The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-21
THEY WILL NOT AGREE
Upon Q Dale 10 Consider tue NicarSpua
Canal Bill.
THE REPUBLICANS ENTERED OBJECTIONS
Proposed impcrIalistic Policy In
Regard TO Puerto Rico.

Washington, February 20.--Betore the
debaie upon the Puerto Ricau tariff hill
was resumed today Mr.. Hepburn tIowa)
attempted 10 secure an agreement 20 take
ap ths Nicaragua bill. He asked unan-
nous consent thar It be taken up two
weeks from today.
Mr.. Richardson asked Il there was any
thing in the bill which recognized tho ex
stence OF the Clayton Bulwer treaty.
There is rot replied Mr.. Hepburn.
"rhe bin provides for absolute owner.
ship,
Mr., Cannon dll). chairman OF The APP
preparations committee. said he was not
prepared TO agree a. this time to con-
sideration Of the bill.
There is no objection on this side, - OBJ
served MIR. Richardson.
Mr. Hepburn offered to make the date
week from today, but Mr.. Cannon stu
dissented.
The house then went into committee of
the whole and MIR Newl9nds tNev), a
member Of the ways and means committee
took the floor in opposition 10 the Puerto
j
two hours. He was literally applauded
VIXEN he concluded
/ Mr. Hopkins (llll. who is also member
of the ways and means committee theh
took the floor in support OF the bill
MIR Swanson tla.l another member OF
! tbs ways and means committee, followed
Mr.. Hopkins. He began his argument oy
reading from the presidents message 70
congress announcing that 1T Is our pam
duty" to abolish all tariffs between the
United states and Puerto Rico Tue
conditions in Puerto Rico have NOT
changed yet" said Mr., swanson. me
republicans. since this message, have en-
tirely changed their policy in dealing WIN
this matter" The change, he declareai
was solely on account OF political condl-
lions there and denounced the doctrine
upon which the bill was founded. The
republican party, he said, was sponsor Tor
! government by injunction in the unlleu
States aud now proposed Il new doctrine-
government without the constitution lie
said that II congress should govern the
territories and the new territories with
out constitutional limitations 1t would
create "A congressional despotsm precisely
similar to that claimed by Great Britain
at the time of the revolutionary war; the
power claimed to enact this bill Is pre-
csely the power that was claimed by tho
British parliament for enactment OF the
stamp oct He said Every person who
votes for this bill announces himself u
follower OF George III He argued tho
injustice OF congress fixing the terms
upon which the Puerto Ricons should sell
their goods in this country and nj the
same time the terms upon which they
must purchase from this country II was
the intention OF this bIli he said, -
force all OF the leaf tobacco to be exported
here for manufacture and thereby para
IA rffy In q ieg n
island He then argued the Injustice Of
permitting the 500 900 tons of sugar In
Hawaii to be admitted free OF duty while
nj the same time the bill imposes the
heavy custom duty upon the 60,oOo tons
OF sugar from Puerto Rico; that the dlt-
ference in this treatment resulted from
the fact that the sugar trust OF Hawaii
was owned by a few millionairos while
mat Of Puerto Rico was owned by several
thousand small farmers. He said that the
present hill. denying as " does TO the
, inhabitants Of all territories and new poR-
sessions any OF the rights Of citizenship
aud imposing heavy penalties on lhem
would have a tendency ia give new llt'
to the instruction in tho Philippines and
make the inhabitants have little faiih
! in receiving justice from this country
Ho argued that the supreme court had
1 decided that the constitution extended IN
all territory and there must Doc every
where uniformity in customs duties and
taxes. Those who upheld this new doc
;rino did 50 because they knew that th.
equality and injustice Of the constitution
, would prohibit them from exploiting thf
new possessions for their own selfish ends
He argued that the new doctrine thai
, tho constitution does not extend TO n
, new possessions provided here could be-
no expansion. for no people would willing
, ly unite with us when they Here told that
they were to be absolute chattels OF q
congressional despotism. In closing bf
said. "Thc proposed bill will end tht
story OF the Republic. II passed and II
viii open the history of the empire. The
, bill destroys equal government and Gre
ates a congressional despotism.
At the conclusion OF Or Swansons's re-
marks Mr.. Hepburn again tried to reach
an agreement for the consideration o
the Nicaragua canal bill on March 6
. Mr.. Payne tN. W objected
{ At o. clock the house adjourned.