The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-24
AN UNWARRANlED BILL
Mr.. Littlefield DenOunees the Porto
Riean Tariff heaSure.
He AssaiIs the Position of the Ma
jority of the Ways and Means Com
mittcc-The Proposition Unconsi-
tutionaI-A Promise to he kcpt-Ar-
gumcnts of other Representatives.

The debate on the Porto Rican bill vas
continued in the House yesterday. The
greatest interest centered in the speech
of Mr.. Littlefeld. who opposed the bill.
His effort had been looked forward 20
from the beginning with great interest on
both sides. on account of the reputation
he had made in his speech on the Roberts
case six weeks ago. He spoke nearly two
and a half hours. holding the entire audi
ence on floor and galleries in closest at
tention throughout.
Before the opening OF the debate yester-
day NJ. Payne served notice that on Mon
day he would move to close general de-
bate. Mr. Richardson, the minority leader,
appealed to Mr.. Payne not to close the de-
bate on Monday, as it would be impossible
for the gentlemen on his side of the House
to express their views this week.
Mr. Powers of Vermont also appealed to
Mr.. Payne but that gentleman declined
to make any agreement. The House then
went into the Committee of the Whole and
resumed consideration of the bill.
The first speech against the bill was de-
Iivered by Mr.. Jones of Virginia, who is
member of the Committee on lnsular
Affairs. He said the condition OF affairs
in Porto Rico were worse today than when
the President sent in his message recon-
mending free trade between the United
States and that island. He spoke OF the
distress of the people in Porto Rico. and
said immediate relief was necessary to pre-
a1 r-a- ffnr nf nf no n
habitants.
Mr.. Maddox of Georgia followed in OPP
position to the bill. In the course OF his
remarks he read a letter from former Rep
resentative Turner of Georgia. who served
for many years on the Ways and Means
Committee. denouncing the pending bill as
being most iniquitous and unconstitutional.
Advocated by Bartholdt.
Mr.. Bartholdt of Missouri advocated
the bill He discussed the Philippines ques-
tion and Boer sympathy, of the former
saying that so long as We are willing to
accord to the Filipinos the right to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. with
a guarantee OF peace and order and pro-
lection against all the world thrown In,
the solution of the problem will be much
less difficult than our pessimist friends
would want US 20 believe. To withdraw
from the islands now would be a crime
against the Filipinos and disgrace to us
in the eyes OF every nation in the world
OF the latter he said: Our friends OF
that side of the House must, indeed, be in
desperate straits IL they have to rely upon
a war in Africa for a campaign issue. They
will find that sympathy with civilized
people fighting for liberty is not patentable.
monopoly OF IT.
Mr.. Russell of Connecticut. member OF
the Committee on Ways and Means, and
said TO be the author of the bill under con-
sideration was the next speaker. He said
in part:
at is remarkable fact that the influ-
ence of the Constitution is unvarying upon
succeeding generations OF interpreters and
students. II it ever had, or ever was like
ly TO have. a unanimity of Interpretation,
there would be danger OF the instrument
losing its prestige. there would be anxiety
lest the national life become sluggish, and
there would be the deplorable probability
of inertia in the legal profession.
THE best We can do Mr.. Chairman" he
said. lis to try TO reconcile our laws with
elementary conditions. Our aim must be
TO protect and save our fundamental law
and institutions in the face of a superior
force which could easily destroy them. And
this we cannot do by uselessly denying and
interfering with the natural course 81
human events but by adjusting our ar
fairs tc suit II. The Spanish war. 1t is
true, has artificially fastened decision
in this matter, but every thinking man
will admit that with Hawaii in cur pos
session. and in view of the early construc-
tinn Of an inter-oceanic canal. and the keen
rivalry of all commercial nations in the
race for Asiatic trade. the question of eN-
pansion would have knocked at our door
anyway. But a hundred years hence the
same problems which are now pressing for
solution would confront us. and. therefore.
1t is better that We face them right hers
and now"
MIR. LfttIefeId's speech.
The next speaker was Mr.. Littieheld,
whose first sentence was: II believe the
pending bill to be unwarranted, unprece-
dented and unconstitutional"
Continuing. he said: The leaders OF the
Republican party will find me on all meas
ures that involve Republican policy fol-
lowing loyalty in their footsteps. When a
question, however. arises that involves In
my judgment grave questions of right or
wrong. great questions of principle feel.
and have no doubt they feel. that every
Individual member OF the Republican par
ty must be allowed TO think. speak. and
act for himself. Upon a question of this
sort in regard to measure OF this kind