The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-24
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.


The Bill Will Pnss.-The efforts of
the Republican managers to make it ap-
pear that there is serious doubt of the pas
sage through the Senate of the Porto Ricc n
Tariff bill are beginning TO arouse sus-
picions in the best Informed circles. few
days ago there WIS an impression in these
same circles that probably there was some
doubt as to the passage of the bill. That
is TO say. the talent" even bscame excited
by the play now going on among the dig
nified old Senators and actually had begun
to believe that there was lively row on.
Senator Foraker carried the play so far as
to declare in the open Senate Wednesday
afternoon that he was ready at that very
moment for final vote on the bill. There
upon the calm and imperturbable Mr.. Proc
tor arose and interposed objection to vote
being aiken at that particular moment.
Il thought you would have somebody ready
10 do that" said the cynical Senator Allen,
the Nebraska Populist, who has been in
legislative life long enough TO know few
things himself. Senator Spooner yesterday
made speech, which was frequently inter-
rupted by Senator Tillman. Senator Spoon
er refused 10 answer directly the repeated
question of Senator Tillman as TO whether
or not the amiable Mr.. Mckinley was now
in favor of discriminating tariff against
Porto Rico since his famous plain duty
message. Senator Spooner, however, did
dwell with good deal of emphasis on the
kind heart OF Mr.. Mckinley, which nobody
doubts-not even Senator T1llman-and
rung the changes eloquently on the gen.
crosby toward Porto Rico contained in the
relief bill, carrying a gratuity of more than
two million dollars from the pubic reve-
nues. 1t is no longer doubted, however,
that Mr.. Mckinley fayors the tariff bill.
His love Of party harmony is conceded to
be too great TO permit him to oppose what
evidently is party necessity, even though
he did irdite with his own hand the plain
duty message that was read at the open
ing of the Fifty sixth Congress. the naked
truth seems to be that after the Senate has
held up the bill sufficient time to permit
the party machinery to straighten out the
leaders in various parts Of the country, the
hill will be passed practically by
party vote. Senator Beverage. who. at an
inopportune time, introduced a free trade
amendment, after he had openly declared
himself for the House bill, may vote with
the Democrats against the measure. So
may Senators Davis and Nelson of Mime
sofa, Senators Mason and Cullom of I'LL
nois, and one or two other members whose
constituents have frightened them into a
free trade position; but it is freely predict
ed that the disseEters will not be sufficient
in number TO dignity their dissent as a re-
volt. 1t is generally believed that the bill
will be held up for fully a month yet.
Meantime it is expected that numerous
amendments will be introduced and ac-
cepted, charging the free list TO the point
of imposing a tariff only on such articles
as 1t was originally intended to protect
mainly sugar. tobacco, and rum. This
would not be breaking faith with the in
terests represented by Henry Oxnard, who
framed and forced through the House the
bill as Ii came TO the Senate. With these
special interests protected the Republican
can demand a large contribution
to The Mckinley campaign fund. With this
object in view, Mr.. Hanna felt ca led upon
to take young Senator Beverage into the
Vice Presidents room Wednesday and read |
the riot act, TO him because he came very
near TO knocking all of the fat in the fire |
by the introduction of his free trade |
1t is said that the brilliant |
young Hoosier now understands the harm |
his amendment threatened. and for that |
reason he postponed the free trade speech |
he was scheduled to make in the Senate |
Wednesday afternoon. The lobbyists and !
other people whose special business 1t is |
to guess how the cat is going to jump in
the Senate are betting heavily en- the adop-
ton of the Foraker bill with the amend
ments herein noted.