The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-28
BATTLING THE TARIFF BILL.
MIR. BAILEY ON THE CONsTITUTION-
Atty OF THE MEASURE.


Porto Ricans Are TO BE Crucifed to
Raise Cross i'm the Philippines.
Twenty-Minute Speeches for and
Against the Bill.
Washington, Feb 27.--The general de-
bate on the Porto Rico tariff bill closed
to-day in a blaze of glory
The galleries were banked to the doors
and every seat on the floor was occupied
when the rival champions OF the respec-
tive sides, Mr.. Dolliver of Iowa, and Mr..
Bailey of Texas, made the closing argu-
ments. Each spoke for an hour and
half.
The speech of Mr.. Bailey devoted al
most exclusively to the legal phases Of
the controversy, was profound and i'm
pressive.
Mr.. Dolliver was at his best and his
! wit, eloquence and sarcasm in turn drew
salvos of applause from his Republican
associates.
Before these closing speeches were made
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois, chairman of the
Appropriations Committee and one of the
veterans on the Republican side. made an
exceptionally effective speech in support
of the bill.
Messrs. Carmack, Democrat of Tennes-
see; Clay, Democrat of Alabama; Kle-
berg, Democrat of Texas; Pearce and De
Almond, Democrats of Missouri, had also
made speeches ir>opposition to the bill.
The Republican managers are now con-
fident that with the notifications agreed
upon at the conference last night the bill
will n
final vote tomorrow.
The general debate opened with
twenty-minute speech by Mr.. Carmack
of Tennessee in opposition to the bill. The
alternative presented by the bill, he said
was the abandonment of our priceless
principles or of our new possessions. The
country had been dazZled with the gorg-
eous picture of empire, yet at the very
threshold of the new departure, he said,
gentlemen on the other side, had been
appalled, lest the trade which they had
looked at with covetous eyes would bring
ruin and destruction TO American labor.
Therefore the new possessions were to be-
come colonies and be turned over to car
pet bagger adVenturers. He read from the
Republican platform of 1860 to show that
1t set up the very contention maintained
by the Democrats now-that the oonsti-
tuition was supreme in the territories and
extended over every foot Of ground over
Mr.. Clayton of Alabama created much
amusement and enthusiasm by reading
letter written by Chairman Payne 10 w.
II. Curtis, Palmyra. N. Y, Jan. "a, 1900.
in which he advocated free trade with
Porto Rico on the ground that it would
give relief to the stricken island. The
letter also contained the following refer
ence TO the Philippines:
Under the treaty the Philippine Islands
are to have free trade with Spain for ten
years We could not extend these tariff
laws to the Philippine Islands, even If
we would
Mr.. kleberg of Texas and Mr.. Pearce
of Tennessee also opposed the bill.
Mr.. De Almond of Missouri said this bill
proposed to set aside the constitution, not
for the purpose of doing something phil
anthropic, but in the interest of the par
tial or complete enslavement of a help
less people.
This change of front has been brought
about by the influence of the agents Of
mighty corporations"
The Porto Ricans, he said, were 20 be
crucifed in order that the cross might
be raised in the Philippines. We could
withdraw from the Archipelago and leave
10, 900 of tropical people to work out
their own salvation. In my opinion,
he said, that is what we ought to do.
Democratic appause) But if they are
held they must be held under the consti-
tutl0n Inc lnld DlLdntS must De AmPrl-
can citizens black brown and yellow, and
ultimately be represented upon this floor
with more representation than all of New
England"
Mr.. De Almond argued that moth
ing could be done outside of the con-
stitution. There was always one supreme
test from the beginning of the republic
until the last sad hour of its existence,
if that should come, and that test was
the constitution. He thought the time is
coming when there will be a revulson in
the Republican party when the Republi-
cans who now have the backbone to OPP
pose the present progra mme would be
hailed as the saviors of their party.
Mr. Cannon of IlhnoiS>foliOWed. He re-
membered when the President, with a
whole party behind him, asserted that
there was no power under the constitu-
tion to coerce a sovereign state when
those states were already in arms, pre-
pared to shoot the life out of what was
left of the Union. The constitution he
said was the buckler of those who at
tempted TO embarrass the government dur
ing the Civil War.
what is the ADMINISTRATORS policy?
asked Mr.. Norton of Ohio.
"Tn ten you" responded Mr. Cannon.
"As TO Porto Rico. do the only thing that
can bring relief 10 HE isiand-pass this
bill. As to the Philippines, continue 10
do as we are doing-put down the insur-
rectlon ana restore law ana ORDER CAP
plause)
"The fathers OF our country in building
the constitution did not build a trap"
Great applause)
Turning directly TO the bill Mr.. Can
non secuted the cry that had been raised
that the trusts had dictated Il. He
charged that both the tobacco and sugar
stored in Porto Rico was already owned
by the sugar and tobacco trusts.
They had put forward some natives as
stool pigeons 10 beg for free trade, so that
while the Democrats cried out against the
trusts they would be voting for them
Their voice would be the voice OF Jacob
and their hand would be the hand OF Essau.
(ApDlause,l
The remaining three hours OF the gem
eral debate was divided equally between
the two sides
Mr.. Bailey, Democrat, of Texas, AMI
Mr. Doliver Republican, of Iowa. closed
for their respective Sides MIR. Bailey
smoke first As he arose. his pOifficaI az.