The Portland daily press., 1900-02-26

Washington, February 25.-The efforts
10 unite the Republicans Of the House
In Porto Rican bill have failed and at
midnight after prolonged conferences 1t
was statsd that matters were substan-
TALLY where they were yesterday. Other
efforts ut harmony may be made tomor.
row. A long conference was held tonigb
at the residence Of Representative Nc
Call Of Massachusetts,, between the COM
mites appointed at the Republican con-
ference last night representing the Re-
puplicans In favor of the pending Puerto
Rico tariff bill and committee chosen
today by those Republicans VINO are OPP
posed to the measure. The latter com
mittee was made up of Messrs. Powers
of Vermont, Crumpacker OF Indiana.
Lorimer Of Illinois, Mccall OF Massachu'
sstts and Littlsneli of Maine.
Preliminary to this meeting the oppo-
nents Of the bill to the number Of ten.
had assembled at MIR. McCnll's house
during the afternoon and determined
upon the stand they would take and up
on their five representatives.. Mr.. Weeks
of Michigan was among those at the af-
ternoon session and he remained with
the committee Of alive TO participate In
tonight's meeting. Propositions pro and
con were made by both sides, but none
OF thoss made on behalf Of the advo-
Gates Of the pending bill amounted to an
abandonment of the pr inoiple Of the
measure, viz:
The right of the United States to levy
a tariff on imports from Porto Rico, and
as Its opponents consider this their fund
amentaI objection to the measure. no
agreement could be reached. 1t was stat
| ed after the conference by mem bers OPP
posed to the bill that 10th sides were
practically in tina same position as they
had been before the motion, that sub
ntantialiy no progress had been made and
that there was no probability OF another
gathering before the conference OF Re-
publicans called for tomorrow night.
From their statements 1t was evident
they intended to maintain the position
they have held all along that under the
| constitution the government has no
right to tax the products Of territory I'M
der control of the United States.
1t was suggested by opponents Of the
pending bill that the whole matter be
left In the hands of the President with
the understanding that Puerto Rico
should have free trade with the United
States, but this was objected to and moth.
ing came OF 1t. The opponents OF the
committee bill also suggested that tn g
original bill introduced by Mr.. Payne
providing for fEes trade be substituted
on the floor of the House for the COM
mittee bill, but this likewise failed to
receive favorable consideration by the ad-
vocasss OF the pending measure.
| Considerable talk was INDUCED In
over the proposition made by the commit
| tee bill advocates to fix q time limit dur
ing which the tariff OF % per cent against
ths imports OF Puerto Rico shall remain
effective, this time varying from two
years to an indefinite period, but the op-
position indicated their unalterabls op-
position to any tariff no matter how
short the time Of Its imposition may be.
Mr.. Powers Of Vermont, one OF the
opponents Of the bill stands, however, 1t
is sid. 10 favorable to its passage with
a time limit, but his associates would
not concur in this. With view to meet.
Ing some OF the objections to the bill,
it's advocates suggested charge In its
title which would Ind icate IL was for the
purpose of raising revenue, but this also
found no favor with the opposition who
reiterated their hostility to the bill or
principle. One Of the advocates Of the
measure after the conference expressed
10 to be his opinion that the bill finally
would become n law with a provision
limiting the time during which 1t shall
remain In force.