New-York tribune., 1900-04-05
rHE PUERTO RICAN BILL.
-rrRPED TO THE WAYS AND MEANS
COMMITTEE BY THE HOUSE.
,r7JFF STILL PREVAILS THAT IT WILL Be
COME LAW SUBSTANTIALLY IN
IT'S PRESENT FORM
M rrIEeRAPH 70 TIE rRIBuNE-

ITS PRESENT FORM
ny TELEGRAPH TO TEE TRIBUNE
-,-.bs-p-on Apri 4.-The Puerto Rican bill,
landed bv the Senate, was received by the
- of REPRESENTATIVES to-day. and ordered
: =. ,-,,-ed and referred 70 the Committee on
80 and Means This was the regular weekly
..-g zav Of that committee. but no session
held. It is expected that special meeting
=, ra called 10 consider the amendments as
- ss several members Of the majority now
80 have returned. It may be several days
go The parliamentary programme for the
-si5arstion and disposition Of the Senate
s-sr7euts is arranged. Several propositions
z.rs already been suggested. and considered
: informal consultations among members OF
= Ezouse those opposing as well as those in
go NJ The measure The former have been
: sutter ell day seeking 70 discover some
sav,ce which will give them another oppor-
-i-v 70 vote on a free trade amendment or
,.,,,,re The quest has been unsuccessful.
!. course for as was shown in these dispatches
= tight. the status OF the tariff provision has
-. - s--,lv esta blished that II cannot be dis
tr,rbed OF overthrown
TARIFF PROVISION MUST STAND.
:. vas rot an accident, but the result Of keen
..-ss,pht and careful consideration. that the
s.-s-e a5opted without any change or modid-
..t,on whatever. the House provision imposing
s,,-v ecllaI u u per cent Of the Dingley rates
- goods and merchandise imported into the
r-,tad States from Puerto Rico and into Puerto
,t.o 4-ru7 the United States. The established
--.c+ioe 4 The House Of Representatives, for
.he last ninety years at least has been such as
.o r-ec1de any change of a substantive pro-
4ston. or the language therein. after II has been
,son-e6 bv both branches Of Congress, as in
+s,s case. There IS an Unbroken line Of prece-
dents from The XIIth Congress down TO the
,resent which sustain and exemplify this prac-
.sca-nrecederrs set by the House OF Represent
st,ves itself on appeals from the decisions OF
rs presiding officers, and by almost every
Speaker of that body, including Colfax, Blaine
Randall. Keifer. Carlisle, Crisp and Reed The
nract.ce mas seldom been questioned and IL is
founded "a common sense, for If matter that
had been disposed Of and settled by the con-
rurrent action 0f both houses could be reopened
bv either one disagreements could never be
settled. and there would be an end cf legislation
affecting matters TO which both branches could
not al once agree.
In this case free trade amendments and sub
stitutes for Section Cthe tariff provision) Of
the House bill We're proposed and voted down
in both branches. and. Of course, Il an attempt
is made 10 reopen the question il viii be frus-
rrated by the decision Of the Speaker. The free
traders II the House therefore viii be COM
pelled 70 choose between 15 per cent and 100
Der cent OF the Dingley rates Of duty between
the United States and Puerto Rico. one OF their
leaders 0n the Republican side suggested this
afternoon that an amendment might be offered
70 the Senate amendment providing that the
operation Of the act should cease one day after
irs approval by the President. This suggestion
Is mentioned here only because IL indicates the
straits TO which some Of them have been re-
duced He forgot that the date Of March l.
1g0e. had been originally fixed by the House
and agreed TO by the Senate, that an at
tempt 10 TX different date would be defeated
by point Of order.
THE PARLIAMENTARY PROGRAMME
a suggestion offered by one OF the trainers
of the House bill which met with some favor
was for motion that the House concur in the
Senate amendments n gross. II this motion
should be adopted no further action by Con-
gress would he required and the bill would al
once 90 10 the President for his approval Il
the motion should fail the bill. would al once be
sent 70 conference. after ouch time for dis
cussion as might be agreed upon py the House
II Is not improbable JhaI TINS aclIOh N--4 DC
taken il being considered by the leaders Of
both parties IN Congress that speedy acton IS
lacessary.
Of course. the members Of the Committee on
Insular Affairs who have been engaged for
weeks IN the consideration OF a bill 10 provide
E civil government for Puerto Rico, do not de-
that the fruits Of their labors shall be lost
a1G some Cf them are strongly inclined 10 resist
a course which. in their opinion. would so re-
suit Their bill however. has not yet passed
beyond the committee stage and probably Will
not for some time 70 come Otherwise the
house might agree TO substitute Il for the civil
government provisions Of the Senate measure and
thus make il a basis for conference action Many
@ It's prov isioLs understood 10 be accepta-
Die % Chairman Foraker and other members OF
ne Senate Committee on Pacific Islands and
Puerto Rico and some way may Yet be found
% Incorporate them in the pending measure or
% separate from il the civil government sec
lons with q view 70 bringing forward a new bill
eeeling wholly with the latter subject The vote
4 ne Senate yesterday indicated thar such
Iian would be practicable, for the tariff bill
as separate measure would probably have re-
eelFed one more vote than the amalgamated bill
1la- and the civil government provisions as a
SEPARATE measure would also have passed by
sale majority. II may be remembered that the
-Isglnal programme was to pursue this course.
ne general Impression to-day. however, among
-11alng members On both sides Of the House
q lna- the pending bin would become law in
s-'slantlally The same form that Il was left By
ne senate, ard without any unnecessary or un-