The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-19
TIE PORTO RICAN TARIFF
Mr.. Payne Opens the Debate on the
Customs Measure.
Heartily in Favor Of It's Enactment
without Change in It's PrOvi-
sions-Mr. suIzer Asserts That the
War Tax on Beer should BE re-
peuIed-The Macrum Resolution.

Porto Rican bin. making the customs dues
on imports into the United States from
Porto Rico. and vice versa, % per cent Of
the rate charged against imports from other
countries, did not fiji the galleries at the
opening Of the session OF the House today.
nor did It suffice TO MI more than half
the seats on the floor.
This being under the rules, suspension
day. before entering upon the Porto Rican
matter Mr.. Dolliver OF Iowa, from the
Committee on Ways and Means, moved the
pas. age. under suspension Of the ru es, Of
the oil to abolish the use Of one-sixth and
one-eighth barrels in handling beer He
said that the bill was desired by the brew
ers, who found the use OF the small pack
ases nuisance and loss. aud the Treasury
Department reported that the change
would not affect the revenues Of the Gov
eminent
on motion OF Mr Fletcher, the bill was
made to take effect June so next so as to
give the coopers who make these packages
time in which TO work up their stock Of
materials
Mr. Sulzer Of New York in behalf of
the bill said that while it favored the
brewers somewhat, the war tax on beer
should be repealed, and he asked some
Republican to say Why it had not been G.
pC9Ied.
Mr.. often Of Wisconsin. representing
the large brewing interests OF Milwaukee,
advocated the passage Of the bill.
Referring TO Nr Sulzer's question Mr.
Terry Of Arkansas, said the reason why
The war tax was not repealed was that
without il the Dingley tariff law would
| have proved one Of the most lamentable
! legislative failures on record. CDsrisive
applause from the RepublicsDsl.
The bill was further advocated by Messrs-
[ BarthuIdt Of Missouri, and Babcock OF Wis
{ cousin, and passed.
Then at 1915. on motion Of Mr.. Payne,
] Chairman OF The Committee On Ways and
/ Means The House resolved itself into
/ Committee OF the Whole 10 consider the
. bill
/ An agreement was sought to be made
. that general debate extend TIL Saturday
evening. the bill to be &portei TO the
. House at o'clock next Monday, but be
cause Mr.. Payne would not consent that
the minority might have the opportunity
TO offer a substitute. objection was made
by MI Richardson Of Tennessee.
Pending the motion, MT- Hit reported
. the Wheeler resolution from the Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs. providing for an
10
Macrum. former Consul at Pretoria. that
bis official mail was opened by a British
/ censor at Durham. and that a secret alli-
a1ce existed between the United States
! aud Great Britain. u was agreed &c.
Mr.. Payne opened the deba.e on the
Porto Ricau Tariff measure.
Nr. PHNne's speech.
Mr. Payne said in part:
/ An incident TO the late war with Spain
was the invasion Of Porto Rico. Whatever
] differences there may have been as 10 the
[ policy Of auneXiug the Philippine Islands,
l know Of no opposition anywhere 90 the
/ annexation Of this gem Of the Antilles but
The same treaty tuat ceded the SOW,
{ crignty Of Porto Rico also turned over the
I government OF the Philippine Islands 90
: the United States. This Treaty OF Peace
. was not made in q corner. and It's terms
: were soon known by every citizen OF this
/ Republic. The President sent 81 10 the
| Senate promptly, and though a majority OF
that body was hostile 10 his AdministrI-
tion the Treaty obtained the necessary two
! thirds vote under the Constitution 10 make
: IL a part of the supreme law OF the land
| The responsibility for whatever there was
I Of good or III in the annexation OF these
I islands Was shared by all political parties.
( and by what seemed 10 he the overwhe:In-
! But the annexation was not yet COM
I petc. The same Constitution that SiFCs
the President aud Senate authority 20 coy
! clude treaties also provides that 10 ap-
I prCpriation Of money should be made from
I the Treasury except by laws Of Congress.
I This Treaty could have been nulEiei by
! the House OF Representatives had IL seen
fit i'm its judgment and discretion 10 with
/ hold the appropriation Of the E2a,"9ot 600
which we gave in exchange for the Philip
pine Islands. The appropriation of this
! money was not a mere f0rmality or the
part Of the House Of Representatives. but
was an act ratifying the Treaty with Spain.
Every member who voted for IL shared the
1 responsibility Of the Executive and Of the
Senate IN the acquisition Of the Philippine
/ Islands
on the vote for the appropriation Of
/ $50 600 600 for the purpose Of the carry
I ing into effect the Treaty OF Peace with
Spain which was taken On the Goth day
of February. 1899. 2lg were recorded . the
affirmative and only 35 in the negative.
! Among those recorded in the affirmative
were three gentlemen who signed the NIL
| nority -eport on this bill now under dis
! cussion. while only one Of them voted in
| the negative. Many members OF this
! House. who have since most vOciferously
! condemned the Administration for its en-
| deavor to restore peace and order in our
| new possessions. voted for this appTO-
priation ratifying the Treaty. and are in
honor aud good faith bound TO all the con-
sequences which follow from il. No law
| fraught with suca momentCus conse-
qUCnces ever received so large and almost
unanimous endorsement and support Of the
people. This Treaty was fully concluded
on the nth day Of April last Let us then
| in a manly and patriotic way meet the
| conditions and responsibilities which ouI
own acts have placed upon our common
| country.
This bill. by its terms. relates only Il
the Island Of Porto Rico. Il cannot b,
taken as a precedent Of any legislative ac-
tion in reference to the Philippine Islands
when the present insurrection shall hav,
| been overcome. except in so far as we as
sert in it our view OF our power under the
American Constitution"
After describing the island and its re-
sources, referring to the loss sustained by
the hurricane Of last August Mr. Payn,
continued:
Our Duty to Porto Rico.
"An agree that the first and most impor
( tant duty we owe to the people Of this isl
and is to open up markets for them Il
l no other way can we allay the feeling o
discomfort likely to arise among peopl
who have realized so little in the chang
from Spanish oppression of four hundre,
! years TO the prOsperit, and liberty whicl
follows the American flag"
/ Discussing this. the speaker said that e,
change Of the tariff law would b. neces
o | sary to permit the Porto Rfcans TO sen,