The Washington weekly post., 1900-03-20
UNFOLDING PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Growing Sentiment rhnt IL Would BE a
serious Mistake TO Concur i'm the Action
Of the Hou.e-Repabiican Represcnfa-
tive. Eager for nm OpportInity TO Vote for
Right with Their Constituents.

10 give Tree lrOEt 10 TIE ttTiO IAACdllS u
just as plain now as in December last il
growing Senator Beveridge gave voice
10 this belief yesterday by introducing
a free trade amendment, and announcing
in an interview that he was in entire
harmony with the President" Asser-
tions were quite numerous at the Capitol
during the cay that the President was not
now inSistent upon the passage Of the
House bill; that lis chief ecncern was 70
see harmony IN the party. The candid
talks a the White House by conservative
Republicans have made an impression.
There are eleven Republican Senator's
who are outspoken for free trade with the
island. and If the names Of Senator's who
believe in the principle of the proposition
should be given the lis would be quite
extended.
The peace committee of seven. which
has been intTusted with the duty of So
curing. If possible, unity Of action, did
not hold any meeting yesterday. Senator
Spooner was absent. besides which it was
quite apparent that the members OF the
committee were not in any haste 10 Sc
cure an agreement AS stated in The
Post last week, there is rot the slightest
possibility Of a vote beinG reached during
the absence Of Senators Aldrich, Platt,
and Teller in Cuba
In the meantime the individual men,
bers of the committee are laboring earn
estly to bring about compromise that
will enable the Republicans in the Senate
to vote together.
senator Bevcridge's Amendment.
Senator Beveridge's amendment to the
Porto Rican bill is as follows:
Porto Rico or going into Porto Rico from the
United States shall be admitted free OF duty. bat
this act shall not be construed as extending the
Constitution Of the United States any part thereof
Porto Rico and 1t ia hereby declared that the
Constitution CT the United States is not extended
Porto Rico.
Mr.. Beveridge will make this amendment
the text Of a speech on Thursday. He
made the following statement to the press
in connection with it:
I'VE have followed the Presidents sug-
gestion appropriating 100000 for the i'm
mediate relief of Porto Rico which Is
more than the House bill would have
given the island in the entire two years of
its life. This removes the reason which
members had for voting for the bill and
restores US to the position first announced
by the President. On the great principle
involved / am in entire harmony with the
President. The object Of my amendment
Is the same as that OF Senator Davis
amendment, but the latter extends all OF
the taxation and revenue provisions Of
the Constitution over Porto Rico, and
when any part of the Constitution is ex-
tended 1t is there forever. II may be that
experience will demonstrate that We shall
want to change the laws of taxation OF
Porto Rico, and If so, fear that the ex-
tension of the taxing provision OF the
Constitution would prevent U.S. On all
questions of power Congress should be
left with an absolutely free and unshack-
led hand"
Confident of Solution.
The situation in the Senate. briefly
stated, is this: II the House bill should
De pushed to a vote at once as a party
measure. supported by the President, it
would command majority vote. A feel
iEg or loyalty to party would prompt Re
publican Senators to vote for the bill re-
gardless Of their firm conviction that il is
serious mistake. There are not a few
Republicans, however, who would vote
against II in any event, In spite Of caucus
or party whip. The revolt in the Senate
would doubtless be larger proportionately
than in the House on a direct tariff vote
But, as stated in The Post yesterday,
some of the strongest Senator's on the
Republican side are confident that ulti-
niately a solution OF the problem will be
found that will uphold the principle in
the Message and set Congress and the
administration right before the country.
There is no likelihood OF Republican Sem
ators being pat to the test of breaking
with their party.
The pressure from the House is of two
varieties. The leaders, Of course, want
the Senate TO sustain them by passing
the House bill. They declare that any
other course will be disastrous On the
other hand, Republican Representatives
who voted for the bill are now urging
the Senate to vote for free trade, so that
when the bill comes back to the House
they Will have chance to square them
selves with their constituents
Dir. Baker OF Kansas for instance who
has hitherto favored the tariff and who
has not yet changed his opinion, has
heard from the Representatives Of his
State, who are now eager for an opDor-
tunlty 10 go on record for free trade
the longer that the vote is delayed. the
more they hear from their States and
their original devotion to the tariff bill is
daily growing less.
Di ffirtoFy Gecuited.
II was recalled yesterday that in the
exciting days before the war with Spain
the great majority OF the Republican
Senator'S were entirely opposed to any ae-
ton which even in the slightest degree
hinted al the settlement of the Cuban
question by actual war All the con-
servatives were antagonistic to the war
idea. The leaders labored diligently. in
md T.uHs -
Senators, with clearer foresight. realized
must be the final and only outcome
II was during those critical days, when
even the Presidents position was not un-
swerving. that a dozen Senator's COM
bined together 10 keep the Republican
party from making a fatal MISTAKE.
Messrs- Chandler, Mason, Lodge, Thurs
ton. Proctor, Gallinger. Foraker-tnese
and one or two other Senators met daily
acted IN concert. stiffened the backbone OF
their fearful colleagues. and finally se-
cured the settlement OF the Cuban oies-
ton, with credit 20 American statesman
ship and glory 70 American arms. I. Is
IN uhe power OF the Senators who 20
DAY are conscious that they are right on
lhe Porto Rican tariff question 10 ar
complish an equally satisfactory result.
In this instance. moreover, their task Is
easier than was the work performed BIZ
tbc ENsurstHt senators before the Epan
ish war. In the latter case public int.r-
est was not manifested 20 the same de-
gree mat II Is al present. Every Senator
VINO now votes for free trade knows .ha.
ne acts In accordance with the wishes Of
the people OF his State and Of the country.
The Civil Government Rtii.
In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Foraker
called Gp the Porto Rican government
and tariff bill for the purpose, as he er-
piained. OF perfeciing the oil, 50 far as
possible from the standpoint OF the com
mittee In order that a reprint might be
had Of the measure
fhe first amendment suggested by Mr.
Foraker related 20 the citizenship OF thA
Inhabitants OF Porto Rico As reported
the bill provides that the inhsba,ants OF
Porto Rico shall be citizens OF the INIT,
ed states the amendment offered by Nr
Foraker inserted some words after the
term "cf'iz@ns" raakinz the paragraph
read. Shall be deemed and held 10 be
citizens Of Porto Rico and as such entitled
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