.) and Newlands New op-
posed the bill in very brief but vigorous
speeches. The last named criticised the
civil government feature OF the measure !
He declared that If the house were I'M
trammeled It would vote overwhelmingly
to permit a delegate from Porto Rico TO
sit on the floor Of the house.
Mr.. Dalzell arose at this point TO cor
rect an inadvertent remark he had made |
earlier in the day about q subsidized re-
publican press. He had not intended to
use such a remark. and he desired to cor |
rect 1t publicly.
Mr.. Rhea CKy.) said the civil govern
ment feature of the bill presented some |
novel propositions It proposed % govern /