Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-17
Ways and Means Committeeman Talk
on Porto Rico Tariff.
BELIEVE PENDING BILL WILL PASS
Secretary Root Has an Extended
Conference With the President
CLAIMS AGAINST TURKEY

Saturday is usually one of the busiest
days of the week with President Mckinley,
inasmuch as usually at least one house OF
Congress is not in session, and the men,
bers take the opportunity to go to the chief
executive about pending matters. The snow
storm and inclement weather, however,
kept the list down today.
The Porto Rican Tariff Bill.
Among the House leaders who were with
the President were Representatives Hop
kins. Dalzell and Steele. They were not
together, however, and simply introduced
constituents who are in the city. The opin-
ion of each of these members of the ways
and means committee is that the House will
pass the proposed Porto Rican tariff bill,
Messrs. Dalzell and Hopkins being en-
phatic in their opinions that the bill would
become law
Mr.. Steele, in talking with a representa-
tive of The Star, said that in his opinion the
bill Is a good one and ought to be satisfac-
tory to the people of Porto Rico 'They
get back all the money they pay in," he
said, and are provided for many times bet
ter than they We're under Spanish admin
istration. Then if the bill doesn't work to
the salts sfaction of the people and of Con-
gress 1t can he changed by Congress. The
tariff will really be small that it will
hardly be felt and l know of nothing bet
ter than that the money which a people
pay in shall be spent on them and by them
again.
The President has not discussed the sub
ject since his conference with Messrs.
Payne, Dalzel1 and Grosvenor few days
ago.
Conference With Secretary Root.
Secretary Root had a conference Of more
than an hour with the President regarding
affairs in Porto Rico and the Philippines
The scarcity of staff officers in the Phillip
pines is one matter which Secretary Root
has discussed with the President. The
necessity of more officers for the commits
sary and QuartermaSter departments will
be laid before Congress in the shape of a
bill providing for an increase. The bill is
being prepared al the War Department, and
its contents have received the approval of
the President. The shortage of officers in
the medical department can be remedied
without resort to law, inasmuch as the sur
geon general has the power to employ con-
tract surgeons.
Our Interests in Turkey.
Oscar S. Strauss, the American minister
to Turkey. was at the White House for a
few minutes. Mr.. Strauss is in this coun-
try ON a leave of absence of sixty days.
He has paid his respects to the President
and visited the State Department. Mr..
Strauss has recently made some strong
representations to the Turkish government
about American claims against Turkey.
These claims have remained unsettled for
years ana MI. strauss was appointed
woi,Id enahIa him ,n sec,1re snr,,etb,ns, dats
mite from Turkey respecting what she owes
to citizens Of this country.
Invited to New York.
Colonel L. C. Hopkins of tho E,mnirs
State Society of the Sons Of the American
Revolution. accompanied nv Georpe I
Corev and Erankun Nurnby os NJ, 1or.
sey, extended the President an invitation
to attend the banquet to be given at the
Waldorf-Astoria, in New York city, May
/, to the National Society of the Sons OF
the American Revolution. The President
said he would consider the invitation, which
he was pleased to receive.
n; a.. ~,