The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-28
DEBATING IN THE House
Representatives Express Their
Views on Many Questions.
The Opportunity Afforded by CoHsid-
Grafton of the Army Appropriation
Biii-Mr. Lentz Criticises the Ad-
ministration's Philippine Policy
His Speech Bitterly Denounced.

| Debate on the Army Appropriation bill
| in the Committee of the Whole Of the
! House yesterday gave opportunity for Mr..
! Sulzer of New York to speak in behalf OF
! Intervention by the United States in The
war against the Beers in South Africa;
for Mr.. Lentz of Ohio to repeat his criti-
| cism of the Philippine policy of the Ad-
minstration and to advocate diplomacy in
| settling the war. and for Mr.. Marsh Of
| Illinois to denomce Mr.. Lentz's speech as
a disgraceA to the American Congress.
| Other speakers were Messrs. Pierce of
| Tennessee, Talbert of South Carolina,
! Williams of Mississippi Hull of Iowa,
Chairman of the Committee on Military
Affairs. in, charge of the bill; Tongue
| of Oregon. zand Steele of Indiana.
| The latter. replying to Mr. Williams OF
Mississippi, undertook to give one reason
existing now that did not exist in De-
cember last to account for the change OF
policy toward Porto Rico. 1t was that
the British Consul at Porto Rico was the
| largest sugar producer on the leland.
The reading of the bill by paragraph for
| amendment was begun at A O'Clock, but
practically no progress had been made
when the House adjourned an hour later.
Mr.. TnIberts Argument.
The first speaker was Mr.. Talbert, who
| said he was opposed to imperialism, ex-
| pansion, and the extravaganza of the
| Government. He had been freely criti-
cised for his attitude toward pension leg
i islation, and he asked to have read the
letter recently written by Representative
| Cummings regarding his action. which Mr..
! Talbert said was vindication of his
| course, which he regarded very highly.
! coming as it did from a valiant Federal
| soldier
The clerk began reading when Mr.. Lacey
made the point of order that the letter
| being copyrighted, it could not be printed
| in the Record" without the consent of
| the party holding the copyright In this
| case it was a member of the House. who
| could speak for himself. This remark was
| drawn out by Mr.. Talbert's assertion that
! he had the consent of Mr.. Cummings to
use the letter.
| The Chairman, Mr. Sherman. said he
/ could not pass upon the question Of copy
! right. but could submit the matter TO the
| committee for its decision under the rules.
| the question was one of Importance. The
! Public Printer had been bothered by peo-
/ pie threatening him with legislation be
| cause there had appeared In the RECORD
| copyrighted matter and the House ought
! to protect him as well as authors.
| Mr.. Richardson said that the most that
| could be said about the natter was that
| it was unlawful. but everything that was
unlawful was not unparliamentary. If the
| letter was not shut out by the rules the
| members had a right to have it read.
Chairman Sherman overruled the point
| of order. explaining that he would submit
| to the committee the question of having
! the letter read if anyone objected. No one
| objected further.
Lively Discussion.
Mr. Pierce of Tennessee who on Satur-
| day. brought TO the attention of the House
an interview in a local paper with an al
! legged Republican Representative, charging
| that the Porto Rican tariff was the result
of bargain for campaign funds, read that
newspapers affirmation OF the interview
| He also read Senator Hanna's denunciation
| of the story that the Porto Rican Tariff
| bill was framed for the purpose of raising
/ a Republican campaign fund.
Mr. Steele OF Indiana said he would not
| believe the anonymous Republican Con-
| gressman.
Mr.. Pierce said he believed that no man
| employed on the newspaper would deliber-
ately misrepresent the facts, and from cor
| roborative circumstances he believed the
story was true.
Mr. Steele asked how the Porto Rican
| Tariff bill could be used to raise a cam
| paign fund
| Mr.. Pierce said he could not give the ex-
| act steps, but that vast sums OF money had
been raised by the Republican party in
| 1896 from various quarters could not be de-
MED. The campaign contributors in one
instance had even refreshed the memory
! OF the Secretary OF the Treasury. and he
! had not dared to resent the insult
Mr.. Hepburn OF Iowa said that if an in
vestigation were ordered. in all probability
when the editor Of the paper was asked to
| furnish the name OF the Republican cred
tied with the statement he would refase
| to give it. He asked Mr.. Pierce il he
would be willing TO punish the editor for
| refusing
Il will cross that bridge when | come
| to it said Mr.. Pierce. amid Republican
| jeers, but | believe the paper told the
| truth"
Mr.. Williams OF Mississippi took ad-
| vantage of the fifteen minutes accorded
to him to read a number OF newspaper
| and personal expressions by distinguished
men. some Republicans and some Demo-
Gratis. regarding the inconsistency of the
Republican party in the Porto Rican mat
ter and the cavity into which they have
deposited themselves thereby"
why is it," asked Mr.. Williams. that
the Republican party upon this floor fail
! to follow the recommendation of the
| President when he said that 1t was our
plain duty. and that it was evident JUS
tce to allow these people free commercial
NIT III tb.sb hal Of h,.I
States? Has one of you undertaken to
answer It? VIII one OF you dare do it
now? Will one OF you give the reasons
that exist today that did not exist when
he wrote that message? VIII one OF you
state a single reason cited by him for his
own conversion? / will tell you what was
the matter. and you know what is the mat
ter. too. You know that after that mes
sage was written the tobacco interests OF
this country became alarmed. the sugar.
beet industry became alarmed the tropical
fruit industry of Southern California and
| Florida became alarmed the cane sugar
industry became alarmed, great bodies OF
American workingmen became alarmed
They sent men here to your various CON-
mittees. and they besought you. for what
Not to let those islands alone. which was
a very good way of getting out Of it. but
to violate the Constitution OF the United
States in order that you might at one and
the same time do the things. namely,
own. control, govern and exploit the ISL
ands. and still at the same time not ad-
init them to the freedom of traffic and the
freedom OF travel, which Is the innate
right OF every American citizen"
Mr. Steele interrupting. said: I'm the
course of the investigation it was ascer-
C4onon~h Trouk1o