Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-01

extend over every foot of soil.
DeArmond Mo, called attention to
the peculiar language of the substitute
The words coming into the United
States" he said, We're plainly intended
to evade the constitution. But he ar
gued the numbering of the Queen
English and the violation of the canonS
of language could not make it consti-
tutional
Grow. Pa, the venerable ex-SpeakeI
of the House, and Graft, H., spoke
briefly in support of the bill. The lat
ter said his constituents expected him
to abide by the will of the majority of
his party. He did not desire to 60
back to his district to apologize for
his party, by announcing that he was
right and it was wrong. He referred
TO the history of the efforts of the
Democrats to prematurely force the
administration into the Spanish war
in vindication of the policy of stand
ing by the administration.
Fitzgerald, Mass, in opposing the
bill. referred to the expressed determi
nation of Sec. Root to increase the
number of native troops in Puerto
Rico. Fitzgerald wanted t. know to
what nation those native troops be
lOnged. Were they to be told that the
American flag they were sworn to de
fend meant one thing for Puerto Rico
and another thing to the United States
Were they to become American citl-
zens at 50 per cent. off?
Cromwell. Ohio, who has hitherto OPP
posed the bill after paying his re-
spects to some of his Ohio colleagues,
(Grosvenor and Shattuck) said that he
was now convinced that the admins
tration earnestly desired the passage
of that bill. 1t mattered little whether
he returned to Congress, he said. but
ii was of great Importance that the Re
publican party should remain in power.
His announcement that he had decid-
ed to stand by his party in the pres
ent emergency was greeted with APP
plause.
Grosvenor Ohio. said that much of
the opposition to the pending bill was
due to the fact that it was misunder-
stood
Otey. Va. followed Grosvenor with
a speech which convulsed the House
and galleries. He mmicked the man
nerisms of some of the Republican
leaders, concluding with a parody up
on the speech Of Cannon, ILL.,
The Payne amendment was adopted
without division. Many members on
both sides of the House made 5-minute
speeches, explaining their position.
Richardson. Tenn. had read a com
munication from delegation of Puerto
Ricans appealing for free trade.
Payne. in reply. said the gentlemen
who signed that communication We're
al pppI1ni1r ilN iptaraetaI in
exporting sugar and tobacco into the
United States They We're whining,
yea. whining about the Hobbies of the
United States Congress. shedding tears
for the poor people of Puerto Rico. yet
they were willing to sacrifice 100000
for the benefit Of the island. 50 far as
the Merchants Association Of New
York was concerned it was Interested
in free trade with all the world.
Sibley, Pa, announced his intention
of voting for the bill. He said that all
the testimony before the insular COM
mittee showed that the people of Puer-
to Rico were in Il deplorabe condition.
While we were debating the situation
they We're starving. For himself he
considered it his duty to support the
bill But Puerto Rico was a mere in
cident to the broader proposition.
The emergency" interrupted Will
liams. H.. lis not in Puerto Rico, but
in the politics of the Republican party
democratic applause).
Sibey-"YOu have located the poll
tics on the wrong side" (Republican
applause).
Williams-'It is pretty hard to locate
you" Laughter).
Sibley replied that he had said be
fore, his seat could be considered con
structively on the Republican side.
Continuing he said that if it was es-
tablished that every foot of territory
owned by the United States was on an
absolute equality then he was opposed
10 the whole policy of expansion. If
the inhabitants Of the Philippines could
compete with American production and
American labor he was willing to give
the archipelago to AguinaldO Every
dollar that this bill raised, he said
went to relieve the distress which every
witness testified existed in Puerto Rico.
A verbal amendment to section four
was adopted. Payne then offered the
following additional section agreed up
on at the conference of Republicans on
Monday night:
This act shall be taken ana has to
be provisional in its purposes ana is in
tended to meet pressing present need
for revenue for the administration Of
Puerto Rico and shall not continue in
force, after March l. 1902"
Powers. Vermont, who was the au-
thor of the amendment, supported it,
With him, he said. there was a ques-
ton as to the constitutiOnality of the
bill and one as to its cXpedrncy. A
case was already in the courts, h.
said. which would eventually settle the
question of constitutional law. As 20
the expedicncy. this section would
make the measure temporary and pro-
visional. 1t was. he understood, salts
factory to the President and that being
the case he was willing to give the
amended bill his support.
Sibley concluded with n scathing
characterization of his Democratic
critics.
Tompkins. n. Y. who was one of the
original Republican opponents Of the
bill. announced briefly his reasons for
giving his support to the amended
measure.
Hepburn. Iowa. in the course Of his
remarks said that the treaty by which