New-York tribune., 1900-03-20
ITS PASSAGE NOT CERTAIN.
MANY CONSULTATIONS OVER THE
PUERTO RICAN RELIEF BILL.
MINOR AMENDMENTS TO CIVIL GOVERN
MENT MEASURE AGREED TO-NO MEET
ING OF THE HARMONY COMMITTEE
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. !

tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
Washington, March 10 Puerto Rican af-
fairs received consideration in both branches
OF Congress to-day. and were the subject of
many informal but earnest consultations in
which Senators and Representatives took part
The refusal Of the majority in the House OF
Representatives to concur in the Senate amend
ments TO the Puerto Rican Relief bill provoked
a brisk debate and the minority led by Mr.
McRae of Arkansas, again succeeded in plac-
Ing itself in an indefensible position.
Two weeks ago nearly every Democrat In
the House voted against the measure Their
excuse then was that the bill was too indefinite
in its terms. The Senate cured that defect II one
existed and to-day the Democrats voted al
most solidly for one-half of the bill by sup
porting a motion TO concur with the Senate
amendments which limited the appropriation
to the amount Of duties collected on imports
into the United States from Puerto Rico prior
to January 1, 1900 The bill as passed by the
House devoted for the benefit OF the island
all such customs revenue collected since jan
uary l and hereafter to be collected under ex-
isting laws. The House stood by its original
proposition, which cOnformed to President Nc
hlnleys recommendation in his special
sage but lightweight Democrats recorded
themselves in opposition to it, The disagreement
between the two houses will be settled by d
conference committee
In the Senate some minor amendments of the
pending bin 10 provide a civil government for
Puerto Rico were agreed to motion of Chair
man Foraker. One which he proposed defining
the status of the inhabitants to be citizens of
Puerto Rico, and entitled to the protection of
the United States" was objected to by Mt
Bacon, of Georgia. and passed over, as also
was one providing that franchises for railroads
and telegraph and telephone lines only should
require the approval of the President of the
United States and be reported to Congress
BEvERIDGE'S AMENDMENT.
Senator Beveridge to-day gave notice of an
amendment to the Puerto Rican Tariff bill
which provides for free trade between the United
States and Puerto Rico, and also that this act
shall not be construed as extending the Consti-
tuition Of the United States any part thereof
over Puerto Rico, and 1t is hereby declared that
the Constitution of the United States is not ex-
tended over Puerto Rico"
This amendment in substance, was suggested
by Senator Beveridge in the Republican caucus
last Wednesday. and was not favorably
ceived. so that the prospect Of it's adoption by
the Senate itself cannot be regarded as prom
ising.
The Harmony Committee OF which Senator
Foraker Is chairman. did not hold session to-
day owing to the absence Of Senators Spooner
and Mcmillan but the members OF ii were busy
during the day making a canvass TO ascertain
whether enough votes could be rallied TO carry
the tariff provisions passed by the House of
Representatives. They made encouraging prog
ress and one of them late this afternoon ex-
pressed the opinion that success would crown
their efforts at early day. In the forenoon
Senator Foraker visited the White House and
had a conversation with the President on the
subject and afterward expressed confidence that
the measure would become law. While each
succeeding day seems to mark an Improvement
Of the prospect for the passage Of the bill that
result is not yet assured and its advocates are
devottng all their energies to maI1',s =. certain.
Both Republican Representatives who voted for
the measure and Republican Senators who favor
it continue to receive advices from their re-
spective districts and States which indicate that
as the provisions of the bill become better
more fully realized, whatever opposition existed
is melting away and hearty aCqutescenCe is
taking the place of denunciation.
PUERTO RICANS DESIRE ITS PASSAGE.
From Puerto Rico itself, also, information
continues to be received from business men and
others Interested in the subject expressive OF
desire that the bill shall be enacted into law
speedily as practicable, in order TO end the
dition Of uncertainty which now prevails
Some Of the advocates of free trade here
2ow using the argument for their proposition
that the passage of the Puerto Rican Tariff bill
will remove all necessity for providing revenue
by imposing duties imports The apprOpria
ton of 81 O95 900 will last only a few months.
and after that more money would be required
prObably before Congress would reaSSemble in
December. That is strong probab bility, not TO
saw certainty. which the advocates of free trade
between the United States and Puerto Rico
neither choose to discuss nor care TO heed.
No ArPEENIENT N SIGHT