Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-03-02
'.PUERIOaG0 10 81 taxed.
House Passes the Tariff Bill BY .
Vote Of M to l6l.
PARTY MANAGERS SURPRISED.
Rate Is Cut Down to 16 Per Cent and
the Law Is Made Temporary-Four
Democrats Vote for the Measure
+ Other Warrington Matter. &.a'

Washington, March. 1.-THE struggle
in the house over the Puerto Rico tar
! if bill ended Wednesday when the bill
was amended by reducing the tariff
to Is per cent and making the law tenn
porary and passed by vote of 172 to
ISL. The republican managers were
surprised at the majority of eleven re-
sceived by the bill, for up to the hour oil
voting they claimed only majority
of from three to five. ~, 4.
There were six republicans who voted
against the bill. They were Mccall OF
Massachusetts, Littlefield of Maine,
CEumpacker of Indiana, Lorimer Of IL
linois, and Heatwole and Fletcher OF
Minnesota. Warner of Illinois, who
was absent by reason of illness, was
paired against the bill. Representative
Lorimer announced that were Mr.. War
ner present he would oppose the bill.
These five republicans we're not
enough to defeat the bill. On strict
| party vote, with all members present,
the republicans have a majority of
fourteen, and it would have required
the change of eight republican votes
| to defeat. Four democrats voted for
the bill, four others were absent with
out pairs, and one was present without
voting. In this way the bill received
a majority Of eleven votes. !,
The four democrats who voted for
the bill were Davey and Meyer of Lou
isiana, Devries of California, and Sib-
ley Of Pennsylvania. The four demo-
Gratis absent without pairs were Stall
lings of Alabama, Small of North Caro-
lima, Smith of Kentucky, and Fleming
of Georgia. Bellamy of North Caro-
lima, democrat, was present, but did not
vote.
The republicans cheered over their
victory, but it was not entirely re-
publican victory. They also cheered
the four democrats who voted with
them. The republicans made their
fight for constitutional power that con-
gress could legislate for the islands ac-
quired from Spain without extending,
the constitution over them. The six
republicans who opposed the bill did
SO on the ground that this position
was not constitutional, and was not
fair to Puerto Rico. The four demo-
Gratis who voted for the bill did so on
the ground of protection to their local
interests. -
The four democrats who were alb
sent without pairs were simply unfor-
tunate. The republican whip, Mr.. Taw-
ney, was better player at pairing his
men than was the democratic whip.
Mr.. Tawney secured pair for every
republican who favored the bill. He
even beat the republican opponents out
of one vote by changing the pair of
Mr.. Stevens Of Minnesota, who had
paired with Mr.. Harmer of Pennsyl-
vania, to Mr.. Warner of Illinois. Mr.
Stevens had assured Mr.. Mccall that
he was opposed to the bill and would
pair with Mr.. Harmer. Mccall relied
upon that pair to hold Stevens.
But Mr.. Tawney won over Stevens
to support the bill this morning and
quietly changed the pair to Warner,
allowing Stevens to vote. The demo-
cratic whip was unable to secure pairs
for all his absentees.
The conference report on the finan-
cial bill was taken up in the senate to-
day, and Mr.. Aldrich, in charge Of the
bill, made an explanation of the re-
port. He confined his statement to all
explanation Of such provisions of the
conference report as amended or modi-
fed the terms of the senate bill. Mr..
Allen of Nebraska made speech
against the Hawaiian bill, and the SEN
ate adjourned, after agreeing to vote
on the latter today.