Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-27

The caucus of republican senators, held
late yesterday afternoon, decided that the
Porto Rcan tariff bill and the Foraker
civil government bill should continue to run
| in double harness, and that an effort should
| be made to amend the tariff feature by
adding to the bill the free list named by the
| President in an executive order relative to
| the exports going from the United States to
| Porto Rico, while the tariff of Is per cent
| Of the Dingley law carried in the House bill
| upon goods coming from Porto Rico to the
United States should be retained.
/ Senators in Opposition.
| A number of senators will oppose the bill
| even with the amendment recommended.
| They are, 1t is stated, Senators Davis, Bev-
| eridge, Hoar, Wellington, Mason, Simon,
| Proctor and Nelson. 1t is also said that
Senators Kyle, who heretofore has acted
| with the republicans, and McCumber of
| North Dakota will not vote for the House
bill unamended, but 1t is believed they will
| vote for the amended proposition. Two SEN
| ators named in the list of eight first given
| are claimed by the friends of the tariff
| measure as almost sure to vote for the
| amended bill, leaving six republicans who
| will vote finally against the measure. 1t Is
| claimed that two or three votes will be Sc
| cured for the tariff measure from the ranks
| of the opposition parties in the Senate, and
| that in this way majority will be OBJ
| tained.
Proceedings of the Caucus.
Among the senators who addressed the
caucus were Messrs. Foraker Allison, Gull
| lom, Chandler. Gallinger, Quarles. Davis,
| Wellington and Lodge The proceedings
| were opened with statement by Senator
| Foraker detailing the proceedings of the
| harmony committee. He told at length of
| the efforts Of the committee to secure con-
cesslons from representatives of all fac
| tons and of the committees conferences
| with members of the House ways and
means committee, and also recited the vari-
| Gus amendments which had been suggested
| with view to securing harmony. He said
| that with reference to each and all of these
amendments objections were met from one
source or another. The free trade element
were apparently irreconcilably opposed to
| the House tariff measure, while leading re-
publicans of the House had assured the
committee that any amendment of the
House bill would endanger the measure at
| that end of the Capitol.
In view of this condition of affairs In the
House, Mr.. Foraker expressed the opinion
| that 1t would be wise to pass the House bill
without modification, and he appealed elo-
| quently to all elements to unite for this
purpose with a determination to pass the
civil government bill as a separate measure
and with such amendments as would con-
cede much that the free traders sought to
| secure Among the amendments looking to
| this end which he rscited as possible of en-
actment was for the continuation of
| the Presidents free list, which would prac-
tfcally secure the admission of all neces-
saries, such breadstuffs and clothing
| into Porto Rico free of duty. This arrange
ment would meet the demands of the poorer
classes. He also suggested the possibility of
an amendment leaving the Porto Rican au-
thoritieS, to be constituted by the civil gov
eminent bill, to say when any duty which
might be imposed should be removed
These and other amendments would how
ever. he said, necessarily go on the civil
l hi hoo -
| unwillingness of the House to accept modi-
fications of its tariff MEASURE.
Senator Gallinger's Proposition.
Senator Gallinger offered a resolution di-
| recting the separation of the House tariff
bill from the Senate governmental bill, and
supported the resolution with a speech
This move was met by counter resolu-
ton offered by Senator Wellington provid-
ing for the passage of the civil government
bill with a free trade provision instead of
the tariff provision of the House.
The discussion proceeded on the basis of
these two motions. No new points of i'm
portance were brought out.
The free traders expressed themselves as
very dssirous Of securing party harmony,
but intimated very plainly that to do so it
would be necessary to come to their terms,
because as they said, of their conviction
that the imposition of any duty meant ma
terial losses to the republican party in next
falls election.
Internal Revenue Sufficient.
Senator Davis read and explained at some
length the amendment introduced by him
self in the Senate providing for the raising
of the necessary revenus by a purely in
ternal revenue system. He quoted figures
from Governor General Davis in support of
his position that the internal revenus sys-
tenn would be sufficient to meet the de-
Por, 60, h.
government Of the island. He said there
was feeling throughout the country for
free trade with Porto Rico. and said this
feeling was not a mere ephemeral senti-
ment, but was based upon proper demand
for right and justice.
Senator Cullom spoke in a conciliatory
manner indicating personal leaning to-
ward the free trade sentiment, but giving
1t as his opinion that an agreement should
be reached upon some basis which would
present solid front
Senator Quarles made an imprisoned ap-
peal for the enactment of a tariff law, say
ing that only by this course could the best
traditions Of the republican party be MAIN
tanned.
Both resolutions were ultimately with
drawn Senator Wellingtons because of the
fmpossibitty of passing 1t and Senator Gal
fingers because 1t was not considered wise
to press it to a vote in view of the deter
mined opposition Of thu free trade element
No Result.
On Senator Chambers motion the har-
mony committee was discharged from fur
ther service. He referred to the fact that
some Of the leaders who are generally ap-
pointed on compromise committees had not
served upon this committee, and called at
tention to the fact that the caucus had
found 1t impossible to agree upon any of
ths suggestions made by the committees
and to the further fact that it had failed
to accomplish the end for which 1t was an
pointed, namely, that of reconciling the
various elements of the party. He then
moved the discharge of the committee, and
the motion prevailed without opposition.
Remedies for Municipal Corruption.
Under the program hitherto arranged the
general subject for discussion at the public
meeting of the Capital Social Science Club