The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-03

PUERTO RICAN
MESSAGE
10 Apply Monies Collected on Puerto
RicSn Goods for Relief Of the
People, Game Like .
BOLT OUT OF A CLEAR SKY
To the Minority, Who at First
Thought It was a Rsbuks to
the Majority.

WASHINGTON, March 2.-within
two hours utter a special message from
the President, recommending the inime-
diate passage OF bill to place In his
hands all the monies collected upon
Puerto Rican goods since the Spanish
evacuation Of the island, to be used for
the relief Of the Puerto Rlcans, hAa
been read to the house to-day. the
house had passed and sent to the sem
ate a bill to carry out the recommenda-
tlOn.
The message came like bolt out OF a
clear sky to the minority. They were
at first inclined to hail 1t with delight
as q reproof Of the majority for the
passage of the Puerto Rlcan tariff bill
ON wednesday. The Republican Lead
ers. however, had a bin ready to carry
the Presidents recommendations into
efsect. Mr.. Cannon asked immediate
consideration for 1t, and this was given.
1t was only when the debate opened.
IL had been agreed that twenty minutes
should be allowed on q side, that under
the lead Of Mr.. Bailey, Of Texas, the
Democrats began lining up against the
bill because It placed no Limitation upon
the Presidents discretion in the use Of
the money. The bill was passed by a
vote Of 1862 to lO7. thirteen Democrats.
two PopulIsts and two Silver Repubh-
cans voting with the Republicans in the
affirmative.
subsequently, the Aldrich-Robbins
contested election case, from the fourth
Alabama district. which the house
twice refused to consider yesterday,
was taken up, 1856 to 12s, and was de-
bnted for the remainder Of the day.
PUERTO RIcAN BILL IN SENATE,
Several Amendments Pressnted-The
Quay Case.
WASHINGTON. March 2.-1nterest
in the Puerto Rican tariff measure now
has been transferred from the house to
the senate. Consideration OF the bill
embodylng substantially the provisions
OF the house bin and in addition pro-
vidlng for u temporary form of civil
government for the island Of Puerto
Rico, was begun In the senate to-day.
Mr.. Foraker (Rep., Ohio, chairman Of
the committee on Pacific islands and
Puerto Rico. being in charge Of the
measure.
Scarcely had the reading of the bill
been concluded when Mr.. Teller (Colo-
rado), proposed an amendment, pro-
vidlng, in brief, that the purpose OF the
pending bill is simply 10 establish a
temporary government In Puerto Rico
for the purpose of enabling the people
Of the Island later to establisha perma-
nent republican government, in which
there shall be accorded the people the
right Of sslf-government, the adoption
of a constitution, and the establishment
OF n permanent form Of government not
interfering with the sovereignty Of the
United States over the island or Its In
habItants.
This amendment was followed by an
other by Mr.. Stewart, striking out the
provision levying duty on Puerto
Rican goods, and providing that they
should be admitted free into the United
States.
A spirited debate was participated in
by Messrs. Foraker. Teller, setwart and
Others. Mr.. Foraker contended that
the duties levied on Puerto Rlcan pro-
ducts were necessary because the island
was in need Of revenues. Every dollar
levied as duties would be turned into
the treasury of the island, and the COM
mIttee held that this was the only prac-
tlcable means of securing the needed
funds.
Mr.. Stewart strongly upheld the poli-
cy Of the President as announced in his
last annual message. Of giving free
trade to the Puerto Ricans,
An hour and a half Of the session was
devoted to consideration of the Quay
case, Mr.. Hoar CMass.), presenting an
able constitutional argument in favor
of seating Mr.. Quay on the ground,
mainly, that It was the intention OF the
trainers Of the constitution that the sem
ate Mt all times should have its full
quota OF members.