The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-30
DEBATED IN THE Senate
Amendments to the Porto Rican Bill
Under Consideration.
A Number of Propositions Disposed
Of-A Discussion as to the status
of the Natives of the Isiands-Thc
Citizenship Question New See
tions Taken tp-The Arguments.

OF the Natives of the IsiandS-Th
Citizenship Question New see
tions Taken Jp-Thc Arguments
The amendments to the Porto Rican bill
were taken under consideration by the Sen
ate yesterday afternoon, and several o
/ them were disposed of At the conclusion
J OF the routine morning business Mr. Proc
J tor gave notice that he would postpone hi!
! speech on the bill until today, in order Il
give Mr.. Beveridge an opportunity to ad.
dress the Senate on the same subject yes.
terday, at the time for which he (Mr
Proctor) had given notice Mr.. Beveridge'
remarks are referred to elsewhere. At theiI
conclusion Mr. Foraker introduced the fol-
lowing amendment to the Porto R.can bill
That on and after the date when this
act shall take effect wares and merchan-
disc previously imported from Porto Rico
into the United States for which no entry
has been made, and all goods wares. and
merchandise previously entered without
payment of duty and under bond for ware
housing. transportation. or any other pur
pose for which no permit of delivery to the
importer or his agent has been issued shall
be subjected TO the duties imposed by this
act and to no other duty, upon the entry
or withdrawal thereof: Provided That
when duties are based upon the weight of
merchandise deposited in any public or
private bonded warehouse said duties shall
be levied and collected upon the weight OF
such merchandise at the time of its en-
try"
The first amendment taken up was that
imposing duty of cents per pound upon
coffee imported into Porto Rico.
Mr.. Pettus moved to strike out that pro-
vision, and said he wanted distinct vote
on tie question as TO whether a tax can
be IMPOSED on merchandise imported into
the island which is not imposed on like
merchandise imported into other parts of
the United States.
Mr.. GaIlinger's Opinion
Mr.. Gallinger said the provision was
beneficent one for Porto Rico. Under the
Spanish regime tariff had been imposed
on coffee imported into the island because
the coffee raised there is the best in the
world. and the object was to prevent in
ferior coffee being sent there and blended
so as to destroy the good name of Porto
Rican coffee.
Mr.. Pettus-f you have a free hand to
mutilate the Constitution OF the United
States. then you can pass this bill. but il
the Constitution means anything when it
says the taxes and duties shall be uni
form, then you have no such right
The vote was taken on Mr. Pettus' mo-
ton, and 1t was defeated-yeas. 13; nays,
%. The vote was as follows:
Yeas-Baoon. Bate, Berry. CLAY. Culber-on
Harris, Heitfeld. Jones of Arkansas senney Lind
say, McI1uriu. Morgan, Pettus. Turiey-i3.
Nays Baker. Bard. Burrows. Carter, Clark of
Wyoming, Deboe. Elkins. Fairbanks, Foraker
Poster. FRYE, Gallinger. Gear, Hale, Hanna. Hans
brough Hawley. keau, Kyle, Lodge. McBride.
MeCor'as, Mcmillan, Perkins Plat of New York.
9uares, Ross, seweil, shoup, Spooner, Warren,
Neunore-5s
Mr.. BaeOn's Amendment
Mr.. Bacon offered an amendment estab-
fishing the regular tariff rates of duty on
articles imported from foreign countries
into Porto Rico and providing that no
duties shall be levied on articles imported
into Porto Rico from the United States
or into the United States from Porto
Rico. He advocated his amendment as
clear, square issue.
Mr.. Gallinger submitted some judicial
decisions to prove that Territories are en-
tHtiN SupJtSt u tHt itslSidLlNe authority
OF Congress and that the Constitution
does not apply to them unless Congress
so provides. He argued that under these
decisions, the proposition was unanswera-
Bile that Congress had absolute legislative
control over Porto Rico and the Philip
pine Islands. The bill as 1t stands, he
said. is infinitely more liberal toward
PORTO Rico than Mr. Bacon's amendment
would be and he hoped that amendment
would be voted down.
Mr.. Lindsay expressed the hope that
The amendment would be so amended that !
the Senate might come to vote upon il
without any Senator being constrained to
vote against il because, in any degree il
undertook TO settle the vexed question |
of the power OF Congress to lesislate with !
respect to Porto Rico, and he indicated |
such modification would attain that |
result, which modification Mr. Bacon ac- |
cepted. Mr.. Lindsay argued in favor OF |
free trade between Porto Rico and the |
United States as otherwise the pledge |
would not be kept which had been given !
to the people of Porto Rico when they |
accepted the authority of the United |
States.
After further discussion the President |
pro ten. Mr.. Frye, ruled that the votes |
should be first taken on amendments re-
1orted by the committee; and under that |
-iling the amendment putting tax of
i've cents per pound on coffee imported
INTO Porto Rico was agreed to withour
objection (subject, however. TO further
lmendmenD.
Mr.. Pettus moved 10 strike out that
'art of section of the original bill which
imposes 10 per cent of the present
arin rates on merchandise between the
United States and Porto Rico. The motion
vas rejected-yeas 16, nays 30.
The .ote was as follows