The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-16

the pending bill was a horn of that dilem-
ma. by which they were attempting TO
evade'it
4 believe" he continued. that the ap-
propriation ought to be made. and made
at once, / believe the circumstances JUS
tify it"
Mr. Foraker suggested that the rresi-
dent should be allowed 10 grant relief To
the coffee industry in Porto Rico. and ne
offered an amendment 60 add to The bill
the weTds. Including agricultural relief
Mr.. Spoouer. taking up Mr Coakreli $
reference to the Republican "dil 'mma.
said: II We are In any dilemma We VIII
enicayor, in a straightforward. manly way,
in the interest Of the people, 10 tiul our
way out Of il. We supposed that this hll
would not be debated or delayed. We did
not suppose that proposition TO care for
the people of Porto Rico in the hour of
their dire distress. would be antagGHiZed
in any way or that there would be any
thing projected into it, or any amendment
on questions of dispute between US. We
knew perfectly well that when the other
Porto Rican bill came before the Senate,
1t would be subjected to almost irTeslstl-
BILE and earnest debate; and we felt that
it would not be fair to that people, rot
fair to ourselves, not honorable 10 this
Government to hold back the appropria-
tion.
IF the courts. in the causes now pend
ing hold that the importers are entitled
to refund OF the duties paid by them,
they will get it. Let us go on with this
proposition. without bedeviling 1t with
anne ndments OF this sort. hope the Sena-
tor from Arkansas will withdraw his
amendment and let this bill pass. The
other questions We will discuss and fight
out later
Mr. Bacon said he should vote for The
bill although it went further than was
requisite. He sent 10 the Clerks desk,
and had read. paper signed by merchants
in Porto Rico advocating free trade. direct
taxes. and their right to raise money by
lean This paper was neutraiized ny ex-
tracts from the San Juan News" OF March
3. taking opposite grounds. which Mr..
Foraker sent TO the Clerks desk and had
read.
Mr. Allen offered an amendment declar-
ing that under the Treaty of Paris the
Constitution was, by its own force, eX-
tended over Porto Rico and its inhabitants.
Mr.. Allison asked unanimous consent to
have the vote on the bill taken today,
but objection was made by Mr.. Pettus.
Mr.. Pettigrew argued that there was
no actual necessity for the bill, ard that
1t was political eXigency' that had
brought II into being. The Army officer
governing the territory had all the power
necessary to spend money for the benefit
of the people of Porto Rico, The bill, he
declared. was simply a sop, thrown to
people who had been Republicans. and who
were now clamoring against the Republi-
can party and demanding that it carry out
its pledges and not betray its honor. In
that connection Mr. Pettigrew referred to
the cigarmakerS all over the country and
to the fruit raisers in California as those
whose favor the Republican party was
striving 10 retain.
Mr Fairbanks replied to Mr.. Pettigrew's
remarks and declared that great distress
did exist in Porto Rico, and that the bill
was intended to meet that distress in
plain, straightforward, practical way.
Mr.. Hour's Argument.
At this point the Quay case was brought
up by Mr.. Penrose. The discussion on that
subject is referred to elsewhere. At its
conclusion, the Porto Rican bill being still
before the Senate, Mr.. Hoar said:
Il differ widely with many persons with
whom I have been accustomed to act in
the past. in relation to the constitutional
right. the public policy, and the course of
dealing with dependencies of the United
States, on which many gentlemen desire
to enter | have not in the least changed
or modified the opinions I have hereto
fore expressed. except that the study or
the history of the last twelve months has
confirmed and strengthened my original
convicticns.
Il have read the state papers of the
leaders OF the people of the Philippine
Islands I have read their modest, tenn
perate, eloquent appeals to the justice
aud the love Of liberty OF the people of
the United States. And | hope and be-
Iieye that somehow, in future not far
distant, these appeals will make their way
TO the conscience and justice of the Ameri-
can people. But | cannot disregard the
fact that a committee of the Senate. whic5
we all trust tells US that there is
present and most extensive distress in the
island of Porto Rico, whose people have
become (whether fortunately or unfor-
tunately) dependent on the legislative
powers of the people of the United States"
The Porto Rican Tariff Appropriation bill
went over without action and without
decision being reached as to its disposition.
During the morning hour Mr.. Jones OF
Arkansas introduced the following reSoIu-
ton, which was agreed to:
Whereas frequent complaints are being made
from many section, OF the Indian Territory that
the town site commissioners arc incompetent,
ira;tentive to their duties, and are not discharS-
ing. the duties incumbent upon them,
R1solyed. That the Committee on Indian AZ.
fairs hc directed TO enquire into the truth Oi
these allegations ard report to the Senate.
Messrs Mcmillan and Penrose each intro
duccd bills providing for the opening of
libraries in Manila for the tenefit OF Amer
leans residing there.
When the morning business had been
concluded Mr. Sullivan took the floor to
deliver the speech on the Philippines, Of
which he had previously given notice. but
yielded to the request Of Mr.. Allison fer
the immediate taking up OF the Porto
Rican Appropriation bill.
The Senate at o'clock adjourned till 10
@ clock today The first two hours OF to-
days session will be directed to the read
ing OF the bill to provide a civil code fer
Alaska.