The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-28
Fire Opened on the Opposition by MIR.
Cannon, Who Made n Forceful
Speech for the Bill.
DoLLIvER ALSO SPOKE WELL
HIS WIT, ELOQUENCE AND SARCASM
FREQUENTLY APPLAUDED.
Legal Phases Of the Controversy Dis
cussed by Mr. BaiIey-Porto Ric-
ans Opposed to the Bill.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Feb. H.-The outcome Of
the Porto Rican bill continues TO be
wrapped in the mystery and uncertainty or
the future. All day long the battle has
ragged with varying fortune. The majority
Of the ways and means committee who
fathered the bill prepared they now say.
by the War Department. have labored
strenuously to restore their broken lines.
and. it must be said. with some success.
The amendments agreed on in the confer
ence last night have been accepted by some
OF the insurgents. but not by all Of them.
There are Republicans who cannot and
will not vote for the bill so long as IL ap-
plies the principle of unequal taxation to
Porto Rico. 1t is known that at least
twelve men are dissatisfied with the meas
ure, even as amended to limit the duration
Of its operations to two years and to re-
duce the amount of duty on Porto Rican
articles coming into this county ana OF this
country going into Porto Rico to Is per
cent. OF the rates Of the Dingley law in
stead of Is. as provided In the bill it
came from the ways and means committee.
There are six Republicans who have de-
clared that they regard this bill as uncon-
stitutional, and who will not. therefore.
vote for ii so long as II contains the OBJ
jectionable principle. These are Mccall
of Massachusetts, Littlefeld OF Maine. Lor-
inner Of Illinois. Crumpacker and Watson
OF Indiana, and Heatwole OF minnesota.
The six who wavering and who win
vote to recommit the oil. but who. IL that
should fail, may vote for the measure. your
correspondent does not feel at liberty to
name. 1t would only add to their troubles
by setting the ways and means committee
upon them tomorrow. 1t is difficult for
one not on the ground to appreciate the
tremendous pressure brought TO bear upon
those Republicans who express a doubt as
to the policy or legality of this most un-
fortunate bill.
CRUMPACKER SEES MKINLEY.
The President himself tells the Repub-
licans who go to him about It that he Is in
favor of the measure. and would look upon
its defeat as disastrous. He said this to
Representative Crumpacker. who called at
the White House this morning. That gen.
tleman is opposed TO the bill. both on the
ground that it is impolitic and unconstitu-
tional. When the President told him its
defeat would be disastrous he replied that
its enactment would be suicide for the Re-
publican party.
While there are enough Republicans GER
tain to vote against the bill to insure its
defeat If all the Democrats would vote
against IT, II is known that some Demo-
Gratis will vote for 1t. This Is an element
of uncertainty, whose influence in deter
mining the result can only be known after
the vote has been taken. There have been
seven Democrats who have been thought
favorable to the bill-Devries of Cali
fornia, Sparkman and Davis OF Florida,
Meyer and Davy Of Louisiana. and Sibley
and McAleer Of Pennsylvania. The Florida
men are believed TO be back I'm line with
their party against the measure. but Mr..
Underwood. OF Alabama, the whip OF the
Democratic party. said to-day that he
feared three of the men named Che de-
clined to say which three would stand out
TO the last and vote for the bill Mr.. Rich
ardson. the Democratic leader. said he
hoped that no Democrat would vote for IL.
but he did not seem altogether sanguine
that his hope would be realized. Weighing
the chances OF the bill as carefully as to-
days developments will admit of. IL seems
safe to say that IL the ten Republicans hold
out against the blii 10 a lindl vote IL Will
be beaten. VIII they do so? Hr Lorimer.
of Illinois. one OF the organizers OF the op-
position, said to-day the result would not
be known with certainty until after the
vote was taken and announced from the
speakers desk. but he had fair reason for
the hope that the bill. which he regarded
as unfair. unjust and unnecessary. could
be recommitted TO the ways and means
committee. whence IL had come. Some OF
the Republican leaders believe the bill win
pass by a small majority. while its Demo
cratic opponents are certain IL viii be de-
feated.
THE PRESIDENTS VIEWS
II was stated by a member OF the Cabi-
net to-day that the provision I'm the con-
promise bill which stipulates that all The
revenues collected Porto Rican goods
and goods imported from the United States
and elsewhere shall be expended i'm the
island for the benefit of its people Is tho
prominent feature which reeonciles the
President to its passage. Vita this pro-
vision IN the bill. he said. the net result
would be In measure the same as tree