Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-02-21
PORTO RICO TARIFF
Bromwell, of Ohio, the First Repub.
lican Speaker to Oppose the
the Bill.
Nearly All Interest in Congress
Centered on the Measure-May
Not Pass.
Republicans Now Fear They Will
Be Unable to Muster a
Majority.

Washington, Feb. 2l-The debate on
the Porto Rico tariff bill continues to
absorb theattention of the house Ray,
.of New York, supported The bill in an
extended argument today. There is talk
of a republican caucus tonight. but the
matter has not been decided. The re-
publican leaders are becoming nervous
over the fate of the bill. They have
only a majority of fourteen over the op-
position, which is solidly. opposed TO the
measure. Eight votes from the repub-
lican side would therefore defeat it and
there are from twelve to fourteen re-
publicans in doubt
The republicans reported to be OPP
posed the bill are AIessrs. Mccall. OF
Massachusetts; Littletield, Of Maine;
Powers, of Vermont; Tompkins. of New
York; Bromwell, of Ohio; Lorimer OF
Illinois; Heatwole. of Minnesota;
Tongue, of Oregon; Loud. of California
Jones and Cushman, of Washington;
and Crumpacker, of Indiana.
Congressman Newlands. silverite, OF
Porto Rican bill. said in part:
As the results OF the humantariar
war inaugurated. not for conquest. but
10 free Cuba from Spain oppression
the United States finds itself in unaual-
| tied possession of Porto Rico. and ir
ladisputed possession of the Philippines
All these Islands today are under th.
| military power of the United States
government. Congress is now called
upon 10 act, and the questions are
| first: What duty and good morals re-
quire of US regarding those islands
second, What self-;nterest prompts us
10 do; and, third, What our constitu-
tional power is regarding these
Islands.
MI Newlands said. however. that ,ht
republicans Were losing sight of the pos
sibilily that unrest and dissatisfaction
created, by inequality of laws might
make our problem of government il
| Porto Rico much more difficult than /
| now seemed. Whether these islands wer,
to be regarded as dependencies or terri
tories. freedom Of trade, freedom of mi
jgration and equality of right and burth
zen must be established. for othe,wis,
leach community Disseminated agains
would regard itself as a victim OF pre-,
I judice or self interest. 4
| The dominant party was desirous O
preventing freedom of immigration an.
/ free trade between this country and tn,
iment Of the entire country There wa:
but one way to accomplish this unde
the constitution, and that was TO declar,
l, a, n -
IStates. ard that the sovereignty of tn,
1 United States be exercised in these is
/ lands only for their paciffcation and til.
/ establishment of Il stable government
and final establishment Of Independent
iself government in the islands. Duty
iintersst ana constitutional obligation
all pointed to this as the correct cours
with reference To the Philippines.
As to Porto Rico, our duty was to i'm
Emediately incorporate that island in tn
tunion as a territory, with all its right
land privileges under the constitution
i and laws of this country: equality o
fright and equality of burthen wouls
Irerder them satisfied with our seheni
Iof government and contenteei witt tn,
conditions of tutelage which would ulti
4 lmatelN lead TO representation in the fed
eral union. while Discrimination. inc
equality of right and inequality of burth
Zen would create never ending Irritation
and opposition that wouli render
i lpeaceable condition OF tutelage impos
Esible
4 Bromwell. of Ohio. was the first re
publican to oppose the bill upon tn
door
To Tax G Up Quay Case.
t Washington. Feb. 2l.-In the senai
Penios.., of Pennsylvania. this morn.