The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-03-06

The grsvest fears for the prestige Of the
republican majority were felt by Speaker
Henderson and his iieuterants in the
House. While they were outwzr1iy de-
clarrg that the bill would pass. they
were consumed within by mlsgtytngs lest
! their majority might become "A minority
| al the last moment. With the President s
aid and the detection OF four Democrats,
however. the day was saved and the heri-
tage OF trouble passed on to the Senate.
Chairman Payne's Statement.
The statements OF the other Republican
members Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, saving Representative Grosvenor
and Es~-esentative Steele, both Of whom
are the city at present, and Repre-
ser DOlllver. follow
ca rrIan Payne 81, ; last evening,
reg irJ p. the origin Z Porto Rican
t1riI hIl, that h. oT '.glt IL 90 the com
Inltiee OF his owE -e sPgasi.Lity. we be-
came Convinced" said Mr. Payne, that
some revenue must be raised for the ISL
ana u Porto Rico. The enactment OF
tarim law seemed 10 be the best way 10
raise II. / received some suggestions, IA
VoTlng tariff, from members OF the
Ways and Means Committee, and also
from certain letters that were written 10
me. Many of these came from farmers.
1 nave received only one letter against
Iarlf rom my own district, and that was
from Democrat. A great many remon-
Strdnces against the free admission OF
cigars from Porto Rico have been for
Warded from constituents in New York 10
their different members in the House.
Inc charges made in newspapers j
have seen that the bill is in the interest
OF the beet-sugar trust are baseless," ="
added Mr.. Payne. There is no beet
sugar trust. There are several factories
over the country. some of which are con-
trolled. / am told. by Mr.. SpTeckels and
some by Mr. Oxnard.
Il was convinced that the bill was a
proper one. ana / am still of that opin-
on. In nv report and in my speech
declared Mr.. Payne, Il eNplsiDed its his
tory
1T has been said that you stated in the
Republican conference that the bill was
drawn by Secretary Root"
Il was asked in the Republican confer
ence. Mr.. Payne replied. ''if the bill had
not been drawn by Mr.. Root. / did not
answer that question
Mr. DaIZeII Nsn-committaI.
Representative John Dalzell. of Penn
sylvania, who ranks next to Chairman
Payne on the Ways and Means Commit
tee. pleasantly but firmly declined TO dis
cuss the bill. 1T has passed the House"
he said, when asked concerning its origin,
land I don't see Jhe use o. the opposition
that is being stirred up by the newspa-
pers."
You can't say whether the bill came
from the White House and from the Sec |
retary Of War;"
Il don't care TO say anything about it,
answered Mr.. DalZell.
Representative Hopkins of Illinois, the |
next member of the committee was |
equally nOn-committal. IF you want 10 |
LrFlfr hn rfcrfr of hn Nrntl rn
TO the chairman of the Ways and Means |
Committee" said he Mr.. Hopkins is |
nevertheless strong in his approval OF /
the tariff bill. and says he believes a still |
greater storm of disapproval would have /
arisen If a free trade measure had been |
passed. He intimates. as have other Re |
publican members of the House, that the |
wrath of labor organizations would have |
been unbounded al free trade bill and |
that the Democrats would have imme- |
diately used il as a means of prejudicing !
the labor vote against the Republicans on /
the ground that the Philippines would In |
due season be given free trade, and that /
Asiatics would be brought into cOmpeti-
ton with the laboTers OF this country.
Executive Officials Helped
1.-THE Porto Rcan tariff BILL" said Rep
Russell. of Connecticut, who
sits next TO Gen. Grosvenor In the COM
mittee, was the result of conferences
and suggestions of legislators and execu-
tive officials. l don't think / could pin
down any one man as its author"
You are said 10 have taken the bill.
as drawn by the Secretary of War, from
the iatter's office to the Ways and Means
That is not true" responded Mr.. Rus
sell. Il was in New York at the time
ne bill was presented to the committee"
Representative Mccall, of Massachu-
5etts, who drew the dissenting Republi-
,an report, stated that he did not think
origin Of the bill. You know what Mr..
Payne said in the Republican conference"
le remarked
THAT the bill came from the Secre-
-ary OF WARP"
Yes" answered Mr.. Mccall. THAT IS
'll | know about it. l was not present
Nnen the bill was delivered"
Referred TO a sub.t ommittee.
Representative Chester l. Long. OF Kan
'as, member of the committee. said that
he bill was first presented to a confer
nee of the Republican members of the
committee, and then referred to q SUBJ
committee by Chairman Payne.
Did he explain where it came fromy'
Il refer you to him for that informa-
ion replied Mr.. Long
do you know personally where the bill
anne FROM
Il have nothing 10 say about that" an
wered the Kansan.
Representative Richardson. Of Tennes-
ee, the ranking minority member of the
committee. stated that he did not know
he origin OF The bill 81 do not want to
i've the SecTe-s of the committee away."
aid he. 'but | suppose l can say with |
'roprlety that / do not know the author
IOr the source Of the bill except that the I
majority Of the committee presented IL {
<one OF the Democrats on the COMMITTEES &
-nnMs Mhere The hilI hrigina ted ,, -