The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-03-13
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-In the
N the House this afternoon Represent
alive De Vries of California broke
away from the Democrats and voted
with the Republicans. Only two other
straight Democrats stood with Mr..
De Vries in favor of the bill imposing
Is per cent tariff upon Porto Rico.
When Mr.. De Vries cast his vote he
was greeted by applause from the Re-
publican side.
After voting Mr.. De Vries made this
statement to a correspondent:
II cast my vote in accordance with
what / deem to be for the best interest
of the district / have the honor to rep
resent and the best interests of the
State of California"
House Debate.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-The last
day of the struggle over the Porto Ri
can tariff bill in the House opened at
IL O'Clock with nearly every member
in his seat and very large attendance
in the galleries. The leaders on both
sides were actively engaged in rally
ing their forces and making computa-
lions upon the final vote, which Is to
be taken under the order at 3 O'Clock.
Mr.. Underwood of Alabama, the Dem
ocratic whip" said the result would
be very close and would turn upon the
vote of two or three men on the Demo-
cratic side. Mr.. Tawney, the Repub.i-
can whip" said the bill would have
five votes to spare. He said the main
danger lay in the motion to recommit.
Immediately after the reading of the
journal, the clerk began reading the
bill for amendment, under the five
minute rule.
When section was reached Mr..
Payne, chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee, offered the follow
ing substitute for that section:
Section 3-That on and after the
passage of this act all merchandise
coming into the United States from
Porto Rico and coming into Porto Rico
from the United States shall be enter
ed at the several ports of entry upon
the payment of Is per cent of the du-
ties which were required to be levied,
collected and paid upon like articles of
merchandise imported from foreign
countries and, in addition thereto, upon
articles of merchandise of Porto Rican
manufacture coming into the United
States and withdrawn for consumption
or sale, upon payment of tax equal to
the internal revenue tax imposed in
the United States upon the like articles
Of merchandise of domestic manufac-
ture; such tax to be paid by internal
revenue stamps to be purchased and
provided by the Commissioner of In
nd fn ha
from the Collector of Internal Revenue
at, or most convenient to, the port of
entry OF said merchandise in the Unit
ed States, and to be affixed un-
der such regulations as the Commits
sioner of Internal Revenue, with the
approval of the Secretary of the Treas
ury, shall prescribe; and on all articles
of merchandise of United States man
ufacture coming into Porto Rico, in
addition to the duty above provided in
payment of tax equal In rate and
amount to the internal revenue tax
imposed in Porto Rico upon like ar
ticles OF Porto Rican manufacture"
Mr.. Payne explained that the substi-
tute did two things-it reduced the
duty from 25 to 10 per cent, and 1t also
removed some confusion regarding
double taxation. Mr.. Payne said he
still adhered to the opinion that rs per
cent would be better than Is per cent,
because it would raise more revenue,
but is per cent was better than moth
ing. In answer to a question as to
how much the bill, as amended, would
raise, Mr.. Payne said the estimate for
the original bill was s1,700,000. II that
estimate was correct, the amended bill
would raise about 81 250, 900 per annum.
Mr.. Payne took occasion to reproye
some of his critics who had COM
planned that he had given no explana-
ton OF his change of front, His speech
and his report, he said, gave full ex-
PLANTATION. He had believed in free
trade with Porto Rico at one time. but
subsequent information had convinced
him that the duty proposed by the
pending bill should be imposed.
Mr.. Berry of Kentucky said the
amendment proposed petty instead OF
grand larceny for the people OF Porto
Rico. He ridiculed the laborlous de-