Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-03-03
THE PUERTO RICAN BILL
Passes the National House by a
Decisive Majority.
SWEEPING REPUBLICAN VICTORY
six Republicans Voted with the OPP
position Against the Bill and -Four
Democrats Helped the Republicans
to Pass the Measure.

Washington, March 1.-The battle
over the Puerto Rican bill ended yes
terday in a sweeping victory FIR the
Republicans. The bill, AMENDED as
agreed upon at the conference pf Re-
publicans on Monday night so as to
reduce the tariff from rs to 10 per cent
of the American tariff, and limiting its
life to two years, was passed byla vote
of 172 yeas to 161 nays. Six Rfpubli-
cans--Messrs. Crumpacker of Itdiana,
Fletcher of Minnesota, Heatwple or
Minnesota Littlefield of Maine Lori
mer of Illinois and Mccall of Massa-
chusetts--voted with the opposition
against the bill, and four Democrats
Messrs. Davey and Meyer of Louisiana,
Devries of California and Sihley OF
Pennsylvania-voted with the Republic
cans for the bill. In addition, Mr,
Warner (Rep., Ills.) was paired against
the bill with Mr.. Boutelle (Rep., Mel,
for it, Two other Republicans Mr..
Lane of Iowa and Mr.. Faris OF Indi-
ana-were absent and impaired They
were understood to be against the bill.
Four Democrats who were against the
bill-Messrs. Fleming (Ga-), Snail IN.
CO, Smith (Ky) and Stallings lAla.)-
were absent and impaired. Qtffr pairs
were Gibson (Tenn), Reeves (lils.),
Boutelle (Me), Harmer (Pa)I Bailey
(Kan.), Sheldon (Mich) and Wads-
worth IN. W, all Republication the
bill, with Tate (Ga.). Sparkmaf (FlaJ,
Fox (Miss.), Bellamy IN. %, Cox
| (Tenn) and Epes (Va), DEMOCRATS. all
| against the bill.
! The herculean efforts made to get
| out the full vote led to some lemark-
| able incidents. Six men we're brought
| from beds of sickness, two II them
! from hospitals. Mr.. Browrtow, OF
/ Tennessee. was brought in carriage,
accompanied by his wife and physician.
He sat bundled up near the entrance
| until his vote was given, atd then
withdraw. 1t was felt that the strain
would be severe on him. but whss Mr..
Tawney, the Republican whip urged
| that the bill might be lost by tits one
vote Mr.. Brownlow said: II would
rather lose my life than see this bill
| defeated"
Mr.. Tawney and three assistants
were out in carriages until tuesday
midnight accounting for every vote.
and Mr.. Underwood, the Democratic
whip, was similarly exertinf every
means to get out his votes Three
| Democrats were brought from sick
beds.
The first test yesterday WIS on a
| substitute offered by Mr.. MCCALL on
! behalf of the opposition. 1t vas the
original Payne bill for free traie with
! Puerto Rico, and was defeated by $50
| to TIA. Only five Republican, voted
| for the substitute Mr. Fletcher Minn.)
| who subsequently voted to resommit
and against the bill, voted against the
substitute. A motion to reconmit It.,
which followed 1t, shared similar
| fate, being lost by 160 to 172.
There was great excitement through
| out the roll calls. which were followed
with eager interest by Thousands OF
spectators in the galleries. Tie Re-
publicans INDUCED in demonstration
| of wild jubilation when the final re-
| suit was announced.
Notwithstanding the agreement made
| by the senate to vote on the Hawaiian
| government bill at yesterdays session
| the final vote on the measure was post
| poned until o'clock today. Practical
| ly no progress was made on the bill
! yesterday, although it was under con-
sideration nearly four hours. One of
| the features of the session was the
| speech of Mr. McLaurin (Dem.) on the
| Philippine question. He is she first
| Democrat In the senate to declare him
self for EXPANSION,