The age-herald., 1900-03-27
Think if the Bill is Passed It Will
 Hurt the Party.
F0RAKER MADE ELOQUENT PLEA
Asked for Party Harmony, But the Op . position Gould Not be Reconcil- ed and Caucus Was De-
 clared Adjourned

Washington, March 26-The republican members of the senate spent two and a half hours in caucus today in effort to reach an agreement upon the Porto Rican legislation now pending in the senate. The caucus was apparently. however, without material result, the only accomplishment being decision to proceed With the gen. eral bill as it now stands, without sep arating the tariff feature, and to discharge the harmony committee from further eff forts.
 During the sitting there were twenty or more speeches made. While all the sena- tors who spoke expressed themselves as desfrouS of reaching amicable under standing, there was but little or no dis position manifested to yield a point which would produce that result. Indeed, the free traders on the one hand and the iron bound tariff on the other were quite as obdurate as they had been at the previous meeting. This condition of affairs was made so manifest that Senator Allison, acting as chairman of the caucus, declared at the close of the meeting that there was no necessity for putting a motion to con tinue on past lines, as 1t was very evident that no other course was practicable. Sem ator Foraker was instructed bv the cau- GUS to press the Porto Rico bild as it now stood, the governmental bill incorporated with the tariff measure, to as speedy vote as possible.
 The understanding at the time this in- struction was given was that Senator For aker would offer an amendment to the aatI of AL t~t1I
 list named by the president in an executive order to the exports going from the United States to Porto Rico duty free, but that the 15 per cent of the Dingley law carried in the house bl upon goods coming from Porto Rico to the United States would be retained. The vote by which this instruc- tion was given was taken viva voce, no record being made, but it was evident that a substantial majority approved the propo- sition.
 Senators Left the Caucus
 Quite a number of senators had left the caucus before this vote was taken. There is a number of senators who wiE oppose the bill even with the amendment recom- mended. They are, it is stated, Senators Davis, Beveridge, Hoar, Wellington, Mason, simon Proctor and Nelson. It is also said that Senator Kyle, who has heretofore act ed with the republicans, and McCumber, of North Dakota will not vote for the house bill unamended, but it is believed they will vote for the amended proposition
 While there has been q great deal of dis cussion among senators as to what the house will do when the amended bill is sent over there, and many conferences between the senators and members of the ways and means committee, the only result has been a decision that the senate must act as seems best under the circumstances and the bill, if tt passes, must take its chances in the house. Apparently there was no dispo- sleion among the free trade senators pres ent at the caucus to delay vote upon the bill, though no agreement was reached for an immediate vote.
 The proceedings were opened With statement by Senator Foraker. He told at length of the efforts of the committee to secure concessions from representatives or all factions and of the committee confer ences with members of the house ways and means committee. and also recited the various amendments which had been sug- gested with view to securing harmony. H6g said that with reference to each ana all of these amendments objections was met from one source or another.
 Free Traders Were Stubborn
 The free trade element were apparently irreconcilably opposed to the house tarif
 
 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 MT. Foraker ex- pressed that opinion that it would be wise to. pass the house bill without modi- fbcation, and he appealed eloquently to all elements 10 unite for this purpose with a determination to pass the civil govern ment bill as a separate measure, and amendments as would concede much that the free traders sought to secure. Among the anne ndments looking to this end which he recited as possible of enactment one was for the continuation of the presi- dents free list, which would practically assure the admission of necessaries, such as breadstuffs and clothing, in Porto Rico free of duty.
 Senator Gallinger offered resolution di- recting the separation of ttle house tarfff htll from the senate governmental Dill and supoorted the resolution. with a speech. nhis move was met by a counter resolu- i tion offered by Senator Wellington provid- ing for the passage of the civil government bill with free trade provision instead of the tariff provision of the house.
 The discussion proceeded on the oasis of the two motions. No new points Of importance were brought out The free traders expressed themselves as very de- sIrous of securing party harmony, but inti- mated very plainly that to do so 1t would be necessary to come to their terms, be- cause, as they said of their conviction that