Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1900-04-06
NOTABLE DAY
IN THE SENATE
Passage of The Puerto
Rico Government Bill.
BY A MAJORITY OF NINE

III ours OF Brilliant Debate Pre-
cede the Vote on Far-Reach-
ing Measure-SensationalI In
cident When Mr.. Walcott
Charged Mr.. Lodge With a
Statement That Was Gun
qualifedly False"
Washington, April 3.-This was
a notably day in the United States
Senate. 1t brought to a close the
sharpest and most prolonged debate
upon any measure since those dis
cussed during the memorial war
Congress"
At o'clock this afternoon the
votes were begun upon the Puerto
Rican tariff and civil government
bill and the pending amendments,
and less than an hour later the
measure about which there had been
so much contention in and out of
Congress was passed by majority
of 9, the final vote being 40 To 30,
Only committee amendments we're
adopted.
1t has been evident for some time
that the bi IL would command major
ity in the Senate, but notwithstand-
ing the fact, the int rest i'm the
measure, both of Senators and of the
public, not tagged an instant. To
day the galleries were crowded and
hundreds of people filed the cor
ridors, unable to secure standing
room in the galleries.
From IL o'clock when the Senate
until the hour when the
voting began, advocates and oppon-
ents of the bill brilliantly and elo-
quently maintained their convictions
and the auditors were kept in a state
Vi CAClJCluCHI.
Dir. Mason's speech was an argu-
ment, eloquent and amusing by turns
and as it covered the entire range
of the country's duties and response
bilities to what the Illinois Senator
sarcastically termed "our insular
possessions it was very interesting
to his hearers.
A SENSATIONAL EP IsoDE
Just before the Senate adjourned
a sensational episode occurred in
which Mr.. Wolcott, of Colorado, ac-
cused MIR. Lodge, of Massachusetts,,
of uttering that which was 'unquali.
fiedly false" The difficulty arose
over an effort made by Mr.. Lodge to
have the Spooner bill made the un-
finished business. This involved the
unfinished business. This involved
the displacement of the Quay case,
and the friends of the former Sen.
ator from Pennsylvania made things
exceedingly lively for half an hour.
Mr.. Mason spoke in favor of the
OF Mr.. Wellington, which
offers independence to the Filipinos,
and against the bill proposed by Mr..
Spooner, of Wisconsin. comforting
upon the President to
govern the Philippines until Con
gress should otherwise direct. He
the tariff proposed to be
placed on Puerto Rican products.
He was opposed to holding the
Philippines, "becsuse under the law
of nations we have not title and
never can have complete title except
by conquest of the inhabitants. 1 do
not wish the nine millions of these
for citizens. do not wish them for
citizens. l do not wish them for
slaves. If we govern them, they
must be either citizen or serf.
Whether they labor as our citizens
and equals before the law, or whether
they labor as our political slaves
their labor completes with the labor
of our country, aud am opposed to
1t. l am for expansion. i voted for
the annexation of OF Hawaii, but
would never have sent $4,000 men
there to compel them accept our flag.
In other words, l am against taking
any territory by conquest against a
friennly people, and against any ter
ritory that brings cheap class of
labor in free and open competition
with the class of men and woman
who do the labor in this country"
He declared that if it was treason