The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-03-23
lSpecial Correspondence.

| Especial Correspondence.
Washington, March, Ex-senator
Foraker, of Ohio, who has the Porto
Rican bill in charge, and who is chair
man of the caucus committee to har-
monize the differences among RepubIE
cans, is confident that bill will be
passed in the Senate on this subject
by Republican votes Senator Fora
ker's chief anxiety is as to the civil
government features of his bill. There
does not appear to be any strenuous
opposition anywhere to these features.
though there are various opinions
with reference to some matters of
detail. However they are not serious
and will not long delay the measure.
The chief trouble is in reference to
the tariff propositions sent over from
the House. In brief these are to col
lect fifteen per cent. of the rates of
the Dingley law on all articles going
to Porto Rico from the United States
and coming from Porto Rico to the
United States. The great majority
of the Republicans are convinced of
the constitutionality of such law,
but minority of some twelve Repub-
lican Senators doubt the advisability
of enacting measure of that kind as
} to Porto Rico They have proposed
various notifications of the House
bill ranging from free trade both
ways to reduced tariff rate, One
proposition is to collect duties at the
fifteen per cent. rate on articles COM
ing from the island, but to admit
articles going from the United States
to Porto Rico free of duty. This
proposition would satisfy all the
Republicans except very few who
are radically opposed to any duty
! whatever between this country and
. that island. Another proposition in
. modification of the House bill that
, meets with good deal of favor is to
establish free trade both ways except
on coffee coming from Porto Rico.
This would enable case to be made
up which would require the courts to
pass upon the constitutionality of any
of its outlying possessions. The trend
! of opinion as l write is that the Senate
/, will pass the House as it stands.
! A sensational statement, so sensa-
j tional that it is in reality bald lie,
was published in certain Democratic
anti-expansion newspapers yesterday
, to the effect that our soldiers in the
Philippines since last October have
: been dying off at the rate of regi-
ment month, or Thousand every
thirty days during that period. The
| War Department, to use the language
cases, has nailed that lie to the
counter - The official records made
public yesterday show that since our
occupation of the Philippines on June
1, 1898, up to February II, 1900,
period of one year, eight months and
sixteen days, the total mortality was
1, ,525 (65 officers, and 1. .46O enlisted
men, being at the rate of "a month
These official figures include the
losses of life in battle as we'll as
, by disease. Had the deaths from
disease alone, as the statement under
consideration said, been at the rate
of 1000 month since last October
and counting out that month and be-
ginning with November, they would
: have amounted up to 3, 500 by the
middle of February, whereas they
amount to less than one-half that
number from both disease and battle,
including accidental drowning and
q other accidents, for the entire period
of our Occupation The paper, from
which / quote attempts to hedge its
statement by saying 1T is possible
his Ia thousand a month) may be
somewhat exaggerated estimate. The
! words "a somewhat exaggerated es-
innate" do not fitly characterize the
statement 1t is plain, simple, pal
pable, malicious lie. Nothing less.
1t is but sample of what we may
expect in the Presidential campaign
just ahead of us.
The Democrats have been plucking
up courage during the past few weeks
The temporary differences among the
Republicans in regard to legislation
for Porto Rico has encouraged them
to hope for success this fall But
now they are in the dumps again.
They have read Col. Bryan's platform
adopted this week by the Democratic
State Convention of Nebraska. This
declaration of principles, is not the
actual handiwork of Col. Bryan, was
read and endorsed by him. It is fair
therefore to call it Bryan's platform