Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-03-31

SnOuiu ray Duty ty-->otcSVi S"P'o'
and Army.
Washington. March 29.--The agree
ment of all factions concerned that a
vote on Puerto Rico shall be taken IN the
senate on Tuesday afternoon is pretty
fair sign that enough of the insurgents
have been won over to put the success
of the compromise bill pretty well be-
yond question. The belief Is general
that the insurgents who stand out to
the end will dwindle down to a half
dozen The men who are now marked
as doubtful are Bevaridge and Hoar. but
it is probable that both will be among the
senators who will speak between now
and Tuesday afternoon, and that they
will seize the opportunity to make plain
the grounds upon which they consent to
accept a part of what they wish, rather
than lose the whole.
An important utterance was made on
the bill by Mr.. Davis (Minn), who advo-
Gated free trade between the United
States and Puerto Rico. His principal
proposition was that the necessary
money to be raised by taxation should
not be raised by duty levied upon
Puerto Rican products, but by an in
rernal revenue tax levied upon rum and
tobacco produced on the island. This
system, he thought, would better suit
the people of the United States and those
Of Puerto Rico than the proposed tariff
and would be just, equitable and con-
stitutional.
All sorts of arguments, Mr. Davis said,
had been urged in support of tariff on
Puerto Rican products. First it was
charity, but that had been swept away |
by the passage of the 1000, 900 appro.
priation bill. Then it was that beyond
Puerto Rico lie the Philippines"
"When we come to deal with the |
Philippines question we will take care
of that. Puerto Rico is little more than
700 miles from our coast; the Philip
pines are 5000, and Puerto Rico is
naturally part of the North American
Jurisdiction: the Philippines are a part
OF the domain of Asia. Against the |
product and people of the Philippines,
when the time comes, the rights of
American labor will be protected by any
party that may be in power
w EJ-'l mere SetIllS
to be a change in the war departments
plans since the return of Secretary
of War Root from Havana respecting
the reduction Of the military force on the
island. Several months ago it was
agreed that with the approach of spring
there could be considerable decrease
in strength of the troops. and steps were
taken to begin the movement north on
April TO- Secretary Roots investigation
and study OF affairs are said to have i'm
pressed him with the advisability of
the entire force now on the
island.
Washington, March 29..-Thc Brooklyn
has sailed from Manila for Yokohama,
where she will be joined by the Baltimore
and the Newark The Oregon is al
ready at Yokohama, and the four vcs-
sells will await the arrival of Admiral
Remey from the United States, about
April 81. to take command of the station.
1t is said at the navy department that
the gathering of the four warshps at
Yokohama has no international signif
canoe.
Washington. March 29.-Chin Pom Ye,
the Korean minister. called at the White
House yesterday and presented to the
president his official letter of recall. He
has been appointed minister to Russia,
France and Austria. and will leave for
his new post in few days.
Washington, March 29.-COnsul Cen
eral Convey at Yokohama recommends
that Americans should not come to the
country seeking employment, as each
year finds an increasing number of young
Japanese who have been educat ted abroad
coming home and the natural policy in
official circles is to discharge foreigners
as fast as their places can be filled by
the returning natives.
Washington March 29.--It Is said at
the state department that the United
States minister at Constantinople is not
acting in concert with the representa-
tives of other foreign powers at that
capital in seeking to prevent the in
crease of the Turkish customs duties.
The subject is one which our government
regards as properly within the sole pur-
view of the European powers, with
which we have no occasion to concern
ourselves.
Manila. March 20. - Rear Admiral
Watson, on board the Brooklyn, has
departed for Hong Kong, where he is
expected to transfer his command to
Rear Admiral Remey Two gunboats
last week discovered steamer signal
ling with the shore at Cape Boweador,
island Of Luzon. and pursued her She
her lights and escaped in
the darkness seawards. ,.,,,|,;sns
Washington. March 29-Secretary
Long has completed the personnel of
The navy policy board by appointing as
members Captain Evans. Captain Tay-
or. Captain Clark. Captain Chadwick
and Colonel Reid. The other members
of the board are Admiral Dewey, presi-
dent: Rear Admiral Crownlnshield, Cap-
tain Sigsbee, Captain Stockton and Can
tain Walker.
Washington, March 29-The state de.
partment adds its denial to that of the
Danish foreign Office relative to the
Paris story that the United States has
the acquisition of the Danish
West Indies islands. There are indica.
tions that the negotiations may be at
tended by success at a reasonably early
date.
Santiago. March Pa large quantity
Of farm implements arrived here yester-
day for free distribution throughout the
province and hundreds OF applicants
have already been supplied. They say
they can soon raise enough to support
their families.
The Engineer Was Killed.
Chicago. March 2s.-An express train
on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
crashed into a freight train at Whiting,
Ind. last night. The engine of the pas
senger train was thrown into ditch and
the engineer was killed. II