Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-03-19
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.


in the senate and continued interrupt
| eddy for four and half hours. The
principal speakers were Senators For
/ aker (rep., Ohio, in charge of the
measure and Pettus (dem, Ala.). but
| at various times during the debate
lively colloquies occurred in which
| other senators were participants Sem
| ator Pettus delivered a carefully pre-
pared speech in opposition to the pend
ing bill. He argued that it was unusu-
al, and in violation of the principles of
this government as laid down bv the
1athers OF the country. He congratu-
lated the president on the position he
| had taken in his last annual message
faVorlng free trade between the United
States and Porto Rico. Senator Fora
ker replied the mortgage indebtedness
OF the island is $26,000,000. The United
Estates government has extended the
Time Tor its payment of that debt for
eighteen months and If necessary the
time will be extended again. Senator
FORAKER explained the provisions of
the bill, showing that all internal rev.
enue taxes and customs duties aggre-
eating $2,OO0,000, instead of being paid
into the United States treasury. as has
peen the case in every other territory.
would go into the treasury of the ISL
and and be used solely for the benefit
OF the Porto Ricans. Senator Foraker
SAID It was generally understood that
all sugar and tobacco now on the ISL
and was owned by the sugar and tobac-
co trusts. If this were true. he said
the imposition of the tariff produced
would fall upon those well able to bear
it and contribute at least that much
to the suffering Porto Ricans. Senator
Foraker became involved in coIloouy
with Senator Hoar as to the powers of
congress to levy such duty. The cues
ton, said Senator Foraker. will have
to be determined ultimately by the
supreme court of the United States
II we cannot levy duty on the prod
ucts OF Porto Rico we cannot levy a.
duty on those from the Philippines If
the Philippines are now a part of the
United States and if we cannot lew
y
tariff on their products we might lust
as we'll dismiss the customs house and
go out OF the protection business" He
thought the Philippines could not be
dealt with as it was proposed to deal
with Porto Rico. Senator Tillman
asked Then the contention is that
we can take Porto Rico under our
wing and protect her to the utmost but
cannot do the same thing for the Phil
lpplnes? Replying to a question
from Senator Teller, Senator Foraker
said he regarded Porto Rico as a de-
tendency of the United States. not as
an integral part of it. Senator Hoar
made closing observation in which |
he took sharp issue with the principles
enunciated by Senator Foraker. He /
held that the doctrine proposed to be
applied to Porto Rico and the Philip
pines would result in despotism.
Washington, March 8.-The house
unseated Castor A. Robbins, democrat
from the 4th Alabama district, and
seated in his stead William
F. Aldrich, republican, who has I
been three times contestant from
the same district. He is now given the
seat for the third time by republican
house. The vote was strict party
one. Mr.. Aldrich was sworn in.
Washington, March 9.-The discus
sion Of Senator Mason's resolution ex-
sympathy for the beers,
was conducted in the. senate behind
closed doors. Senator Hale spoke for
the beers, as did also Senator Mason.
The feature of the open session was
the speech of Senator Lindsay (dAm,
Ky) opposing the Porto Rican tariff
measure.
Washington, Marth 9.-The only in
cident Of the house session was
brisk exchange between Mr. Loud (rep.,
CALI and Mr.. Sulloway (rep., n H)
upon the gene1 Il policy of special PEN
sion legislation, in which the former
and the latter defended the
system Mr. Loud said 95 per cent. of
the special bills passed by congress
never should have been fayorably con-
sidered.
Washington, March 1O.-While the
senate had the diplomatic consular
bill under consideration,
a lively debate was precipitated by the
Hoar amendment, proposing to give
former Queen Iilioukalani of Hawaii |
$4,000 and an annuity of $4,000. The
amendment was tabled finally without /
division and the pending bill was
tabled finally without division and the |
passed with minor amendments. The |
remainder of the session was devoted |
to eulogies on the late M. L. Hayward.
The house agreed to take up the bill
providing a government for Hawaii on
April 8, the final vote to be taken
April at f. Consideration of the
Wise-Young election contest was re-
sumed and occupied the remainder of
+ha session