The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-20
THE PORTO RICAN POLICY
Purpose of Mr. Beveridge's Amend
ment Not Understood.
The Indiana Senator's Declaration
Frequent Conferences With the
President - Probable Fate of the
House BiiI-Its Passage i'm Doubt.

! NO HeduNay was made yeSJeTudy Dy luc
! Senate compromise committee Of seven in
! their efforts to secure harmony Of action by
the Republicans on the Porto Riean ques-
ton. Owing to the absence of Senator
! SpoOner, one Of its members, no meeting
! of the committee was held, the last one
having taken place on Friday. At least
/ ten Of the ffty-two Republican Senators
/ stlll hold out for the adoption Of a fres
/ trade policy with Porto Rico. although
| some of the sanguine tariff Senators claim
! that it will be a very easy matter to Sc
| cure the pledges of the forty-four Senators
/ necessary to control the situation, that
number being a majority Of the Senate,
| the full membership being eighty-seyen,
| owing to the existing vacancies from Penn
4 sylvania. Delaware, and Utah.
| Although the compromise committee did
not meet yesterday conferences. discus
! siuns, button-holing, and wirepulling went
on more persistently and more animatedly
than usual. The three features Of the days
! canvass Of the situation were:
Tirst-The action Of Senator Beveridge
! in following his conference with the Presi-
dent, the third within a week, by the in
PRODUCTION Of a free trade amendment
! coupled with a declaration in line with the
resolutioL adopted by the Senate last Fri
day that the Constitution does not follow
the flag into acquired territory;
Second-The semi official statement BY a
colleague that Senator Hears advocacy of
free trade with Porto Rico is for the pur-
pose OF reminding the American people
that this means free trade with Cuba and
the Philippines. thus furnishing them an
object lesson on this subject and
Third--The revival Of the controversy as
to whether President Mckinley has or has
not changed his attitude on the question
since acquiesclng in the passage of the
House bill
The Presidents Views.
One Senator who has talked freely with
the President on the subject represents
him as saying that he is more than ever
impressed with the importance OF enact
ing a form of government for Porto Rico
as provided in the Foraker bill, and that
in view Of all the circumstances he now
favors an amendment TO that measure In
the shape Of the House provision for the
levying of tariff to the amount OF 10 per
cent Of the DingIey law rates.
Another Senator quotes the President
as expressing no decided opinion one way
or another. contenting himself with the
statement that the whole question is now
in the hands Of the Republican Senators,
to be decided as they think best. The
Senator who. thus states the Presidents
attitude adds, however, that while declin-
ing to advise the Senate what to do. he
plainly admits The force OF the arguments
Of Senator Beveridge today. that as the
III IL
products are to be returned. there is no
reason in the world for collecting a 10
per cent duty, which. in three years will
not amount to as much as the 81 coo, 900
given back TO the island.
The truth appears to be that the Presi-
dent still adheres 70 his free trade recon-
mendation. but that as a majority Of the
Republicans in the House and Senate evi-
IDENTIFY favor the imposition of tariff du-
ties, he is not disposed to disagree with
them.
Although the work Of the compromise
committee has proceeded no further than
to make a general poll Of the Senate to
form basis to work on. the fact has
developed that there is a very strong
sentiment in the committee and on the
Republican side Of the chamber generally
in favor OF taking the House bill as it
stands if any tariff provision is to be
adopted. without an amendment abolish
ing the export duty. or any other sort
With a certain number OF Senators the
strongest arguments to hold them in line
for the tariff provision is that it was
adopted by the House after bitter party
fight. and that II any change at all is
made It should be TO strike It out and
not TO amend it. Appeals to party loyalty
are all that can save the House bill now,
and the most influential OF the Repub-
lican Senators are strongly Of the belief |
that whether il be free trade or a tariff !
the House bill. which is included YER |
batim in the Foraker bill as an amend |
ment, must stand or fall as it Is.
Would Like to Drop 1t.
II is evident also that the canvass of the |
enough to show that il left to their own |
desires large number Of the Republican |
Senators would like to drop the whole sub !
ject Of Porto Rico and let the laws remain |
as they are. More than one member Ct the |
harmony committee favors this plan even /
now. A majority however, are convinced |
that as a matter OF party policy some pro-
vision must be made for a Porto Rican |
tariff, and they are influenced in this be-
lief very largely by the action OF the labor
organizations, which are very active.
in the West in bringing pres
sure 10 bear on Senators not to let down
the tariff barriers that stand against Porto
Rico for fear such action would be used as
a precedent when the time comes for en-
acting legislation for Cuba and the Philip
pines Porto Rico could have free trade for
the asking even now were IL not for the
tear OF establishing a precedent that might
prove most embarrassing in the future.
The compromise committee will be in no
haste to make a formal report of their
work OF counting noses. The Senators now
in Cuba, Messrs. Platt Of Connecticut. Al
iIich, and Teller will not return for ten
days or two weeks. and no caucus action
is likely TO be taken In the mean time.
Mr.. Teller is counted on to vote with two
)r three Democrats in favor OF the tariff.
The ten Republican Senators who. il is
hought. will stand firm in favor OF free
Tade are Messrs. Davis and Nelson OF
Cullom and Mason OF Illinois.
3eyeridge Of Indiana. Proctor Of Vermont,
Ioar Of Massachusetts, Simon Of Oregon.
Wellington OF Maryland, and MCCumber of
lorth Dakota.
The BeveridGe Amendments.
The amendment offered by Mr. Beveridge
vas the occasion for his first public express
ion Of views on the Porto R'can tariff.
The amendment reads:
"AI articles coming into the United
tates from Porto Rico. or going into Porto
sico from the United States shall be ad-
nitted free OF duty, but this act shall not
e construed as extending the Constitution
T the United States or auT part thereof. |
yer Porto Rico. and it i- -ehy declared
a weak stom-