The age-herald., 1900-04-12
StaIIings Was Only Member Ab-
 sent and Impaired.
DEBATE AT TIMES WAS EXCITING
the Reading of an Opinion on .I- the Constitutionality
 of the Bill

Washington, April 1.-The long and bit ter struggle over the Porto Rico tariff bill ended today, when the house, by vote of 161 70 153, concurred in all the senate amendments. The bill only requires the signatures of the speaker of the house and the president of the senate before go- ing to the president for his approval These signatures will be attached tomorrow and before nightfall the bill will probably be a law.
 As the bill originally passed the house 1t was a simple bill, imposing 15 per cent of the Dingley rates on goods going into Porto Rico from the United States and coming from Porto Rico into the United States. As amended by the senate and to- day agreed to by the house, all restrictions On goods coming into the United States from Porto Rico are eliminated and certain foodstuffs and other articles which hereto fore have gone into Porto Rico free by executive order are, excluded from the op- eration of the 15 per cent. duty imposed on goods entering the island from the United States. A complete scheme of civil government for the island is also attached to the measure. .'.'' 7..-
 Upon the final vote nine republicans voted against the bill-IIeatwole of Minne- sota, Crumpacker of Inn.ana, Lane of Iowa, Littlefield of Maine, Mccall of Massachu- setts, H. c. Smith of Michigan, Warner of Illinois, Fletcher of Maine, and Lorimer of Illinois.
 Two democrats, Messrs. Davey and Meyer of Louisiana were paired with democrats in favor of the bill; and one democrat, MT. Sibley, of Pennsylvania, voted for it outright.
 Mr. Deveres, the other democrat who votde for the original bil today voted against concurrence.
 MT. Stallings, democrat, of Alabama, was the only member on either side absent and impaired. The vote came at o'clock, after very interesting and at times exciting de- bate of five hours One of the most dra- matic features of the day was the reading by MT. Richardson the minority leader, of the original opinion of Charles E. Magoon, the legal advisor of the war department, in favor of the view that the constitution over Porto Rico ex-proporie vigore.
 MT. Deliver, Iowa, in reply, termed MT. Magoon clerk who tried to overrule the great lawyer at the head of the war de- partment. Mr. Warner of Illinois. Crum- packer of Indiana, Mccall of Massachu- setts, and Lorimer of Illinois, all repub- ucans, made speeches against the motion to concur.
 MT. Payne yielded the floor to MT. Wat son, who opened the debate From the in- ception of the consideration of the Porto Rican tariff bill to the present time. he said, there had been so much apprehen- sion and misunderstanding, so much crim- ination and re-crimination, so many charges and counter charges here and in the country, that he would consider him. self fortunate If we were able to search out some of the hidden causes which had produced this agitation.
 He pointed out the relations which had led the president and his advisers to change their opinion. New conditions have been adopted. The republican party was practical party. It met conditions . as they arose. It had risen to the occa- sion and had framed this bill founded up- on justice and wisdom. He referred to the open recalcitrant who used the news papers and imagined they were in the swelling current of history" They were, he said. marking time. but imagined they were in the triumphant march of prog ress," they always allying themselves with those on whose banners were inscribed with obsolete theories, and who were themselves ''the high priests of pessinn- ism,' preaching the gospel of despair
 Creatures of Noah's ark" he asked addressing the other side, "what do you propose? No voice comes from the tomb" Republican applause.)
 MT. Jones, of Virginia, followed on the democratic side. He devoted himself prin- cipally to the civil government features of the bill, replying to MT. Watson's query as to what the democrats would do he said that if they could they would give to the inhabitants of Porto Rico representative free government with the same rights, privileges and immunities en- joyed by every American citizen
 Want Miies' PromIse Redeemed
 Mir. Richardson then yielded thirty minutes to MT. Mccall, of Massachusetts, who divided his time among the republican opponents of the bill.
 IT. c. Smith, of Michigan, said General Miles promise should be redeemed Good morals demanded it.
 MT. Warner, Illinois. urged the same ground of objection. The bill was, he said, a breach of trust.
 "Thep proposed measure, I submit" he said in conclusion, 'is dangerous depar- ture from the lifelong policy of the United States and if it is adopted we are in the air, and no one can tell what the result will be- If this measure be adopted no people can Safely become a part of the United States, as they have no assurance of their status of treatment. We may well write eupon our borders: All hope abandon, ye who enter here.'
 MT. Crumpacker, republican of Indiana, argued that the bill was fundamentally wrong contrary to the history and tradi- tions Of the party to which he belonged.
 sarhe first ula atforrT, of the ranuhlioan