The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-12

| tectionist himself. The question at issue
! he said. was made a political matter. q
matter of political policy by the action OF
| the Democratic caucus which declared that
| opposition to the bill was the test OF party
| loyalty and standing.
At this point Mr., Terry shouted. We
are braver than you are" This sally was
| greeted by an outburst OF applause.
General Grosyenor. continuing. said he
! honored the Democrats who put their par
/ ty aside and voted for the public inter
| est; 1t was that kind of men the people
| honored and were ready to excuse for any
error they might make. Turning then to
| MIR. Richardson's speech General Grosve-
nor said that he hurled back in his teeth
| the charge that bribery was the influence
behind the bill.
Referring to the statement credited to
Republican member that the bill was TO
be passed in consideration of Il big oontri-
! button to the campaign fund. the speaker
said the gentleman said he believed it was
true, but he (Grosvenorl did not believe
that Mr.. Richardson believed it, This charge
aroused the Democratic side. and General
Grcsrenor's further statements were fol-
| lowed with increasing excitement. If he
had believed it he asked. would not the
gentleman, who introduces a half dozen
| Investigated it?'
Several Democrats shouted, why did
not you investigate it,
Because on our side we did not believe
ii. 1t is lie at one place or another along
the line" answered the speaker.
General Grosvenor said the reporter
might have heard Republican say it. he
did not charge that he had not, but, ;"
said he, that Republican is a liar
Mr.. Richardson interposed here, after
some effort, to say that he had never said
anything of the Kind; he had only quoted
what was reported.
Mr.. Richardson asked General Grosvenor
if he had not prepared a resolution Of en-
quiry on the subject?
Yes" he replied 'But I dropped it
upon investigation of the matter. l will
give ii to the gentleman if he desires to
offer it,
The Rule Adopted.
The rule was then submitted to the
House and it was adopted-15S to 1i2; the
majority being four larger than that by
which the bill originally passed the House.
Announcement of the result was greeted
with applause, and the House then settled
down to the debate upon the bill One
hour and forty-se and a half minutes
remained TO each side.
The Republicans who voted against the
rule were: Crumpacker of Indiana, Feat
wole of Minnesota, Lane Of Iowa, Little
field of Maine Lorimer of illinois, Mccall
of Massachusetts. H. c. Smith of Michigan.
and Warner of Illinois. The only Democrat
voting for the rule was Sibley OF Pennsyl-
vania.
The first speaker in support of the recon-
mendation to concur in the Senate amend
Mr. nfT br, for
long time was held to be an opponent of
the tariff proposition.
Mr.. Jones of Virginia followed in opposi-
tion to the bill. Replying to Mr.. Watsonis
challenge, what do the Democrats pro-
pose?" Mr.. Jones said they proposed and
would carry it out, If they had the power.
TO give the people of Porto Rico free repre-
sentative government and secure to them
all that that meant. Not a single provi-
sion of the civil government bill, he said,
had been discussed on the floor of the
House. 1t was such a frightful proposition
that he did not wonder the Republicans
shrank from having its provisions exposed
before the House.
MIR. Maddox OF Georgia said he was sur
prised that the Republicans had granted
so much time fer the discussion of the
bill at this time. Many of the Republi-
cans had to take a nasty dose in voting
for the bill. and the sooner they marched
up to the rack and swallowed it the better
it would be for all.
The limited time of this debate" said
Mr.. ]. r. Williams of Illinois. lis too
precious to be wasted in sophomore ora
tions to be circulated upon a dissatisfied
constituency" The Committee on Insular
Affairs, he went on, had been permitted
to consider a bill for the government of
Porto Rico. He would say, however, that
the chairman of that committee tMr
Cooper CT wisconsin, believed that the
pending proposition on that subject was
an infamous one. You have the power"
he said, in conclusion, Ito infiict this curse
upon the people of Porto Rico, but I be-
lieTe that the great part of its damna-
tion will fall upon you in November"
Half an hour was here given by Mr..
Richardson to Mr.. Mccall, leader OF the
Republican opponents to the bill to be
allotted by him to his associates. Mr.. II. C.
Smith of Michigan was the first speaker
He believed with the great Bismarck that
this world Is not ruled from below, but
that God rules. who leads the rights TO
victory. Believing that only the right
wins in this world. Mr. Smith said he could
not bring his conscience to support the
bill before the House. When the people of
Porto Rico fell on their Knees before the
Stars and Stripes General Miles made
promise 10 them that in all good morals
ought to be carried out.
Mr.. Warner of Illinois followed with a
recitation OF the events connected with
the passage of the bill. The public sup
ported the original recommendation of the
President rhat free trade should be estab-
lished with Porto Rico. When the bill
was reported by the Committee on Ways
and Means the people were astouHded,
and arguments used to support the bill
were fallacious and ineffective. Members
of the House were but representatives of
the people and they ought to reflect their
wishes and obey their instructions. The
passage of the bill. he said. would lead
to a righteous revolution. The bill was
fundamentally wrong in his opinion, and
opposed to the traditions of the Repub-
liean party, which was the reason why
Mr.. Crimpacker of Indiana opposed it.
Mr.. O'Grady OF New York, from the
Rochester district, made his maiden
speech, approving the tariff as the best
means OF providing revenue for the island
He was followed by Mr.. Hamilton of Mich
igan, who described the bill as the result
of cause and effect, beginning with the
war with Spain and reaching into the