The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-02-28
FROM THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
From Our O,cn Correspondent.


duty on Porto Rican products was
taken up in the national House of Rep
resentatives last week and will be de-
bated for at least week and perhaps
longer. Representative Payne, Of New
York, opened the discussion in favor of
the bill. According to him, it is a
beneficcnt measure contrived to free
the Porto Ricans from all expenses OF
Government and incidentally to enable
the Supreme Court of the United States
to decide whether or not Congress has
the power to establish such duties, so
that it will know where it stands when
1T takes up the case of the Philippines.
Mr.. Richardson, of Tennessee, replied
for the Democrats. bringing out clear
ly the fact that the proposed bill was
pure Imperialism. In all the history of
this country, he said, with all the an
neXations that it had carried through,
there had never been such measure
proposed before. Always, it was sup
posed that the annexed territory would
in due time come into the Union as
Slates. 1t was never contcndcd before
that the civil rights of the inhabitants
of annexed territory were less than
these Of the citizens OF the United
States. This bill, he said, showed the
vast difference that existed between
this annexation and all preceding ones.
Mr.. Richardson declared that the
Democrats would stand solidly against
the bill. AS matter of fact the Re-
Eublicans are in no such trim. The
disaffection in their ranks is widespread
and alarming. Just how far it extends,
is not yet known, but plans are being
laid to call caucus this week in order
to crack the party whip and try to
drive the recalcitrants into line. There
are said to be some twenty of these at
the very least, quito enough to defeat
the measure by voting with the Demo
Gratis. Two are from the Pacific coast,
several each from Kansas, Iowa andNew
York and quite delegation from New
England. The idea OF holding eau
Gus is to give these chance to say
they will vote for the bill, not because
they approve it, but because it isa par
ty measure.
Former Senator German announced
that he would attend the meetin of
the Democratic National Committee
here last week. Tho announcement
was received with undisguised satisfac-
ton h the other members of the COM
mittee. Mr. GOrman's lack OF sympn-
thy with free silver is well known, but
no one has ever impugned his loyalty
to the party nor his great ability es 8
political manager. He recently gave
out an interview declaring himself as
much opposed to Mr.. Bryan as ever, but
stating that he would support him ifhe
were nominated, aS OF course he will
be. There is general disposition
among the Democrats IL this part Of
the country at least, to let bygOnes DO
bygones and to make no trouble with
gold men who left the partylin 1896 and
now wish to come back. The issues
this year will be very different from
those four years ago, and, though the
platform will reaffirm the silver plank,
it is certain that the fight will be on
the imperialistic policy of the admins
tratiOn and the British alliance rather
than ,;d silver: ! It Iii, il thought probable
German to become chairman of the
executive committee, o post which is
considered to be within Che gift of the
candidate, feeling confident that he
will do his best for him in conjunction
with Senator Jones, chairman of the
National committee.
1t seems TO have been practically de-
cided to hold the Democratic conven-
ton ahead of both the Republican and
intention of avoiding the necessity OF
refusing to accept the Populist plat
form. When the latter party meets, it
will find the Democratic platform and
candidates already selected and If it
wishes to refuse to support them, it
can do 80. The Democratic leaders
think that by this means they will get
more Popuiist votes than by the other.
cred ineVitaBie and @ many oTsa Democratio eSas
leaders are glad that it came last week
at Lincoln, Nebraska, rather than later
in the campaign. They believe that
the conservative POpulists can more
easily be held firmly to the fusion ar
rangement of four years ago now that
the extremists have repudiate fusion
in advance of its being formally ten
dered.
The next national Democratic con-
venJiOn will be held at Kansas City,
Mo, July 4. This was the decision Of
the Democratic. national committee
which met at the Hotel Raleigh last
Thursday to fix the time and place of
holding the convention. Milwaukee
was the only other city which compe-
ted for the honor Of entertaining the
convention, and the poor showing she
made when the vote was taken (the
result being Kansas City, 40; Milwau-
kee, 81 caused general surprise. The
claims of the rival cities as to hotel
accommodations, railroad and tele-
graphic facilities were presented in
city and subsequently in executive ses-
sion. Ex-Gov. Stone, on behalf of
Kansas City, and National Committee
man e. G. Wall, on bohalf OF Milwau-
kee, explained the financial induce
menls which the cities theyrepresented
Tere IS wiling to Ss1 make, nn6 ~ Each offered
Kausas City was willing to furnish hO-
tel accommodations for the members