The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-16
THE PORTO RICAN TARIFF.
Free Trade With This Country VIII
Not He Granted.

Not He Granted.
The iariI clause of the bill for the gov
ernment of Porto Rico will no longer be a
stumbling block TO prevent the passage oil
| that measure. President Mckinley spent
| the greater part of yesterday morning in
| consu tstion with several prominent mem
bers of the House. and it was agreed that
the Administration should no longer press
| its objection to the provision Of the Payne
| Foraker bill which imposes duty on
Porto Rican products admitted to this
| country equal to % per cent Of the Dingley
rates. Representatives Payne, Dalzell, and
Grosyenor. of the Ways and Means Com
mittee. were the first to see the President,
and they were followed by Messrs. Wat
son. Brick. and Faris The reasons Tor i'm
POSING the tariff were discussed, and it was
explained to Mr.. Mckinley that should a
free-trade clause be inserted in the bill the
passage of the whole measure would be en-
dangered.
This subject of tariff has been a point
on which 1t has appeared that an agree
ment could not be reached in accordance
with the expressed wishes of the Admins
tration, and the passage OF the bill had
come to be regarded as almost impossible
unless some arrangement could be made
fer uniting its supporters. The President
has been slow to abandon the free-trade
project. but II is understood that he stated
emphaticaliy yesterday that he prefers the
passage Of the present bill TO no legislation
At al. Mr.. Mckinley is quoted as saying
that .othing must prevent or delay the
establishment Of government for Porto
Rice in the near future. and that If a free
trade clause in the bill would prevent its
passage IL must be left out.
This concession on the part OF the Ad-
mia .tration caused considerable surprise
10 those members OF Congress who talked
with the President yesterday, and one OF
them said later:
when | started for the White House
this morning / felt sure that the bill
would not pass, but now that have seen
the President and have heard an express
sion OF his views, | feel confident that it
will go through"
Representatives Watson and Brick of
Indiana were seen after their talk with
the President, and though they admitted
that the Porto Rican question had been
discussed. they were unwilling to make
any statement regarding the views ex-
pressed by Mr.. Mckinley. Both are sheart-
lily in favor of free trade for Porto Rico.
but at the same time believe. as the
President is said to believe. that the pres
ent bill. with its % per cent tariff clause,
is far better than no legislation at all.
Mr. Watson, speaking of the arguments
made against free trade in the report OF
the Senate Porto Rican Committee said:
1T seems to me that the report admits
free trade would be better for the people
of the island. and would do no appreciable
harm to the people OF the United States
and the principal argument made in favor
of a tariff is that any precedent estab-
lished in relation to Porto Rico must be
followed In the Philippines. and that in
the latter instance a tariff is absolutely
demanded. | can see no reason why any |
laws made, for Porto Rico should in any
way affect the Philippines. and | there |
fore regard this argument in opposition |
to free trade in the former as absolutely |
untenable"
Mr.. Payne will cai up the Porto Rican |
bill in the House Monday and the Foraker |
bill, proposing legislation for the island. |
will be considered by the Senate as soon |
as the Hawaiian bill. to be taken up to-
day. is out of the way.
The Republican majority on the Ways |
and Means Committee. with the exception |
of Mr.. Mccall, agreed TO make favor
able report on the Payne bill. Mr.. Mccall,
with the Democrats. voted against it on
the ground of it's unconstitutiOnality.
II was at first thousht that Mr. Mccall |
would stand alone among the Republicans.
but it has since developed that there is a
strong undercurrent OF opposition to the
bill in that party, and should this oppo-
sition continue the bill may be defeated
The number of Republicans who dissent
from the vie VS. of the majority is various
ly estimated, but it is likely that meet
ing Of the opposition will be called before
a vote is taken. Among those mentioned
as opposed to the bill on constitutional
grounds are Representatives Littlefield of
Maine, Mccall of Massachusetts. Lorimer
OF Illinois. Crumracker of Indiana Kahn
of California, Loud of California. and pos
sibly Hepburn of Iowa.