The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-30
THE PORTO RICAN BILL.
Prospects for the Passage of the
Foraker Proposition

uHNE fToDositioh-
| The voting in the Senate yesterday on
| the Foraker Porto Rican bill adds to the
( confidence felt by the advocates Of the
/ conference measure that it will pass by
safe majority when the vote is taken
next Tuesday. BY the decisive vote of
l6 to 80 the proposition of Senator Pettus
/ 10 strike out the tariff section as passed
! by the House was defeated This indi-
Gates the strength of the advocates OF the
compromise measure although the minor
ity vote does not show the free trade
| strength in full.
Thirty-two Senators were paired and six
were impaired and not voting Had all OF
| the Senators voted who oppose the tariff
provision, about six more names would
have been added 10 the thirteen advocates
of Mr. Pettus motion. The result was in
definite by reason Of mix up of the pairs.
The free trade Senators, perhaps made
careless by the heavy vote against them
did not look closely after the tally sheet
and allowed their opponents TO pair Sen
ators who would have voted the same way.
Thus Mr. Taliaferro of Florida was paired
with Mr.. Mason Of Illinois. Mr. Butler of
North Carolina with Mr. Beveridge Of In
diana and Mr.. Vest Of Missouri with Mr.
Nelson Of Minnesota. all of these Senators
u
six Senators who did not vote we're:
Messrs. Allen of Nebraska, Davis of Min
nesota, McCumber of North Dakota Nal
lcry of Florida, Proctor of Vermont. and
Stewart of Nevada, all Of them being free
trade advocates. But under any circum-
stances the molten of the Alabama Senator
would have been defeated so that the
friends Of the compromise bill are very
cheerful over the result
fr fFrlr toll H.a.F %. 80
Republican votes viii be cast against the
bill in any event. while the number may
not be more than Ave. These seven Sen
ators are Messrs. Davis, Nelson, Hoar.
Proctor, Wellington, Mason, and Simon
The way thus having been cleared for
the passage Of the compromise measure in
the Senate, the problem Of how to get the
measure through the House confronts its
advocates.
The free trade men have little to say for
publication, but profess to be confident Of
getting q free trade bill through the House
after all Some members Of the House have
the impression that 10 legislation at all re-
garding the Porto Rican tariff will be en-
acted this session, owing to the radical diff
ference between the two Houses. and be-
cause the necessity fOT such legislation has
been in a measure removed by the appro-
priatiOu Of the duties collected for the
benefit OF the Porto Ricans themselves
Those who think this way call attention to
the fact that the President can. under his
military authority. abolish all import
duties on the island and say this, with the
return Of customs duties collected. will
give the Porto Ricans practically free
trade
I'VE don't know" said Mr. Payne.
Chairman of the Ways and Means Com
Fnlff4p tvs.h ind - D
will be; whether il will be the House bill.
a modification of it, or bill merely giving
Porto Rico form OF government Until
the Senate has acted nothing can be said
regarding our policy"
The prospect Is, however that the pend
ing Foraker bill will pass by a majority of
about IS az Republicans aud Demo-
cratsl after all free trade amendments
have been voted down by somewhat
smaller margin than this. aud that a con
ference committee will finally agree on the
bill substantially as it stands today
Senator Hansbrough Of North Dakota
called al the White House yesterday and
discussed with the President the prospects
Of the Porto Rican bill in he Senate Sen
ator Hansbrough told Mr. Mckinley that f.
he was confident the bin would pass the /
Senate by a safe majority This opinion. /
the Senator said. was based upon a careful |
He told the President also
that ne had good reason TO believe the .
bill would pass the House in a form sim
liar to that now before the Senate
Senator Hansbrough said that the ex-
tent Of opposition 10 the measure has
been greatly exaggerated. He cited his !
OWN case He had received not more than
half a dozen letters from constituents
who had decried the passage Of the bill.
and they. upon receiving replies from him
in which he had explained the attitude of
The leaders in the Senate told him tosdo
as he thought best.
Representative Grosvenor saw the Pres
dent during the morning and talked over
he situation. He was not quite as san
yuine as senator -Hansbrough regarding
he passage of the amended bill through
he House. He thought there would be no
iifiiculty in the Senate.