The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-28
DEBATING IN THE House
Representatives Express Their
Views on Many Questions.
The Opportunity Afforded by CopSid-
Grafton Of the Army Appropriation
niuistration's Philippine Policy
Ills Speech Bitterly Denounced.

Debate on the Army Appropriation bill
/ in the Committee Of the whole Of the
/ House yesterday gave opportunity for Mr.
! Sulzer Of New York to speak in behalf o.
! Intervention by the United States in The
/ war against the Beers in South Africa;
for Mir. Lentz Of Ohio to repeat his criti-
| cism Of the Philippine policy Of the Ad-
ministration and to advocate diplomacy in
settling the war. and for Mr.. Marsh OF
| Illinois TO denomce Mr. Lentz's speech as
! a disgrace to The American Congress.
1 Other speakers were Messrs Pierce OF
| Tennessee, Tslbert of South Carolina,
! Williams of Mississippi. Hull Of Iowa,
| Chairman of the Committee on Military
Affairs, in charge of the bill; Tongue
Of Oregon, and Steele of Indiana.
The latter, replying to Mr.. Williams of
! Mississippi, undertook to give one reason
| existing now that did not exist in De-
cember last to account for the change OF
/ policy toward Porto Rico. It was that
/ the British Consul at Porto Rico was the
| largest sugar producer on the island.
The reading of the bill by paragraph for
| amendment was begun at o'clock, but
! practically no progress had been made
| when the House adjourned an hour later.
Mr.. TaIbert's Argument.
The first speaker was Mr. Talbert, who
/ said be was opposed to imperialism, eX-
! pansiOn, and the extravaganza Of the
| Government. He had been freely criti-
csed for his attitude toward pension leg
| islation. and he asked to have read the
| letter recently written by Representative
| Cummings regarding his action. which Mr..
| Talbert said was a yindicatiOn OF his
| course. which he regarded very highly,
| coming, as 1t did. from valiant Federal
/ soldier
| The clerk began reading when Mr. Lacey
/ made the point Of order that the letter
! being copyrighted, it could not be printed
/ in the Record without the consent OF
/ the party holding the copyright. In this
/ case it was a member OF the House. who
! could speak for himself This remark was
! drawn out by Mr.. TalbeTt's assertion that
| he had the consent OF Mr.. Cummings to
/ use the letter
/ The Chairman. Nr Sherman. said he
/ could not pass upon the question OF copy
| right but could submit the matter 10 the
/ committee for its decision under the rules.
In all seriousness, Mr.. Lacey responded.
| the question was one Of Importance. The
( Public Printer had been bothered by peo-
| pie threatening him with legislation be
cause there had appeared in the record
/ copyrighted matter and the House ought
to protect him as well as authors.
Mr.. Richardson said that the most that
could be said about the satter was that
it was unlawful, but everything that was
unlawful was not unparliament3ry. II the
letter was not shut out by the rules the
members had a right to have it read.
Chairman Sherman overruled the point
Of order. explaining that he would submit
to the committee the question Of having
the letter read if anyone objected. No one
objected further
4 Lively Discussion.
Mr.. Pierce Of Tennessee who on Satur-
day. brought to the attention Of the House
an interview IN local paper with an al
legged Republican Representative charging
that the Pcrto Rican tariff was the result
of q bargain for campaign funds, read that
newspapers affirmation OF the interview.
He also read Senator Hanna's denunciation
Of he story that the Porto Rican Tariff
bill was framed for the purpose Of raising
a Republican campaign fund.
AIr Steele Of Indiana said he would not
believe the anonymous Republican Con
gressmaE.
Mr.. Pierce said he believed that no man
employed on the newspaper would deliber-
ately mlsrepresent the facts and from cor
roboratiye circumstances he believed the
story vas true.
Mr. Steele asked how the Porto Rican
Tariff bill could be used to raise cam
paign fund
Mr.. Pierce said he could not give the ex-
act steps but that vast sums OF money had
| been raised by the Republican party in
1896 from various quarters could not be de
MED. The campaign contributors in one
| instance had even refreshed the memory
! OF the Secretary OF the Treasury. and he
! had not dared to resent the insult
Z Mr. Hepburn Of Iowa said that il an in
vestigation were ordered. in all probability
| when the editor Of the paper was asked to
| furnish the name OF the Republican cred
| tied with the statement he would refuse
! TO give it, He asked Mr. Pierce if he
/ would be willing to punish the editor for
/ refusing.
! Il will cross that bridge when I come
/ to it,. said Mr.. Pierce. amid Republican
/ jeers. but | believe the paper told the
| truth"
Mr. Williams OF Mississippi took ad e.
| vantage Of the fifteen minutes accorded
! TO him to read number of newspaper
/ and personal expressions by distinguished
men. some Republicans and some Demo-
! Gratis. regarding the inconsistency of the
! Republican party in the Porto Rican mat
| ter and the cavity into which they have
| deposited themselves thereby"
| why is it," asked Mr. Williams that
| the Republican party upon this floor fail
/ to follow the recommendation Of the
/ ba eafH N w.
| plain duty. and that it was evident jus
! tice to allow these people free commercial
/ intercourse with the balance OF the United
! States Has one OF you undertaken to
| answer it, VIII one OF you dare do it
now? VIII one Of you give the reasons
! that exist today that did not exist when
| he wrote that message2 VIII one Of you
! state a single reason cited by him for his
! own conversion? / will tell you what was
| the matter. and you know what is the mat
! ter too. You know that after that mes
| sage was written the tobacco interests Of
! this country became alarmed, the sugar.
| beet industry became alarmed. the tropical
| fruit industry Of Southern California and
! Florida became alarmed. the cane sugar
! industry became alarmed, great bodies OF
/ American wOrkngmen became alarmed.
/ They sent men here to your various COM
! mttees and they besought you. for what
! Not to let those islands alone. which was
| a very good way OF getting out OF it, but
! to violate the Constitution OF the United
! States in order that you might at one and
the same time do the things. namely.
! own. control. govern. and exploit the ISL
! ands. and still at the same time not ad-
| init them to the freedom Of traffic and the
| freedom OF travel, which is the innate
/ right Of every American citizen
| Mr. Steele, interrupting. said: In the
| course Of the investigation il was ascer-
Stomach TrOuhlA