Evening star., 1900-04-02
EARLY IN SESSION
The Senate Listens to Four
Speeches.
DISCUSSING PORTO RICAN BILL
Messrs. Bate, CuIIom, Depew and
Spooner Speakers.
GROSVENOR'S RESOLUTION


The Senate convened at II o'clock today
In order that the debate on the Porto Rican
bill might be extended. The public gall
lrricS were crowded.
Mr. Vest (Mol. rising to question of
privilege. said upon his return TO the city
after an absence on account of Illness he
had found that the vote to strike out
thr provision in the Porto Rican bill for a
- duty of l. per cent of the Dingley duties
h. had b-en noted as absent and not pair
rd. He explained that he had general
pair which he thought sufficient. Had
H.. been present he would have voted TO
strike out the duty on Porto Rican prod
ucIs-
Proceeding. he directed attention to a
notable case. which he said had been over
looked in all the arguments. A sailor
ramed Ross had shipped on an American
rI,rr. hartman from New York to Naga saki-
AT the latter port he had murdered a fC!lo"
seaman on the vessels deck and was con-
victcd and sentenced TO death pS consul
Lar court His sentence was Comnuttd 10
iupriS1nment for life in the Albany IN. W
p~uitentiary. He sued out a writ OF habeaS
corpus the ground being that he had not
been given trial by jury. as insured bE
tht. Constitution. The Supreme Court Dc
,.i,iei that he had had fair trial and must
remain in prison: that in order 10 avaii
hiT,lS,-lf Of the right to a trial by jury the
y, 50! must have been within the territorial
limits of the United States
Mr. ycsr said he would like any senator
to explain how the Supreme Court could
come. to that conclusion and state EN-
phat!,.alIy that within the territorial hmitS
~ the United States the Constitution ap-
plies without act Of Congress or treaty
stft,1rIations and vet agree that a different
tariff can he imposed on the people Oh
Porto Rico from that imposed on the peo-
nj. of Missouri. NJ.
Mr. Bafe tTennJ. after the Porto Rican
bill had been laid formally before the SEN
li.. delivered his announced speech IN 1p-
position to the pending measure ill >,
An abstract # Mr.. Bates speech VIII De
found in another column
bill authorizing the holding of regular
term Of the United States district court OF
the western district 81 Virginia at ! 4lal
lnlteSyill+ was passed.
A. the instance If MIR Foraker in charge
uf TN. Porto RiCau bill. the Senate dsreeu
10 convene at II am. tomorrow. the speech
- after = pm To BE- limited to fifteen min
uias each.
Mr.. CuIIom GllJ addressed the Senate in
SUPPORT of the. bill. As soon Mr. tuilom
had concluded his remarks Mr.. Depew On.
~ was recognized and began the delivery
ni his announced speech. He vigorously sup
y,rl-i the pending measure and was given
a cordial h-arinG. The speeches of both
senators are given in substance elsewhere
in This paper
Mr. SpoOuer's Speech.
Mr. S,,puuer CWis-, followed Senator De-
now tud was listened To with close atten-
ticu- He said that a great question of the
ki1d before the Senate should not he settled
with catch phrases. such as the Constitu-
Ji"n Cr.I.vS the flag This was being used
very frequently Of late. and he denied the
truth Jf the assertion. He made long ar
suIn-Ut il support Il his contention.
h.., ,.ls Of r. ,F
rron.liuH." said Mr.. Spp"ner in opening his
address, has either the President the
C"ngr'=- been cali upon TO solve problems
equally full i'll difficulty with those which
confront Us now.
'-Tha spanish war" he continued. placed
under pIr control eleven or more millions
Of p ople-strangeTs to US. to our Ian
SfIdge. Tu our government to our institu-
lions and that contrD. brings with it the
gIavest responsibilities. on the demo :
cratic side il is cTntended that the Consti-
tuition. by its own force. extends over Porto
Rico and makes the islands inhabitants
citizens Of the United States. That Is not
In the light Of present events an academic
Question. 1t is great problem which con-
fronts our people.
Adverting To the position taken by MIR.
Bate in his speech, that the Constitution
was now in Porto Rico by its own force,
Mr.. Sp""ner pointed out that Mr.. Bate only
few days ago had voted for an amend
ment providing for the extension of the
Constitution over Porto Rico. The positi IN
taken by General Bate in his speech and
that h. assumed by his vote, said Mr..
Spoon"r. were like Kilkenny Cats-"they
Eat each other up
IF the Constitution extends over the ac-
puired territory by it's own force urged
Mr.. Sppnner. then it Is very strange sem
atsrs should vote 10 extend the Constitu-
tion by statute"
To Amend Porto Rican Bill.
Senator Davis today formally introduced
several amendments to the Porto Rtcan