The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-20

to continue throughout the week and
possibly longer, opened in the house to-
day. On all hands it is agreed that this
bill, although it applies snly to Porto
Rico, involving as It does, the question
of the power to govern our new posses
siOns outside the limitations of the con
stitution. is the most important meas
ure which will come before this con-
gress.
Interest in the bill is intense among
the members on both sides, and there
is urgent demand for time. TIE Demo-
Gratis are solidly aTrayed against the
measure, and they will have powerful
support from the Republican side in
Mr.. Mccall Of Massachusetts and Mr..
Littlefeld of Maine, both able and
fOTCeful debateTs. How far the Repub-
lican disaffGction viii extend or wheth-
or it will endanger the bill, it is impOs
sible to say at this time.
Mr. Payne, floor leader Of the major
ity, refused to agree that vote should.
be taken upon a substitute to be Of
fered by tho minority. This substitute,
which has not yet been framed, viii be
in substance the bill originally intro
duced by Mr.. Payne, providing for free
trade with Porto Rico by the extension
of the customs and revenue laws of the
OIhleQ states over the lSlauQ-
The debate today lacked exciting fea-
lures. 1t was in the nature of a long
range bOmbardment before the clash of
the contending forces in battle.
Arguments of the Leaders.
Mr.. Payne opened with a general ar
gUment in support of the bill, going
largely into the material side of the
situation which the bill is designed to
IL. -,
ic leader, joined issue upon the power
Of congress to enact the proposed leg
islatiOn. and Mr.. DalzeIl Of Pennsylva-
MIA, backed up Mr. Payne with a con-
stitutiOnal and legal argument. All
three were listened to with close atten-
ton.
Before the bill was called up Mr.. Dol
liver of Iowa, from the committee on
ways and means, moved the passage,
under suspension of the rules, Of the
bill reported from the committee 70
amend sections 1899 and 3341 Of the re-
vised statutes relating to internal rev.
enue tax on fermented liquors. The
purpose Of the bill, Mr.. DOlliVer said,
was to abolish the smaller packages of
beer, one-siXth and One-eighth barrels.
The bill. he said, was asked for by tbs
brewing interests of the country. 1t
would in no wise affect the revenue.
Mr.. Fletcher (Rep., Mimi offered an
amendment providing that the bill shall
not go into effect until July 1, 1900. The
amendment was agreed to.
Sop to the Brewers.
Mr.. Sulzer (Dem., n. " said he IA
vOred the bill, but that it was merely
sop to the brewers. What they really
wanted was the abolition of the war
taxes. He thought the war revenue
law should be repealed. The Republic
cans he said, had promised to do that
when the war was over, but they had
made no move in that direction. He
challenged the leaders on the other side
to say when they proposed to repeal
that law which is used to pile up mon
ey in the treasury to be loaned without
interest to pet national banks.
Mr. Terry Dem. Ark declared that
the Republicans were using the war
taxes to exc out the deficiencies created
by the Dingley law, which he said had
proven a most lamentable failure.
The Republicans jeeTed this remark
and continued to jeer when Mr.. Terry
said that the Republicans dare not
abolish their policy of criminal aggres-
sion in the Philippines because of the
secret understanding with Great Brit
ain and for the same reason they dare
not offer a word of sympathy to the
two republics struggling for liberty in
South Africa.
Bill was Passed.
Mr. Bartlett (Ga) said the humble
were asking relief from the war taxes
and they should be listened to as well
as the rich association Of brewers who
paid heavy campaign contributions The
bill was passed without division
Mr. Payne IN. ". floor leader Of the
hr- r,,orraa tha4 rba
go into committee Of the whole to con-
slider the Porto Rican tariff bill. Pend
ing that motion Mr.. Payne offered to
make an agreement by which general
debate should close on Saturday next.
the bill to be taken up under the five
minute rule on Monday next, and the
final vote to be taken at o'clock
Mr.. Mccall (Mass) asked if such an
arrangement would preclude a vote
upon the bill originally introduced by
MI. Payne for free trade with Porto
Rico, which was in line with recon-
menda tons of the president in his an
nual message.
Mr.. Payne replied that that was
matter for the house. and che commit
tee to decide.
Mr. Richardson. the minority leader.
insisted that there should be a definite
understanding that the minority could
OIef q SUBSTITUTE 10 THIS MI. PAYNE
declined to agree.
As a matter of privilege Mr.. Hit
Glls.) reported back from the commit
tee on foreign affairs the Wheeler res
OlutiOn calling upon the state depart
ment for information as to the truth Of
the charges of MI Macrum. ex-consuI
at Pretoria concerning the opening of
his mail by the British authorities and
it was adopted without debate.
In Committee of the Whole.
The house then went into committee
of the whole with all questions relating
to the close of the debate open Mr..
Payne. in charge of the bill, opened the
debate with a carefully prepared argu-
ment in support of the measure He
was listened to with marked attention
Mr.. Payne said in part:
This bill by its terms relates only
to the island Of Porto Rico. II cannot
be taken as a precedent Of any legis-
lative action in reference to the Philip-
pine islands when the present insur-
rection shall have been overcome except
in so far as we assert it our view Of our
power under the American constitution
"All agree that the fist and most
important duty we owe to the. people Of
Porto Rico is to open up markets for
them In no other way can we alIav
the feeling of discomfort likely to arise
among a people who have realized so
little in the change from Spanish op-
preston of 400 years to the prosperity
and liberty which follows the American
flag.
THAT the income under this bill will
increase from year to year there can
be no doubt: that it will restsre pros
perity and give new life and enter
prise to the people of this island is