Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-03-02
WILL REDUCE THE TARIFF.
Republican Leaders Agree to De.
crease of Ten Per Cent. on Porto
Rico Products Shipped Here.
SHIPPING SUBSIDY BILL FAVORED.
senate Committee. Ten to Six. Reports It
MIR. Lanham Declares the Porto Ricans
Are Either Americans or Aliens and the
Privileges OF American citizenship
Cannot BE Separated or Divided.

Washington, Feb. 27.-The repub-
Hcan leaders, after an hours consulta-
ton with Speaker Henderson Monday
over the Porto Rican tariff bill. an
nounced emphatically that the bill
would be modified and that as modi-
fed it would pass. The changes de-
-cided upon are a further reduction of
the duties to be levied upon Ameri-
can goods imported into Porto Rico,
and upon Porto Rican goods into the
United States from 25 per cent. of the
American tariff as provided in the bill
to 10 per cent. The bills is only to
continue in force until general law
for raising revenue for the island can
be framed.
The house met and resumed debate
on the Porto Rican tariff bill. There
were few members upon the floor,
but the leaders on both sides were
active. Mr.. Payne IN. ", the floor
leader, announced that no compromise
had been made with the dissatisfied
republicans. The leaders decided to
extend the general debate another
day.
When Mr.. Payne presented the re-
quest for the extension of time, Mr..
Richardson, the democratic leader,
said: 'This is a remarkable request
to come from the majority. We con-
.strue it to be a frank and candid con-
fession that they have brought here
bad bill and an admission in open
house to the country that they have
not votes enough to pass it" The
democrats, he continued, were always
magnanimous. They would not strike
their foes when they were down, and
they were not disposed to take adj
vantage of the pitiable situation on
the other side of the aisle. Still, they
felt that some terms should be i'm
posed and he demanded as conditions
to an extension a night session Tues
day night, and permission to offer a
substitute in the house on Wednes-
day, when the final vote was to be
taken. With these conditions" he
remarked blandly, the minority would
grant the "entreaty'' of the majority.
Mr.. Payne smilingly replied that he
appreciated the generosity" of the
other side, and not to be outdone in
magnanimity, he would agree to the
conditions.
floor with half hours speech against
airy principle of international law
that whenever a country. whether
empire, monarchy or republic &C
quired territory by consent, purchase
or treaty, that territory became a
part of such country and subject to
her laws.
Mr.. Lanham (Tex.), in opposing the
bill, declared that the Puerto Ricans
were either Americans or aliens.
There could be no such a thing as
separating and dividing the immuni-
ties and privileges of American citi-
zenship. The inhabitants of the is
land, he insisted, were entitled to I'M
restricted free trade with the United
States. If an imperial policy was set
up it could but end in the downfall of
the republic.
Shipping Subsidy Bill Favored.
Washington, Feb. 27.-The senate
committee on commerce by a vote of
ten to six agreed to report the ship
ping subsidy bill. Later Chairman
Frye presented the report to the sem
ate