The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-20
A SENATOR DENOUNCES AS FALSE THE
STATEMENT OF ANOTHER.
REPUBLICAN SENATORS AT OUTS
Over the Quay Neutrality-suspicious. to
Fix q Time fer Taking the vote-Party
Lines Broken Over the Porto Rican
Bills - The Question from Several
Points OF View Republicans In q
Dilemma In This Matter Senator
Jones' Amendment.
SENATE.


Washington, March 15.-"I assert
emphatically that when the SEN
ator says 1 told him I should not speak
on this subject, he does not state the
truth"
This was the sensational retort made
in the senate today by Senator CALM
ger, republican, of New Hampshire,
to a statement just made by Senator
Penrose. republican, of Pennsylvania
who was seeking consideration of the
Quay resolution
Senators were astounded and the
auditors in the galleries quivered with
excitement. There had scarcely been
the slightest intimation that the de-
bate would take such a turn. For near
ly three hours the senate had had I'M
der discussion the bill appropritaing
s2,095, 5000 for the benefit of the people
of Porto Rico.
Il do not know whether / do speak
the truth" holly replied Senator Pen
rose, "or whether the senator from
New Jersey failed to tell me the
truth"
Senator Gallinger retorted that the
whole proceeding Of Senator Penrose
was unmanly and beneath his notice.
The proposition to fix a time for a
vote was postponed until tomorrow,
but it was some time before the excite
ment subsidized.
The debate on the appropriation bill
developed a decided difference Of opin-
ion. as Senator Jones, democrat, of
Arkansas, offered as a substitute for
the measure a bill to return the duties
of those who had paid them, and pro-
xilinr fnr absolute frna tro6n h0fuTQan
the United States and Porto Rico. The
bill had not been disposed of when the
Quay case was called up.
Senator wellington, republican, of
Maryland, presented an argument
against the seating Of Mr.. Quay and the
remainder of the session was consumed
in a running discussion of the cOnsti-
tutional questions involved.
At the beginning of the session, sem
ator Jones, of Arkansas, offered a
resolution, which was adopted, di-
recting the committee on Indians to
inquire into and report to the senate on
complaints frequently made from many
sections of Indnan territory that the
towns site commissioners are incom-
petent, inattentive and are not dis
charging their duties.
The bill appropriating for the bene-
fit n government of Porto Rico rev.
enues collected on importations there
from was taken up.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, offered
the following substitute for the bill:
That all duties collected up to this
date upon articles imported into the
United States from Poro Rico since
the 18th day of April, 1899. the date of
the exchange of notifications of the
treaty of peace between Spain and the
United States, be returned to the per-
sons from whom they were collected,
and from and after the passage of this
act no duties shall be collected on ar
ticles coming from Porto Rico"
Senator Allison explained that the
amendments proposed had been care
fully considered by the committee.
They made the bill simply a specific
appropriation measure, including
moneys collected up to January 1, 1900.
Senator Jones. of Arkansas, inquired
what Senator Allison proposed to do
with the duties collected after Janu-
airy l, 1900.
Senator Allison replied that that was
a question for congress to deal with in
the future.
Il regard this as a most important
measure" said Senator Jones. Il do not
believe there is any law for the col
lection of these revenues and / do hold
that their collection was violative of
the fundamental principles of our gov
| eminent"
Further, he expressed his opinion
that funds collected on duties ought
to be returned, not to Porto Rico, but
to the people from whom the duties
were collected.
Senator Lindsay, of Kentucky, sug-
geSted that the amendment offered by
Senator Jones was a proposed settle
ment of a question which was at least
open to doubt. IF we are to deter
mine now" said Senator Lindsay,
IAN then later the courts should de-
eide otherwise, we shall be in the po-
sition of having simply made a dona-
ton of 81, 095, 0G0 to these people,"
senator Mason, of Illinois, urged that
every hour of debate was adding to
the suffering of the people for whom
the relief was intended.
Senator Spooner, of Wisconsin, aid
he hoped no senator would endeavor
to place on the bill any amendment
about which there would be a division
Of opinion.
Senator Turley, of Tennessee, asked
Senator Spooner why it would not be
we'll for congress to wait until the
courts had passed upon the question
before appropriating this money.
Yes" replied Senator Spooner We
hemently, wait. Let the people of
Porto Rico starve until the courts have
determined whether we shall pay back
the money collected as duties to the
| sugar and tobacco rusts. / cannot be-
lieve h senator would stand by any
| such proposition as that"
Senator Clay, Of Georgia, inquired of
Senator Spooner if it were not true
that, in the midst of their distress, we
had collected this burdensome tax
from the people Of Porto Rico.
No, it is not" replied the senator.
THE duties were paid by a compare
lively few people and those are not
the poor people. We We're right in i'm
posing the tariff and we are right in
making this appropriation"
Senator Cockrell, Of Missouri, said
he had always believed in the great
economic theory that the consumer OF
an imported article pays the tax and
he, therefore, opposed Senator Jones
substitute. I'VE all know" concluded
| Senator Cockrell, that some excite
ment has been created throughout the
country by this proposed Porto Rico
legislation. The president, the secre.
tary of war and the governor genera
of the island recommend free trade
between the island and the United