Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-07
SUMMONING ABSENTEES
BOTH PARTIES URGE THEIR I'M
MEDIATE RETURN.
Porto Rican Bill to Come IN in the
House Wednesday-OppOsi
Standing Firm.

There has been no break in the little
band of republicans of the House who stood
out in opposition to the Porto Rican tariff
bill when it originally passed the House.
A considerable number of republicans who
voted for the bill before have declared that
they will now vote against it, but how
many will have the courage to do SO re-
mains to be seen.
The republicans who before voted against
the bill expect an addition Of about six to
their number when the vote is taken on
concurrence in the Senate amendments.
Altogether there were about twenty-five
who said they would vote against the bill.
but most of these viii be whipped into line.
The original bill passed the House by a
vote of H. to 100.
/. Since then Lane, who was absent When
the vote was taken, has publicly declared
his opposition to the bill.
A change of six other votes would over
come the majority. That many additional
republican votes are promised against the
bill, and the democrats have hope that
Meyer and Dany of Louisiana, who voted
with the republican majority before, will
not do so when it comes to the vote to con-
cur in the Senate amendments.
The friends of the bill. however. express
complete confidence in their ability to force
the bill through the House as it came from
the Senate, notwithstanding the number of
republicans who have declared that they
would not vote for 1t and the additional OBJ
lection to the civil government amendment.
Debate to BE Limited.
The republican managers of the House
have decided not to allow protracted de-
bate upon the motion to concur in the Sem
ate amendments to the Porto Rican tariff
bill next Wednesday. Both sides are using
their utmost endeavors to get every alb
sentee to Washington. The opposition Will
make the first fight on the adoption of the
rule, but the republicans who are canvass
ing the situation express great confidence in
their ability to put through the program
agreed upon at the republican caucus on
Thursday by a larger majority than was
secured for the original bill.
The republican leaders having whipped
their party in the House into line on the
Porto Rican bill, they are now waiting only
TO get absent members back to the Capitol
before bringing the matter up in the House.
Both parties have telegraphed to all absen-
tees urging their immediate return. and it
is expected that the Porto Rican bill will be
brought up on "Wednesday, special rule
being then reported from the committee on
rules providing for a vote on concurrence
in the Senate amendments after probably
one days debate.
Civil Government Feature.
An objection TO the bill, in addition to the
tariff feature, is found in the provision of
the civil government part of the bill, where
by, it is claimed, almost limitless franchise
privileges may be secured through intiu-
encing but six members of the upper house
OF the proposed Porto Rican council, who
may be ''carpetbagGers. Even In the caucus
Thursday night serious objection was raised
to the provision for the appointment by the
President of the upper Porto Rican house,
composed of eleven members, only five of
whom need to be natives, and six of whom
will be heads of local government depart
moi hos iG oh tad
Nigh, grant franchises of any sort, under
any conditions and for any length of time.
and it would be practically impossible to
secure the affirmative action of the United
States Congress necessary to revoke them.
The democrats of the House propose to
have caucus on Porto Rico tonight