The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-26
ACTION TAKEN BY COMMITTEES
On New Possessions, Appropriations
and Tariff Matters.

| Washington. Jan Ex-senator Platt OIL
! Connecticut today gave notice OF lmpor-
tant amendments he will offer to the oilis
| providing a form of government Tor Ha-
| wall and Puerto Rico One OF senator
! Platt's proposed amendments to each OF
the bills strikes out the provision Tor the
election of a delegate to congress. IL
adopted. neither Puerto Rico nor Hawaii
would be represented in congress. The
! other amendments relate to the customs
regulations In the case of Hawaii he
proposes TO eliminate the provision or
| the Hawaiian commission and insert a
| clause for the continuance OF the exist
| ing customs relations between the Uni
| ted States and Hawaii until further leg-
islation by congress. The customs pro-
vision suggested by Mr.. Pratt in the case
of Puerto Rico requires the collection
on Puerto Rican articles imported into
the United States of "a sum equivalent
to 50 per cent Of the customs duties lev
led upon like articles imported into the
United States from foreign countries. Ar
ticles originating in the UNITED States
and shipped to Puerto Rico are to pay
there 50 per cent of the duty imposed up
on importations from other countries.
The senate committee on appropriations
today reported favorably the urgent de-
fciency appropriation dill with amend
ments increasing the total amount of the
appropriation to the extent of S4S5, 439
thus bringing up the aggregate appropri-
alton to $9,01294S. The principal items of
increase are: SI54,S55 to pay judgments in
Indian depreciation cases; S122,S32 on tac-
count of national and state soldiers
homes; $4,000 for six additional commits
sioners to the Paris exposition. The
committee. also inserted provision di-
of Of n
propriated for the construction of sol
diers' barracks at Galveston, Texas. This
latter action was taken on the recon-
mendation of the secretary of war. An
other amendment extends to the heirs
of men and officers engaged in the Span
ish war the provision of former appro-
priation bill giving them two months eX-
ira pay.
The ways and means committee Of the
house today directed favorable report
on the bill of Representative Cooper OF
Texas, repeating the law of 1895 in refer
ence to the free zone of Mexico. The
purpose of that law was tc suspend the
bonding of goods arriving in this country
and destined for Mexico, in the hope
that Mexico would take like action and
that the smuggling across the zone would
be stopped But it has been found that
the effect of the law was to divert traf-
fic from American ports and send 1t to
Tampico, Vera Cruz, and other Mexican
ports and to give the carrying to Mexican
railroads. At the same time Mexico has
not taken the action contemplated Il
1885, and the smuggling ntinues The
bill now reported is designed to restore
this trade to American ports and rail-
roads. Mr. Grosvenor, who will make the
report was instructed to offer the bill as
an amendment to the Pacific bill pend
ing the bonding of goods at all ports, in
stead of at designated places.
Washington, Jan. A.-The hearings on
the Hawaiian bill were continued today
before the house committee on terrific
ries Mr. Edward Kahliss OF Honolulu
spoke in opposition to it, on the ground
that the property qualification would
work the disfranchisement of the natives
In this connection, he severely arraigned
the Dole administration and asserted that
81, 600 of United States funds was being
used to defray the expenses of those
coming here for the government to secure
legislation against the natives. Mr.. AL
fred S. Hartwell, the special agent OF the
government of Hawaii, contradicted the
0atement, but Mr. Kahliss did not with
draw II. He asserted that the present
administration of Hawaii was unfit to
rule the natives and that the latter
should have the fostering care of III s
government