Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-03-10
PUERTO RICAN BILL
PASSES THE HOUSE
Republican Conference Measure
Adopted by a Vote Of l72
to ISL.
FOUR DEMOCRATS VOTE FOR 4
Six Republicans Lined Up With the
Opposition -. Crowded Gal
lcries Watch the Pro-
cccdings.

Washington, March 1.-The battle
royal over the Puerto Rican tariff bill
ended in the house yesterday in o
sweeping victory for the republicans
The bill, amended as agreed upon al
the conference Of republicans on Mon.
day night, so MS to reduce the tariff
from rs TO - per cent of the American
tariff, and limiting it's life TO two
TO 161 nays. Six republicans, Mr.,
Crunpacker, of Indiana; Fletcher, OF
Minnesota; lleatwole, of Minnesota;
Littlefield, OF Maine; Lorimer, of Iii
nois, and Mccall, OF Massachusetts,
voted with the opposition against the
bill, and four democrats, Messrs.
Davey and Myer, Of Louisiana; Dew
cries, OF California, and Sibicy, of
Pennsylvania, voted with the republic
ans for the bill. In addition, Mr.. War
ner, republican, of Illinois, was paired
against the bill with Mr.. Boutclle, re-
publican, of Maine, for it. Two other
republicans, Mr.. Lane, of Iowa, and
Mr.. Faris, of Indiana, were absent and
HhIfhli''s iii'N "tl' hlhtlHloDh w bN
against the bill. Four democrats who
were opposed to the bill, Messrs.
Fleming, of Georgia.; Small, of North
Carolina; Smith. Of Kentucky, and
Stallings, of Alabama, were absent
and impaired. Other pairs were
Messrs. Gibson, of Tennessee; Reeves,
of Illinois; Boutelle, of Maine; IIar-
mcr, Of Pennsylvania; Bailey, of Kan
| gngs ShaIlnn nf hiahiunn. AAnla-
worth. of New York, all republicans,
for the bill, with Messrs. Tate, of
Georgia; Sparkman, of Florida; Fox,
of Mississippi; Bellamy, of North
Carolina; Cox, Of Tennessee, and Epcs,
of Virginia, democrats. all against the
bill.
IIerculean efforts had been made to
get out the full vote, and this led to
some remarkable incidents. Six men
were brought from beds Of sickness,
two of them from hospitals. Mr..
Brownlow, Of Tennessee, was brought
in a carriage accompanied by his wife
and physician. It was felt that the
strain would be severe on him, but
when Mr.. Tawney, the republican
whip, urged that the bill might be
lost by this one vote, Mr.. Brownlow
phl'' q 'Al' u l'0' my INV
than see this bill defeated"
Mr.. Tawncy and three assistants
were out i'm carriages until midnight
last night, accounting for every vote,
and Mr.. Underwood, the democratic
whip, was similarly eXerting every
means TO get out his vote. Three dem
ocrats were brought from sick beds.
The first test was on n substitute
nIr,roI lr NJ. NI,T,1 -, I,In1c - Az,
opposition. II was the original Payne
bill for free trade with Puerto Rico,
and was defeated, 100 to IA. Only
five republicans voted for the substi-
tutc. Mr.. Fletcher. republican, of
Minnesota, who subsequently voted to
rccommit and against the bill, voted
against the substitute. A motion to
recommit il, when offered, shared a
similar fate, being lost, 100 TO M.
There was great excitement
throughout the roll calls, which were
followed with eager interest by thou
sands Of spectators who packed the
galleries TO suffocation.
The republicans INDUCED in a dem
onstration Of wild jubilation when
the final result vas announced.
Washington, March 1.-The last day
of the struggle over the Puerto Rico
tariff bill in the house opened at II
o'clock with almost every member in
his seat and a large attendance in the
galleries. Leaders on both sides are
actively engaged in rallying their
forces and making n computation up
on the final vote, which will be taken
at 3 o'clock.
Mr.. Underwood, of Alabama, demo
cratic whip, said the result would be
very close and would turn upon the
vote of two or three men on the dem
ocratic side.
Mr.. Tawney, republican whip, said
the bill would have five votes to spare.
Immediately after the reading Of the
journal the clerk began reading the
bill for amendment under the five
minute rule. When section 3 was
reached Mr.. Payne offered n substitute
for that section which provided that
the passage Of the act all mer-
chandisc coming into the United States
from Puerto Rico and going into Puer-
to Rico from the United States should
be entered upon payment of - per
cent of the duty required upon like ar
ticlcs Of merchandise imported from
countries, and in addition
thereto upon articles of merchandise
of Puerto Rican manufacture coming
into the United States. and withdrawn
consumption or sale, a tax equal to
the internal revenue tax imposed in
the United States upon like articles of
merchandise Of domestic manufac-
ture; and on all articles Of merchan-
disc of United States manufacture GO
ing into Puerto Rico, in addition TO the
duty first provided, the payment of II
equal i'm rate TO the amount Of the
revenue tax imposed i'm Puer-
TO Rico upon like articles of Puerto
Ricap manufacture.
Payne explained that the substi-
ute did two things-it reduced the
luty from 25 to Is per cent, and it also
some confusion regarding
louble taxation. Payne said he still
adhered to the opinion that % per
'ent would be better than Is per cent,
,ecause il would raise more revenue,
Is per cent was better than moth
ng. In answer to n question as 10
low much the bill, as amended, would
aise, Payne said the estimate for the
bill was 81, zoo, 900. If that
stimate was correct the amended bill
would raise about 81. $50, 900 per an
Payne took occasion TO reprove
ONE of his critics who had COM