The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-25
AGREED TO IN THE House
The Foraker Cooper Porto Rican
Resolution Goes Through.
Only One Vote Cnst Against It-Scc-
tions Regulating the Granting of
franchises in the Island Added
Vigorous Opposition TO Their
Adoption by Representative Hill.


Foraker Cooper joint resolution to enabl,
Army officers to fill civil positions in Port
Rico until August l. without losing theil
commissions. To it the Committee on In
sular Affairs had added two sections regu
lating the granting of franchises in PortC
Rico. Against these Mr.. Hill of Connect
cut, made point of order, but after dis
cussion of three quarters of an hour, a
reading of the record showed that the poin
had been made too late to be effective. The
joint resolution as amended was passed
with Mr.. Hills single negative vote.
The resolution as passed, follows:
Resolved by the senate and House of Repre-
sentatives OF the United States OF America in
Congress assembled, That until the officer TO I'LL
any office provided for by the act Of April Il.
1900, entitled An act temporarily to provide
revenues and civil government for Porto R'co,
and ior other purposes" shall have been appoint
ed and qualified, the officer officers now per
forming the civil duties pertaining to such office
may continue to perform the same under the au-
thority Of said act; and no officer OF the Army
shall lose his commission by reason thereof;
provided, that nothing herein contained shall
be held to extend the time for the appointment
and qualification OF any such officers beyond the
first day of August, 1900
Section 2. That all franchises. privileges, or
concessions mentioned in section thirty-two of
said act shall be approved by the President of the
United States. and such franchise, privilege,
or concession shall be operst tive until II shall
have been approved.
Section 3. That all charters granting any fran
chises. privileges, or concessions mentioned in
section thirty of said act to private corpo-
rations shall provide that the same shall be sub
Ject TO amendment, alteration, repeal, shall
forbid the Of stock bonds, except
in exchange for actual cash, or property
at fair valuation equal in amount TO the par
a hp nr hpn nod
the declaring Of stock or bond dividends; and, in
the case of public service corporations, shall
provide for the effective regulation OF the
charges thereof and for the purchase taking
by the public authorities Of their property at a
fair valuation. No corporation shall be authorized
to conduct the business OF buying and selling
real estate, Of issuing currency, or Of engaging
IN agriculture, or permitted to hold real
estate, except such as may be reasonably neces-
sary TO enable il to carry out the purposes for
which it was created. Banking corpora tiOnS
hoE yer, may be authorized TO loan funds upon
reu estate security, and to purchase real estate
wien necessary for the collection of loans, but
they shall dispose of real estate so obtained with
~ hve years after receiving the title. Corpora
ti9n5 other than those organized in Porto Rico.
aiii doing business therein, shall be bound by
-he ;'7ovisionS of this section so far they
applicable
The Resolution Taken Up.
When the House convened Mr.. Cooper.
Chairman of the Committee on Insular
Affairs, asked unanimous consent to the
present consideration of the resolution.
There was no objection, but Mr. McRae of
Arkansas called for the reading of the
resolution and the Speaker directed the
Clerk to read it. When the reading had
been concluded Mr.. McRae said he had no
objection to make and its immediate con-
sideration was thereupon entered on
Mr.. Hill of Connecticut then made
point of order against the amendment on
four grounds, as follows:
First-That they are germane.
Second-That a joint resolution could not
be amended in that manner.
Third-If it could be. it must have been
considered in Committee of the Whole.
Fourth-That the joint resolution was
temporary in its nature and the amend
ments we're of a permanent character
Mr.. Cooper said that in view of the ma
ture and Necessity Of the legislation he had
not expected that a point of order would
be made. and he did not believe it would
be wise to press the order for several rea-
sons.
Messrs. ]. r. Williams of Illinois. Nc
Rae OF Arkansas and Richardson of Ten
nessee argued against the point of order.
Mr.. Hill spoke in support OF his point,
saying the amendments constituted a Joint
resolution on subject different from the
joint resolution amended. He was oppos-
ed TO these amendments in substance and
in form.
Mr.. Moody of Massachusetts, said he re-
gretted that the point of order should have
come from the Republican side of the
House. He submitted that the point of
order had come too late. the consldera-
tion of the joint resolution having been
entered upon when the point OF order was
raised.
Mr. Hill denied this.
Mr.. McRae said he would not have with
drawn his objection to the present con-
sideration of the resolution had he rot un-
derstood that the amendments. too, were
to be considered.
Points of Order Ovcrruied
Speaker Henderson overruled all the
points of order except that which held
the amendment to be not germane. In
the course OF the discussion on this latter
point J. r. Williams of Illinois said that
Information had come to the Committee
on Insu!ar Affairs that corporations were
already organizing TO go into Porto Rico
and buy the mortgages on all the lands
in the islands that they could secure The
committee wanted 10 do something 10 re
strict the operations OF these corporations
before there should come a scandal in the
island.
Mr. McRae of Arkansas declared that if
he had not understood that the point OF
order would not be raised to the amend
ments he would never have given consent
for the consideration OF the resolution. He
thought if the amendments were to be
ruled out that it was only fair that the
whole question should be submitted.
Speaker Henderson sustained the point
OF order made by Mr. Hill. He said he
profoundly regretted that he had to sus-
tain the point. but the gentleman from
Massachusetts Mr.. Moody had made a
point of order. against the point OF order.
and to pass on this he had sent for the
record. without which he could not rule
on the point.
Haging secured the record. the Speak
er sustained the point raised by Mr. MOODY
and ruled that Mr.. HIS point of order
was made too late.
Mr. Hill. with some excitement. rose to
a question OF personal privilege. when he
was interrupted by the Speaker. who said:
The gentleman from Connecticut is ont
Of order. That is not question OF per-
sonai privilege. The Chair has read the
record. reviewed the case, and announc-
ed his decision"
Mr. Hill promptly responded: Mr..
Speaker. l rise to correct the record
What record?' enquired the Speaker,
puzzled.
The record just read" said Mr. Hill.
That will not be in order until after
the reading of the Journal tomorrow" the
Speaker responded.
"All right ! will correct it then" said
Mr.. Hill emphatically.
Mr. Cooper discussing the resolution
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