The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-03-14
TARIFF BILL IS PASSED..
1he Porto Rico Measure Adopted By
a Vote of 172 to lS0.
rHE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.

Six Republicans Vote Against tho Eli
and Four Democrats For It-All th'
Amendments Agreed Upon by the he
publican Conference Are Adopted
The Views of the Members.
WAsHrSaroS, D. c. Especial. 1.-The Porto
Rican tariff bill, amended as agreed upon
at the conference of Republicans on Mon
day night, 80 rs % reduce the tariff from
twenty-five to fifteen per cent. OF tie Ding
lev rates and limiting ito life to two years,
passed the House "Wednesday by vote el
172to 161.
Six Republicans, crumpecxe-. Of In
diana; Fletcher, OF Minnesota; %
II Minnesota; Little1eld. OF Malno; :.
mer, OF Illinois, and Mccall, OF Massa'
.husetts, voted against the bill and four
Democrats, Davey and Myer, OF louisiana;
Devries, OF California, and Sibley, ol
Pennsylvania, voted with the Republicans
for the bill.
Warner (Rep. Ill.) was paired against the
Dill with Boutelle (Rsp. Me.), for 1t. Two
other Republicans, Lane, OF Iowa, anc
Faris, OF Indiana, were absent and un.
paired. They were. understood to b..
against the bill. Four D Democrats, who were
opposed to the bill, Fleming, OF GEORGIA
Small, OF North Carolina; Smith, OF Ken;
lucky, and StaliIngs, OF ,Alabama, were ab'
sent and impaired.
The first test was on a substitute o1ered
by Mr.. McCail-Lths original Payne bill toi
free trade With Porto RICO. This was De
faated, 1s0 to 174. Only ave, Republicans
voted for the substitute. MIR. Fletcher
(Rer. Mimi }, who subsequently voted tc
ee-commtt and against the bill voted
against the substitute. A motion to re
commit It, which followed, was lost, 16o.
172. .asl,.s, (. ~. {
Not since the declaration Of war With
Spain has there been so much interest In
the action Of the House as was manifesto
Wednesday. The. gnl .Jrles were filed:
crowds OF anxious people extending fal
out into the corridors. and the lobb s,wsrs
thronged. Is q; s. q. - " ssSs
In Offering the substitute providing foi
the reduction OF the duty to, fifteen per
cent. Mr.. Payne, Chairman OF the Ways and
Means Com nittes, said he still adhered.t 70
the opinion that twenty-five per cent.
would be better, but believed that fifteen
Der cent. was better than nothing. az
estimated that the bill as enaed would
raise about 81, ,250, 600 q yeeA he had be;
lleyed In free trade with p oftot Rleos atone
time, he admitted, but said s1bseq quent
information had eony ylncea him thas;t Tbs
duty should be imposed. g
Mr.. Berry (Ky.) said e'ameg 1Ment pro.
posed petty instead OF. grandss sslArefny oi
the people OF Porto Rico. sst Is: 81 !, s.
Mr.. DeArmond (Mo) called attention tc
the peculiar Language OF the substitute.
The words "Comlng into the United
States" he said, were plainly Intended to
evade the Constitution. Eu. he argued
the numbering OF the Queens English ant
the violation OF the canons OF language"
could not make 1t constitutional.
Mr. Bromwell (Rep. o., who has hith'
srto opposed the bill, said that he was
convinced that the Administration, which
:hr ee months ago recommended Tree trade
Tor Porto Rico, now desired the passage OIL
:he bill. For this reason he had concluded
% support the measure.
Mr.. Grosvenor CO., said that much OF the
opposition to the bill was due to the fact
that 1t was misunderstood. The editor oil
a prominent Republican paper had made
the statement to him that the bill proposed
that we should put our hands into the
pockets OF the starving Porto Ricans.
When he learned that all the money col.
lected at both ends Of the line went to the
Porto Ricans he was astonished.
Mr.. Richardson (Tenn.) had read q com :
munlcation from a delegation OF Porto
Ricuns appealing for free trade. Mr..
Payne said the gentlemen who signed that
communication were all pecuclarliy in
:erestsd in exporting sugar ed tobacco
iuto the United States, aaG tina. so far as
:he Merchants Association o. Few York
was concerned 1. was interested in zee
!rade with all the world.
Mr.. Powers (Vt.) said there was with him
4 question as to tae cons.itu:.onality OF
:he bill and one as to its expedlency. It
was, however, he understood, satisfactory
20 the President, and that being the case
le was willing to support 1t.
Mr.. Sbley ID elm. Pena.) announced his
Intention OF voting for the bill. BE said
that all the testimony before the 1nsulal
Committee showed that the people OF
Porto Rico were in deplorable condition.
While we were debating the situation they
we're starving.
On the second roll call Representative
Spight, OF Mississippi, who had been in
oathtub when his narne was called. came
running into the House half clothed and
with his overcost pulled around his throat
This caused general laughter.