New-York tribune., 1900-03-15
PRICE THREE CENTS.
CAUCUS FOR HARMONY.
A PARTIAL AGREEMENT ON
PUERTO RICAN MEASURES.
RELIEF AND CIVIL GOVERNMENT BILLS
TO BE PASSED-TARIFF REFERRED
TO A HARMONY COMMITTEE"
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. !


Senate has decided to lay siege 10 the Puerto
/ Ricsn tariff citadel and reduce Il by regular ap-
proaches- The siege VIII begin tomorrow when
the House bill appropriatiug 81, ,OS5. 900 for the
/ benefit OF the island being the amount OF Gus
4 toms duties collected in the United States on
| puerto Rican products before January l. 1900,
/ VIII be considered. and. If practicable passed
| The next step will be the consideration Of the
| pending bill 70 establish a civil government IN
/ the island. excluding therefrom the tariff pro-
| visions passed by the House OF Representatives
| as a separate and distinct measure. The third
and final step will be an attempt to pass the
Puerto Rican Tariff bill, modified. IL practicable.
so TO command the solid support OF the Re
publican majority with three four exceptions
Before that stage is reached It is hoped and
expected that a committee on harmony. consist
ing of seven Senators, which is to be immedi-
ately appointed by Mr.. Allison viii have been
able 10 discover a basis which all the Re-
publtcans-except, Of course, Senator'S Hoar
Wellington and Mason and perhaps one or two
Others-can agree.
This, in brief is the programme adopted to-
day in a caucus which lasted three hours after
II was realized that none OF the changes and
notifications suggested in the tariff provisions
OF the pending bill would command the support
OF a majority The advocates Of the free trade
proposition, who we're in a large minority re-
mained as firm as ever while the Senators who
We're in favor OF standing by the House propo-
sition, with perhaps one or two uninnportaut
notifications. would yield no further and the
| 'jughandle' compromise fell through. at least
for the time.
LIVELY DEBATE IN THE CAUCUS
The discussion which preceded the arranzs-
ment Of this programme was exceedingly ami
mated. and everything was said and done that
could be said or done at the time TO compose
differences of opinion and decide on a definite
plan of action on the tariff question then and
there. but the nut found still too hard to
crack At every turn and suggestion the ever
present difficulty OF using that or the civil gov
ernment question. the as vehicle TO carry
the other obtruded itself. and precisely that hap
pened which some foresaw when the provisions
of the Puerto Rican Tariff bill were made a
part of the bill 70 provide civil government
for the island 1t at last realized that
neither could be used to carry the other and
therefore the next best expedient. in the opin-
ion of the caucus, adopted
Senator Foraker explained many features OF
the bill He was questioned by different Sena-
tors, most Of whom wanted TO know the effect
of different provisions. II was intiuated that
the bill could be amended II not satisfactory
and Senators opposed 10 a tariff on Puerto
Rican products said there would not be the
least objection 10 passing the Government bill
VIEWS OF SENATORS EXPRESSED.
Senator Elkins said that he favored leaving
not only the question OF revenues but the gov
ernment OF the island well 20 the President
He thought the island would be much bettar
off under military rule for the next two years
than under any government that could be de-
vised by Congress He particularly counselled
delay. I'VE will know lot more about this
whole question in a year or two years than we
know now" he said. and the islands will be
we'll taken care OF during that time they
would be under any legislation we may pass"
Senator Elkins said that haste not neces-
sary and earnestly supported the proposition
TO delay the tariff bill. and said he thought the
governmental bill might well be delayed too.
Senator Foraker said that the question Of deal
ing with the islands was before Congress, and
he for one thought Congress should act The
Committee on Puerto Rico had given a great
deal of time 10 the subject. and felt sure the
bill prepared would meet all emergencies There
was general unannnity as 70 the wisdom or pro-
viding for immediate action on the S2OOOOoO
relief proposition, the opinion OF all the Sena-
tors being that that measure should be passed
for humane reasons
Senator Platt of Connecticut. who was not
heard yesterday. expressed himself as firmly
convinced that the principle Of a prorectivs
tariff in the interest OF the industries OF the
United States should be sustained in Whatever
was done. He showed leaning toward the
House Tariff bill as did several other Senators
who spoke Some Of them expressed the opinion
that his measure would command the votes OF
twO-thirds of the members OF the caucus IL
tested Members OF the Puerto Rico COMMITTEES
were not willing that the governmental features
of the bill should be abandoned at this time.
Senator Foraker believed that the Puerto
Pfcans themselves would not object 20 the tariff
provided by the House bill. and said that some
of the residents Of the island had even gone so
far as TO say that they would cheerfully accept
a % per cent rate. But while this was true. he
would have a civil government provided
concornitant OF the tariff proposition Senator
Hoar talked at considerable length about the
legal phase Of the question expressing the opin-
ion that the Senate could not act with too great
deliberation in considering so mOmentOus a sub
ject.
Senator Warren agreed with Mr.. HOar upon
this latter point He had ne said, been favor
abla 70 absolute free trade between Puerto Rico
and the United States proper. but he had
listened with interest and profit 10 the argu-
,,arts on the other side, and he did not believe
that the subject had been exhausted by any
means He felt that everything 20 De
gained and nothing lost by proceeding deliber-
atelv especially in view OF the fact that the
entire problem was new
MANY other speeches were made in the same
line notably by Senators Aldrich and Mason
At this point the suggestion OF a committees
was made and as soon the authority for its
appointnent given the caucus adjourned
sine die.
Uharher the expedient viii prove successful
rsr,atrs 10 De seen The Committee on Har-
nonv NAV and probably will discover basis
OF action on which nearly every Repuohcan
Senator can plant aInssL' y .ns - p.Osi ae ,-,