The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-17
THE PORTO RICO BILL.
The House Passes IL as It Comes from
the enate senate Passes Pacific
Cable Bill.
SENATE.

~
interest, to inform the senate whether
any persons have been executed by
garrote in Porto Rico since the United
States authorities have been in control
Of the island and If so why that sys-
TEN was employed in execution
Senator Burrows, of Michigan. rose
TO speak on the Quay resolution but
deferred his speech till tomorrow TO
permit consideration OF the district
| bill.
Without any important change, the
the district bill was passed. The -
cine cable bill was then taken up. II
provides for a cable from San Fran
cisco to Honolulu, the work to be done
under the supervision of the navy de-
| partment, which has made surveys
ana determined the p~racticability of
the route. The navy department may
use any of its ships that can be adapt
ed to the task of laying the cable and
Il 1t needs other ships it may charter
them or may make proper contracts
1or the work. All materials, etc, under
section ., are to be of American man
u~facture, unless the cost is above Il
per cent. over the foreign markets.
Senate Hale explained that the line
provided for was in the nature of an
experiment upon whose result would
depend the governments future course.
oS c1SA ~ SNoAA Liz 4
pin cable from some point like Seat
tie and proceed to Japan by the north
ern route.
Senator Pettus, moved to strike out
section > of the bill. He aid it was
absurd that the government should con-
sent to be taxed on its own business
for the benefit of certain
turers.
Senator Tillman, of South Carolina,
as a embe of the naval committee
defended the bill, the report on which
all the democratic members of the
committee had joined. He deemed it
a desirable experiment in government
ownership and control, and expressed
the opinion that it might prove a good
thing for Alabama
up to this date" said Senator Pet
tus, Alabama will not accept your
bride. l have seen one great state neal
mine accept the sugar bottle, and, 1
don't like it"
Senator Tillman disclaimed any eff
fort to bride either Senator Pettus or
the state of Alabama, but he was anX-
1ouS ITO increase the struggling iron and
steel industries of Alabama, and hoped
to see the day when a government ar
NOR plate factory would be located in
Alabama.
Senator Pettus' amendment was de-
feated-11 to 3S, and the bill passed
without division.
A bill was passed appropriating $780,
600 to establish a branch home of the
national home for disabled volunteer
soldiers at Castle P%inckney, Charleston
harbor, S. G.
At Sis p. m. the senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The long and bitter struggle over the
Porto Rican tariff bill ended today
when the house, by a vote of 161 to 153
in all the senat amend
ments. The bill now requires only the
signature of the speaker of the house
and The president of the senate before
going - the president for his approval.
These signatures will be attached to-
morl Nv and before nightfall the bill
probably will be a law. AS the bill
originally passed the house it was a
simple bill imposing Is per cent of the
DinSley rates on goods going into
Porto Rico from the United States and
coming from Porto Rico into the United
States.
AS amended by the senate and to-
day agreed to by the house, all ~restric-
tionS on goods coming into the United
States from Porto Rico are eliminated
and certain food stuffs AZ other arti
cles which heretofore have gone int
Porto Rico free by executive order ar
excluded from the operation of the 1;
per cent. duty imposed on goods en-
tering the island from the United
States. A complete scheme of civil
government for the island is also at
tached to the measure.
Upon the final vote nine republican,
voted against the bill.
Two ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. DaVey an
Meyer, of Louisiana, were paired witt
democrats in favor of the bill and on
democrat, Mr.. Sibley. of Pennsylvania
voted for it outright. DR.. Devries, tn
other democrat, who voted for the orig
i s-Lo1 hill tA1ar- -nr11 r nrf nn nDrr -
renee. Mr.. ~Stallings, democrat, of Al
: ALBANIA, was the only member on eithe
: side absent n impaired.
The vote came at 3 o'clock after
very interesting, and at times, excit
> > ing debate of five hours, which Gov
l cred not only the bill, but the specia
: order under which the house acted.
i One of the most dramatic feature
{ of the day was the reading by MI
l Richardson, the minority leader, fror
> the original opinion of Charles L. Ma
COON, the legal adviser of the war de
partment, in favor of the view tina
tn constitution extended over Port
Rico ex proprio vigore.
Mr.. Dillver, of Iowa, in reply, terme
Mr.. Magoon a clerk who tried to over
, rule the great lawyer at the head
I the war department.
AS soon as the reading of the jour
e nal was concluded, Mr.. Dalzell, {
L CllliSs ~ oAilop oiiN VI NhS Tx =
e the majority and a member of the CON
mittee on rules. presented the speci;
y order under which the house was
e operate as. follows:
Resolved, That Immediately upo
the adoption of this resolution tf
committee of the whole house On tt
state of the union shall be discharge
from the consideration of II. b. so
y (the Porto Rico bilD and the senat
a amendments thereto; that the SAN
shall be considered in the house unit
V 5 p. m. Wednesday, April II, 1900, whe
;s without delay or other motion, a vo
h shall be taken On the motion to col
cur in the said senate amendments {
gross. And all members shall hay
leave TO print on the subject of sai
bill n amendments for ten days fro
g the adoption Of his rule"
e Upon demand of Mr.. Dalzell, the pr
% vious question on the adoption of II
IS rulep was ordered. This gave TWEEN
rs minutes for debate on each side und'
% the rules. Mr.. Dalzell discussed Il
-. r,,la hriaHU F To rha aninian Of ri