The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-25

Maine, for His Detection From
the Republican Party on the In
sular Measure Now Before the
House-Accuses Him of Using Arts
of Speech Upon His Hearers.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.-Throughout
the debate on the Puerto Rican bill in
the house today there was an undercur-
rent of speculation on the outcome to
bring about united action on the part of
the majority members Of the house FIRE.
quent conferences were held between rep
resentatives of the various elements, In
the hope Of bringing about a common
ground for consideration at the caucus
to be held at o'clock. The debate
brought out a speech by Mr.. Tawney
(Minn.), scoring Mr.. Littlefield for his
speech yesterday, and also two speeches
on the republican side by Mr.. Tompkins
On. W and Mr.. Powers (Vt), opposing
the bill. Mr.. Thayer (Mass.) closed the
day with a defense Of the anti-imperial-
lists. The other speakers were Mr.. Eddy
(Minn) for the bill, and Messrs. Clayton
(Ala.) and Broussard Ga.) against the
BILL
IT have been profoundly impressed
said Mr.. Tawney, with the great impor-
lance Of the questions involved in this
discussion. Until yesterday these ques-
lions had been cons. dered by gentlemen
on both sides of the house with the ut
most sincerity, with earnestness and with
that dignity becoming questions of SO
great Importance and the dignity of the
forum in which they are to be tried. l
regret that 1t was left for the gentleman
from Maine to play in this debate the
part of buffoon for the benefit of the
Democratic party and for the amusement
of the galleries. The Democratic ap-
plause with which that peculiar affecta-
would not have greeted a speech made
upon the pending b II by that late peerless
American stateman and always loyal Re-
publican, predecessor of the gentleman
from Maine. The hope of notoriety or
the existence of legal technicalities would
not have induced that gentleman (Mr.
Dingley) to have left the ranks of the
Republicans aid joined the ranks of the
Democrats simply because his judgment
did not coincide with the Judgment of his
associates upon the ways and means COM
mittee or upon the floor of this house re-
specting party policy. Nor could he have
been induced to have exhibited that want
OF decent courtesy toward the members
of that committee or his colleagues upon
the floor Of this house which the gentle
man Qittlefield) exhibited in the course
Of his remarks
LUMBER BARONS.
What Is the excuse which the gentle
man has for this unusual, and may say.
unprecedented course? What is his justi-
fication? He tried to make this house be-
lieve that it is because we are attempting
to impose tax upon the people of
Puerto Rico and also because according
to the peculiar logic of this backwoods
representative, as he calls himself, this
bill is unconstitutional
In the course of his remarks he told
this house that if this bill is enacted into
law the spruce lumber men of Maine,
carrying their lumber to Puerto Rico.
would be obliged to pay a duty of 80
cents thousand on ali the rough lumber
which they take to this island Who Is
1t that is complaining of that tax of so
cents thousand? Not the people of
Puerto Rico, but the lumber barons of
the state Of Maine. That is the reason
why the gentleman is here saving that
he cannot agree with his party associates
In imposing a duty upon American prod
ucts going into Puerto Rico when he
KNOWS that every dollar of that duty Is
paid over to the people of that island for
their benefit.
And If this theory which he has alwavs
advocated, and which the Republicans
nave always claimed to be correct-if the
theory that the man who imports pays
the DUTY, then what of this tax upon the
products going to Puerto Rico is paid bv
the people of the United States. 1t is nor
therefore, the tax upon the people of
Puerto Rico that constitutes his real OBJ
lection, but because the fishermen of
New England and the spruce mmberman
OF Maine want to get their products into
the ports of Puerto Rico for rs per cent
of the existing tariff on goods when i'm
ported into the United States from for
e1gn countries.
SOURCE OF PROBLEMS.
II may not De out OF place to refresh
our recollection as to the source and re-
sponslbll1ty of the gerat problems con-
fronting this congress. They are the d.
rect and unavoidable consequences of a.
foreign war, instituted in defense of ma,
uonal honor, and in obedience to the uni
versal demand of the people, regardless
of party or section, and upon the unan-
fmous vote Of their representatives In
both branches of the Fifty-ffth congress
Now that We are called upon to lace the
incidents of that war, and solve In prac-
teal way the problems thus bequeathed
to us, we find the peoples representa-
tives in this congress divided. These upon
the other side of the chamber, whose re-
sponsibility for the existence of these
problems are equal with ours. are STRIVING
to evade their share of that RESPONSE
bilfty by opposing everything which they
think contemplates the permanent reten-z
ton and government of the territory ac-
CURED as one Of the incidents of a war
initiated to accomplish the grandest pur-
pose that ever, moved a nation to arms.
Instead of sharing manfully and courage
ously this new responsibility, they pre-
sent to the country and the world the
humiliating spectacle of advocating the
policy of abandonment, policy they