The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-04
PORTO RICO BILL
PASSED BY SENATE
In Less Than Hour After
Voting Began
By MAJORITY OF NINE
The Final Vote Stood 40 for and 81
Against the Measure.
COM MlTTEE AMENDMENTS.
The Galleries lycrc Crowded ana
Hundreds Stood in the Corridors.
Sensational Pass OF Words Be
tween Wolcot,, Of Colorado.
and Lodge, of Mass;,-
chuse,Is.
BY MAJORITY OF NINE
COM MlTTEE AMENDMENTS.

WASHINGTON, April 3.At o'clock
this afternoon the Senate began voting
upon The Porto Rico tariff and civil gov
-ernment bill and the pending amendments.
and less than All hour later the measure,
about which there lad been so much con-
ttntion in and out of Congress was pass
ed by a majority of 9. the final vote being
40 10 81. Only committee amendments
were adopted:
II has been evident for some time that
the bill would command a majority in
the Senate. but Notwithstanding that fact,
the interest in the measure, both OF sena-
tors and of the public. has not tagged
an instant. To-day the galleries "ere
crowded and hundreds of PEOPLE filled the
corridors. unable to secure standlng-room
in the galleries. From II o'clock, when
The Senate convened, until the hour when
the voting began, advocates and opponents
of the bill brilliantly and eioquently
maintained their ground.
The particularly notable speeches OF the
day were delivered by Mr. Mason, oil
Illinois, in opposition TO the measure, and
by Mr. Foraker, of Ohio, who replied 70
a brief speech by Mr. Wellington, OF
Maryland. 1t was the Onio Senator's s de
Sire to clear up any misunderstanding
or riiistnforma; ton concerning the bill
Mr.. Mason's speech was argunentative.
eloquent and amusing by turns. and. as
il covered the entire range OF the coun-
try's duty and responsibilities to what
the Illinois Senator sarcasdcaliy terineu
..our insular possessions" it was very
ir;erestin. 10 his hearers.
SENSATIONAL EPISODE.
Just before the. Senate adjourned a
sensational episode occurred in which Mr.
Wclcott. of Colorado, accused Mr.. Lodge,
of Massachusetts, of uttering that which
.'unuualifiedlv false. The difficulty
arose over an effort made by Mr.. Lodge
10 have the Spoaner bill made the untn-
ished business This involved the dis
placement of the Quay case. and the
friends OF the former Senator from Penn
sylvania made things exceedingly lively
for half an hour.
Mr.. Mason spoke in favor of the resolu-
ton OF Mr.. wellington, which favors
independence to the Filipinos and against
the bill proposed by Mr.. Spooner, con-
ferring authority upon the President 10
~
should otherwise decide.
Incidentally he opposed the tariff pro-
posed to be placed on Porto Rican pro
ducts. He was opposed to holding the
philippines.
He declared that if it was treason to
oppose 1 war on conquest; to lift unjust
taxation; to confer upon struggling peo-
pie the blessings of liberty; to protect
the laboring men and women of this
1,a
Speaking of the fever of war which
he said was upon the administra ton, Mr..
Mason said:
but as we approach the hour when
we must again appeal to the judgment
of 100000, and the fires under the pots
of patronage are burning low and the
dangers Of disappearing rost-ofiiccs APP
rear to us like a hideous nightmare, the
hour Of convalesccnce approaches. and we
shout to the laborinG people Of the
country: No, no. 1t is a mistake
Discussing the powers Of Congress un-
der the Constitution as interpreted in the
light of the provisions of the pending
bill, Mr. Mason said:
DUKE OF PONCE
.sThe constitution says you cannot ma lie
a title of nobility, but we apply that
only to the States, You know. The dis
tingu:shed Senator from New York ODE
pew) cam be the Duhe OF Ponce and not
violate the constitution. The distinguish
ed Senator from 1ndiane tBeveridge) the
Prince Of Porto Rico. and the distinguished
lawyer who has sought TO defend this
bin upon an unconstitutional ground,
(Spooner) can, at least, demand the title
of the Lord Chief High Duke of the
Check Board somewhere in the Philip
pines that may sit in Judgment upon
the laws, and upon the people" uLaush-
ter.)
j Mr.. Culberson, Of Texas. then spoke
IT was his first speech in the Senate. He
characterized the bill as ..indefensible,
morally, economically and constitution
ally"
Nrr. Culberson took strong ground
against relega ting the control of Porto
Rico ITO Congress uncontrolled by con-
stitut:onal provisions. Congress was apt
to be partisan. and such being the fact.
profiigacy and oppression were to be ex-
nected Already the skiTnlish aineS had
been thrown out for change on the
mart Of the i1nperialNsss by Sena tors
d,ods,e and Beveridge, the latter express
SnE a preference in respect to the unwrdt-
ten constitution Of the arlstocracy of
Great Britain. There could be no ques-
ton thar the President had violated the
constitution when he had levied duty
on articles exported from the United
States 10 Porto Rico.
A CRIME.
Mr. Culberson also argued that the tax
proposed was in opposition to our con-
Etttutaon and a crime against free gov
eminent.
The order of f1fteer-1ninute speeches. or
less. then went into effect.
Mr.. Clay, of Georgia, was the first
speaker He pointed out alleged incon-
ssstencaes among the supporters of the
ocnd,ng bill. The bill was In keeping
with the Presidents message, for the
president had not only declared for free
trade. but he had also taken position
far territorial form of government.
eve have been told. said Mr.. Clay,
,..that the President has changed his
mind hut as for myself, the President
IAN have but one attitude" He recogniz-
ed no message from the President that
Mr. ROSS, OF Vermont argued in favor
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