Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
FOR PORTO RlCo's RELIEF
Bill to Refund Tariff Duties Passed BY the
Senate.
Messrs. Jones and Tfllman Critics,
the Course of the Republican,
Text of the Measure.

! The Senate yesterday afternoon pass ed
the Porto Rican relief bill as reported by
the Senate committee. with division, there
being only few scattering noes"
As passed the measure carries s.. O95, 900.
the President being authorized to use that
sum 'for public education, public works
and other governmental and public pur-
| poses in Porto Rico.
After The Stars report Of the debate was
closed yesterday, Mr.. Allen asked what
rates of duty the goods Of Porto Rico we're
now paying in the United States.
They are paying the rates fixed by the
Dingley act" replied Mr.. Allison. 1.-The bill
we shall pass for Porto Rico will be liberal
and just to all. | take it there is no SEN
ator on either side Of this chamber who
would propose to continue the present com-
| mercial conditions between the United
| States and Porto Rico for any considerable
time. 1 want the matter FASTENED In every
| way possible
Mr.. Jones said he did not propose to vote
for any measure of this kind without def
| mite Information. AS the matter stood, he
| would, he said, prefer to vote for the House
| bill than for the one as presented by the
| committee. He inquired where the money
came from that was being expended in
| Porto Rico now, and had been expended
| heretofore.
| Mr.. Foraker replied that a large amount
| had been expended from the war emergency
| fund and that some had been expended
| from customs receipts. The War Depart
| ment hoped that relief would be Afforded
| by Congress, but the relief had been de-
| layed so long that the present proposition
| had been brought In.
| Remarking that he could not ascertain
just what the object of the bill was. Mr.
| Jones said he would content himself by Of
| fering the following amendment:
! From and after the passage OF this act
/ no duty shall be collected on articles coming
l 9th rt M
| United States or on goods coming from
| Porto Rico into other parts Of the United
States"
Mr.. Pettus (Ala) declared his opposition
| to the bill holding such appropriations were
dangerous as precedents, and they ought
| to be abandoned.
Mr.. Wolcott inquired If 1t were not true
| that the appropriations made for the relief
| Of the Mississippi river sufferers at va
| rious times We're not in terms more liberal
| than the present measure.
Mr.. Pettus replied that it Was not true.
! I'VE relieved many sufferers by appropria-
| TONS" he said but in every instance a
| specific appropriation was made for a spe-
cific purpose"
In answer to a further inquiry by Mr..
| Wolcott Mr.. Pettus maintained that not a
| dollar of any relief appropriation hereto
| fore made could be used for any purpose
| than that specifically defined In the legis-
latfon The proposition now before US,
he declared, lis bad policy and it is dan
| gerous policy"
| Mr.. Tiiiman's Criticism.
| Mr.. T1llman said there was evidently so
| much division among the republicans that
| it appeared doubtful to him whether they
| would be able to enact any Porto Rican
| legislation at all. He said 1t looked as If the
| republican party had reached the end Of its
| rope. and that its last hope now was to
| contend that Congress was without imtta-
| tons in the government of or in legislating
for acquired territory.
| Referring to the difference between the
| governments treatment OF Hawaii and
| Porto Rico to the admission of their re-
spective products Mr.. TIlman said: Sen
| ators owed it to themselves not to show
| such discrimination on the one hand and
| such outrage on the other"
He was going to vote for the pending bill,
| he said, because the enactment of the meas.
| uTe into law was the only way to restore to
| the people of Porto Rico taxes taken from
| them wrongfuly and unconstitutionally.
| The United States has not given the
| people of Porto Rico a cent, and IT is high
| time" he said. that We give back to them
| the money we have stolen from them
| Mr.. 1fllman declared that the govern
ment established now In Porto Rico was
| worse than that forced upon the people by
| SPAIN particularly as to the islands fiscal
affairs, as under Spanish rule the Porto
Ricans had at least free market in Spain
| for their goods.
! This assertion Mr.. Gallinger disputed,
calling Mr.. Tillman's attention to the fact
that Spain levied a duty upon Porto Rican
|
| tuted four-tifths of the export product of
1 the island.
Gen. Davis Report Quoted.
| Mr.. Tillman read extracts from Gen. Da-
Wis report. stopping In the midst of the
| reading to exclaim Lets cast this legisla-
| ton like honest white men; let's not have
any namby pambyism and hypocritical
| philanthropy about 1t. That is all l am
trying to get senators to agree to now.
| There will be no trouble about the main
| question. That will either be adjusted by
| Congress before adjournment. it will be
adjusted by the people next November.
| and don't you forget it"
| He thought the way to help the people Of
| Porto Rico to get on their feet was to give
| them a market through the means of free
| trade with the United States. II public
| soup house was started men who might
| earn their living with a hoe ak would
| sit down and wait for the soup to be hand
| ed around The result would be to cut off
the very labor necessary to rehabilitate the
| island il should be rehabiIitated
| Mr. Tillman favored a civil government
for the island and criticised the expendi-
| lures under the present military system as
| expensive. There is no sense. no justice
and no honesty" he said, ''in having those
poor devils robbed simply because they
| have come under our dominion"
He thought the republican party was In a
! dilemma, but thought 1t would come out
| all right. You are the best organized par
| ty l ever saw. he said. land no matter
| how you talk I've no doubt you'll all round
| up on the vote.
| Mr. Tiiiman referred to what he said
| would be the monumental salaries of the
| officials in the insular possessions, particu-
| larly nOtin&7the members Of the Philippine
| commission
| mir. Foraker informed Mr.. Tiilman that
he had been told that the highest salary of
| any member of the commission would be
| $4,000 a year. THAT may be disappoint-
ing to the senator" suggested Mr. Foraker
| Trihufe tn the prosS.ln~<
| No replied Mr.. Tilman. I'm graft
fed. I'm always willing to trust William
| Mckinley, but IT'S Lis bad and wicked part
| ners that I'm afraid Of He is a patriotic
| and noble man. although just now he may
| be carried off his feet by the dream of
| appearing in history alongside of Jefferson
| and others who added largely TO our terri
tory"
In conclusion he besought Congress to
| take Its hands from the throat OF the
| Porto Ricans and give them a chance to
| govern themselves, even il We had to guide
1 them a little at first