The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-03-29
PORTO RICANS' RELIEF.
CONFERENCE REPORT ADOPTED
BY A VOTE OF s5 To is.
It Was Practically n Party vote-Ne
tion-Senator Spo, ncr forcefully
Crtt1cises Senator Tilimnn, Who.
In Return, Declares the shot Gun
Policy fu the Soutn nJus,iRable.

In Return, Declares the shot Gun
Policy iu the Soutn nJu.,if,ble.
Washington, March 24-The Senate
to-day adopted the conference report
on the Porto Rican relief bill by a vote
of 35 to Is. practically L strict party
expression. No Democrat voted for the
report, but Mr.. Stewart. of Nevada,
voted with the Republicans. The time
of discussion was consumed principally
by Mr.. Tillulan, of South Carolina who
made fierce attack upon the measure
as agreed upon in conference and ac-
cused the Republican Senators and the
Republican party of indirection. hypoc-
risy and dirty work" His speech was
quite Characteristic and was listened
to with interest by his colleagues on
the floor and the people ia the gall
leries
Mr.. Gallinger, Republican, of New
Hampshire, followed with a temperate
statement of those who not only favor
the report, but the passage of a Porto
Rican tariff bill.
Mr.. Spooner. of Wisconsin, closed the
debate with a foTccful statement in oD-
position to Mr.. Tillnran's speech, in the
course of which he took occasion sharp
ly to criticize the South Carolina Sena-
tor for dragging the measure into
politics. His colloquial tits with Mr..
Tillman We're immensely enjoyed by
the auditors. The conference asked for
nv In il hiy,In fin ov,1
consular bill was agreed to.
Mr.. PettigreW's resolution asking the
President for an itemized statement OF
the expenses Of the Philippine commits
sion, together with the amounts paid
each commissioner, wele agreed to.
The cCnfei Crte report On the Porto
Rican rcEriatiCn bill was then call
ed up by Nr. Allison.
Mr.. Tilin9an, who voted for the bill
as it passed the SeEate and as a mem
Der of the coTEmittce On appropriations
voted favorably to report it, vigorously
opposed the conference report. He par
ticu!ariy regretted that the Senate
conferrees had yielded in agreeing to
enlarge the purpose If tie measure by
providing fer TIE AID ana relief Of the
people" Of Porto E.,l.'
''As long as yGu continue to feed
these PC PIE down there" declared Mr..
Tillnlan, 'ytu may fed them. So long
as the freedmen's bureau was main
tanned in the South the colored race
there amounted 10 nothing That
characteristic Of the race"
In Iespt u.c 10 an inquiry from Mr..
SpCOner, Mr.. Tillnan sad: I'm in
favor of free trade with Porto Rico. l
don't believe i'll protecting one part of
the United st against another
That's my position"
RESPONDING to an inquiry as to
whether he favored free trade with the
FiIipinos, M. TilIr.an said: IF we are
to continue to Ec'I the Philippines.
I'm in favor tf free trade with those
islands. There is al old legal axiom
that a man taInc: take advantage OF
his wrong. ThCse who voted to bring
into The ccun,ry those islands with
their cheap contract. Eeon and Malay
labor, were told If the results that
would follow the ratification Of the
treaty. md yea could not get the
| votes necessary to make that treaty
law until you lid bought some men to
vote for it,
IF it is now proposed TO send a
horde Of carpot-b2 ggers over there
| backed hy the baycaets of soldiers SO
| long as l have voice I shall protest.
! He charged that tht recent speech OF
Mr. Etverilae had infused new life
| into the revolution, b cause it indicated
| the hypocrisy and double dealing which
| ke sad the United States had resorted
| to in the treatment of the Filipinos
| Addre ssing the Republican side. the
| people, he said, VIII teach you next No
| vember that trade and the flag and
| liberty and the Constitution go to-
| gether
Further along MI. Tillman said he
| had asked q before and would like tc
| know now whether the President was
| in favor Of free trade with Porto Rico.
| rs he for free trade to-day" he ask
| 3D. or is he following along behind the
| car driven Ly the men who want pro
| lection against the little island in the
| Carribean sea-" After waiting an in
stant Mr.. T!lllnan said:
| "Of course, there is 4 dense silence ir
| the chamber as a response to my In
| quiry The Senator from Ohio (FOraker
too, is doubtful as to his position. II
like to know if he is in favor Of free
trade with Porto Rico"
| Mr.. FOra|.-r replied that his position
had been set forth fully in the repor
on the Porto !tiran Government bill
| The committee. he said, in investigating
the subject became Convinced that tn,
people Of Porto Rico cGuId not stant
taxation.
Mr.. Tillman said President McKinle.
was one of the IanF ..Lab'e men /,
public life. i5ut l9c,s-i backbone.
| Mr.. Gali:nger c.t:'itl d that the legis
lation pending ia t!.a interest OF tn
Porto Ricars wae riaHt ard just anc
! generous ard he - at SID that Cl
sober second thour,it thc people wh'
| were now opp, 81 : e would hearth.
approve Of it. lie "a t vas alsc
familiar cry that +: = .rusts were con
trolling the Ret .er7 aGministra
| ton.
In the course of I, debate Mr. Till
man said: We had .ci.e dares her
yesterday, but the ! tailed flush 9
my friend from Ono F'graker) did TO
go through" Gau@ht ~.
Mr.. Spooner and - r"':nan becam
involved in a heated COZ roversy owe
the terms used by tie South Carolin;
Senator in characterz.rG the work O
the Republican Senators. The discus
sion finally developed some remark
that Mr.. Tiilman lad made fey
weeks ago. in wh.'!. NJ justified ballo
!. box stuffing and Il. employment O
the shot gun policy aE@inst the negroe
Of the South.
We did ali thcse things" declare
Mr Tillmar and !; have TO apoIog
to make for 1t here y anywhere else.
In reply, Mt SpCpneT said he ha
never yet been able to find any justifi
cation for the murder Il negroes in tn
South or for trenli'irg upon thei
rights as American citizens
In view OF these statements OF tn
Senator" Mr.. SpocLer declared, Il ar
, tired OF hearing all this prattie fror
, Senator's on the otter side q the cha n
Der about the rsnts Of the PORT
Ricans and the Ffl.giT.s II ought :
/ be understood ttat '.c :, aators on thl
. side Of the chan he; sr= az anxious I
do the right ard : thing as ar
those on the othei -