Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-02
PORTO RICAN RELIEF
Customs Receipts to Be Applied to
the Island
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE APPLAUDED
Bill Carrying Out Its Purpose
Promptly Passed.
DEM ATS SURPRISED


Virginia who was operated upon for ap-
peDdcitis az the Garfield Hospital in this
city this morning
special message from the President
was read recommending that all the reve-
nue. collected on importations from Porto
Rlco since the evacuation of the island by
SPAIN amounting to over s2OO0,O00) should
De placed at the disposal of the President
| for the relief of the island.
The republicans greeted the conclusion
OF the reading of the message with DEM
onstrations of enthusiasm.
nope the recommendation will meet
with favor on that side of the House"
SAID Mr.. Richardson, the minority leader.
IL see if 1t meets with favor on that
side of the House." retorted Mr. Cannon
Sharply. i IL now ask for unanimous con-
sent for the immediate consideration of
u Dill to carry the recommendation of thar
message into force"
The suddenness of the request spread con-
sternation on the democratic side There
was no time for consultation
Mr.. Richardson stood hesitating a mo-
ment.
Better do it at once said Mr. Cannon,
before you change your mind
This shaft raised a laugh. Mr. Richard
son SAID he would not object, but wanted
to know how much time would be allowed
for debate.
would be no debate The bill contained an
exceedingly plain proposition and needed
no explanation. He finally suggested TWEEN
" minutes on side. To this Mr.. Rich
ardson assented, observing: Il do not sun-
pose gentlemen on the other side can be
o; one mind longer than forty minutes
lLaughter). We agree if it will help you
out of the hole
The bill was then offered and road T.
was follows:
90 BE BE it enacted, etc, that the sum of
SE,N'',aa'; being the amount of customs
revenue received on importations by the
United States from Porto Rico since the
evacuation of Porto Rico by the Spanish
forces on October IS, 1898, to January 1,
i9oo, together with any further customs
revenue collected on importatfons from
Porto Rico since January l. 1900 or that
snail hereafter be collected under existing
law' SNAIL be placed at the disposal of the
PRESIDENT to be used for the government
and benefit of Porte Rico until otherwise
provided by law; and the revenues herein
referred to. already collected and to be col
lected under existing law, are hereby an
propriated for the purposes sherein speeiied
out or any moneys in the treasury not
otherwise appropriated"
Mr.. Cannon said there was no reason to
make an extended argument in support of
the Dill. The brief message of the Presi-
dent, he said, covered all the points neces-
sary to justify the passage of the bill It
appropriated all the money in the treasury
coilected up to January !. and such money
as shall be hereafter collected on imports
from Porto Rico for the benefit of the
people of the island.
Mr.. Cannon explained that the sugar and
tobacco piled up in Porto Rico controlled
by the sugar and tobacco trusts, which was
awaiting shipment to this country. would
be shipped to the United States if this bill
pa ssed and that every dollar of duty paid
by these trusts would be devoted to the
storm-swept and starving inhabitants of
the ,5aqa have RRspubliean applause
| over there" he concluded. Now come up
and vote for this BILL every man of you
Renewed applause.)
Democratic Objections,
Mr.. Bailey Texas) replying to Mr. Can
non evoked round of democratic applause
by his first sentence. If he had known
when the request for unanimous consent
was submitted that the bill placed at the
absolute disposal of the President 50 O0O, 900
now in the treasury and indefinite sum
hereafter to be collected, he said he would
himself have taken the responsibility of
objecting. He would never consent he
said, to turn over to the discretion of one
man money in the treasury of the United
States.
Undoubtedly the people Of Porto Rico had
been subjected to unjust taxation and there
should be an atonement. But the money
should be returned by the direction of Con-
gress, not at the discretion of the Presi-
dent The right to dispose of money in the
treasury belonged to Congress, not to the
executive.
Mr.. Berry (Ky.) said that no one SYM
pathized with the starving people of Porto
Rico more than he did, but he believed
there should be direct appropriation from
the treasury. Money should not be given
TO them the title to which was in doubt
There had recently been filed in the circuit
court a suit to recover duties collected on
Porto Rican goods, and he was of opinion
that every. dollar collected since the ratifi-
cation Of the Paris treaty had been unlaw-
fully collected.
Mr.. McRae (Ark) declared that the bill
was an admission that the rights of Porto
Rico had been outragedAa confession that
money had been unjustly taken from them
Mr.. Bell (Col.) said that such chapter
of Inconsistencies, such shifting of scenes
as had taken place on the republican side
IN the last few weeks had never before been
witnessed in the American Congress.
At this point Mr.. Bailey attempted to Sc
cure the consent of the other side to an
amendment limiting the appropriation to
purpose for which it should be used but
Mr.. Cannon declined to yield and turned
the floor over to Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio).
Qualification to Republicans.
The latter said it would be source of
qualification to himself and to the country
that the agony and despair which had so
recently rested upon Porto Rico had been
shifted to the democratic side Of the hall
OF representatives. Republican applause)
I1e sdiu the democrats mad been vastly
more agitated about politics than starving
Porto Ricans The burden of their cries
mad been that the taxing power of the
United States was being used to take
money out of the pockets of the Porto
Ricans for the enrichment of the treasury
Of the United States. A large number of
people of the United States had been made
to believe that. Now the republicans pro-
posed to show them that the administration
was the best possible guardian of the peo-
pie of Porto Rico.
1t would follow the example set during
the war, when So. 000, 600 was set aside for
the relief Of the starving CUbans
why did you not adopt the Presidents
recommendation relative to the Porto Rjeo
tariff bill?' shouted a democrat
Il have heard that question $50 times,
replied Mr.. Grosvenor. I'VE are now com,
ing to the point where We are in accord
with the administration. Let us have a
yea and nay vote and sustain the Presi-
dent. We on this side. are anxious to sus-
tain the administration. How do YOU
feel?" Republican applause)
/, At this point Mr.. Bailey reiterated his
request that the bill be modified SO as to
limit the appropriation to the money in the
treasury and TO specify the purposes for