The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1900-03-22
AMENDED BILL
SATISFACTORY
Objections To Porto Rican
Measure Eliminated.
IT SUITS THE DEMOCRATS
Presidents Power Revoked and E1pendi'
tures Which Are Made Under the
Bill Must Be Specified.

The senate Thursday passed the
Porto Rico relief bill amended in q
way to meet the criticisms urged
against the measure by the Democrats
of the house. The action of the SEN
ate demonstrates that the members OF
the house were right in the objections
they made at the time the bill was un-
der consideration there, the Repnbli-
cans of the senate themselves indors-
ing the Democratic position.
There were two points in which the
Democrats criticised the house bill
and on which they based their refusal
to support it. One of these was the
clause which gave the presidant un-
limited power over the Porto Rican
funds, not only those now raised, but
those which may hereafter be raised.
This was insisted upon by tho house
representatives, but the senate COM
mittee Immediately struck it out. The
other provision was the absence OF
specifications as to the uses to which
these funds were to be put. The
Democrats insisted that these, should
be specified. When the bill came
from the senate committee it had not
been corrected in this respect.
Senator Bacon took it to the house,
consulted with Messrs. Richardson
and Bailey, and then got the senate
committee to put in the bill the exact
language upon which the Democratic
leaders agreed, 80 the position OF the
house Democrats is ia every way sus-
tanned.
After the morning routine Mr.. Sui
livan, of Mississippi, took the floor to
deliver his announced speech on the
relations with the Philippines, but at
the request VI Mr.. Allison yielded for
immediate consideration OF the bill ap-
propriating for the benefit and govern
ment Porto Rico, revenues collect
ed on importations therefrom. The
debate on the appropriation bill devel-
oped a decided difference OF opinion,
as Mr.. Jones, OF Arkansas, offered IS
a substitute for the measure bill to
return the duties to those who had
paid them and providing for absolute
free trade between the United States
and Porto Rico. Mr.. Jones substitute
was as follows:
Gall duties collected upon articles
imported into the United States prior
to or since the first day Of April, 1899,
the date of exchange of ratifications OF
the treaty Of peace between the United
States and Spain, be returned to the
persons from whom they were collected
and from and after the passage OF this
act no duties shall he collected on
asticles coming from Porto Rico"
This substitute precipitated a
lengthy discussion of the constitutional
questions involved.
Mr.. Hoar then came forward with q
proposition to fix time for vote
the heated colloquy said no more.
There was objection to naming date
and Mr.. Hoar postponed his request
until Friday. Mr.. Hoar then ad-
dressed the senate on the Porto Rico
appropriation. He expressed his will
inguess to let the appropriation pass
for humanitarian reasons, but took oc-
casion to repeat his views on the gen.
eral question of expansion.
Before the discussion of the pend
ing bill had been concluded Mr.. We'll
lington, of Maryland, presented an
elaborate argument against the seat
ing of Mr.. Quay.
At 5 o'clock the senate adjourned.