The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-27
KICKING REPUBLICANS
FEEL LASH OF The WHIP
Message From White House Causes Them to Fall
Into Line On Porto Rican Tariff Bill -
Ltlefeld and Mccall Only Ones Who Declare They Win
Stand BY Their Convictions --s>=--

Washington, Feb. 26.-At the confer
ence of house Republicans tonight on
the Porto Rican tariff bill. assurances
were given that the president believed
the measure constitutional and would
approve it if it came to him, and an
agreement was reached to limit the
operation of the bill to two years. and
10 reduce the duty imposed by il from
% to Is per cent. Of the American tar
if. As a result, the Republican lead
ers claim that the bill will have the
support of all the Republicans except
Messrs. Mccall of Massachusetts, Lit
tlefield of Maine; L0rimer of Illinois.
and CTUmpackeT of Indiana. and that
this loss will be offset by affirmative
votes of the opposition. They claim the
passage of the modified bill is certain.
After the conference adjourned at
II O'Clock Chairman Cannon gave out
the following statement of the amend
ments agreed upon by the conference.
The conference requested the ways
ana means committee to offer an
amendment to the bill as follows;
Amend the title to make it an act
temporarily to provide revenue for the
island Of Porto Rico. and for other pur-
poses and to add the following sec
ton. This act shall be taken and held
to be provisional in its purposes in
tended TO meet a pressing. present
need for revenue for the island Of
Porto Rico, and IS not to continue in
force after March 1. 1902
These amendments were adopted
with practical unanimity Another to
reduce the duty imposed by the act
fF I.
vote of 1G5 to H. 4 further amend
ment is to be offered by the ways and
means committee 30 make it clear that
no double duty is imposed: that the
payments of one internal revenue tax
is the total tax on impOrtatiOns"
Message From Mckinley.
About 125 Republican members at
tended tOnight's conference. which was
held in the hall of the house of repre-
sentatives. The members had been in
consultation during the day discussing
plans for allaying the opposition to the
bill, and bringing the recaicitrants into
line So much had been made by the
opponents of the alleged opposition Of
the president to the measure that the
managers were particularly DESTROYS of
| being able TO Offer some assurances
| that would remove all objections TO
the. treasure on shat score. and this
afternoon the Republican members of
the was and means committee with
| the exception of Mr. Mccall. the Mas
sachusetts dissenteT. called on the
president at the White HOUSE.
The Republican members Of the WAYS
and means committee, with Speaker
Henderson. remained at the capitoI
canvassing the situation during the in
term between the adjournment Of the
house at . O'Clock and the assembling
Of the conference at s O'Clock. Chair
man Cannon presided over the caucus.
As soon as it had been called to order.
Mr.. Payne of New York, the floor
leader, submitted two amendments.
changing the title of the bill. and linn
iting its operations to March ]. 1902.
Will Defer His Opinion.
General Shattuc of Ohio opened the
proceedings with a plain statement ia
/ the effect that he was willing to defer
his opinion in this matter To the wishes
Of the president, although he was con-
WINGED that his constituents favored
free trade with Porto Rico. He de-
named to know, however, and ne
wanted no equivOcatiOn about it
whether the president believed the bill
was constitutional and whether he
| favored the measure. # he did not
Mr.. Shattuc announced that h. would
not be bound by the action Of the con-
| ference.
This brought Mr. Payne to his feet