Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-14
Conferences Held on the Porto Rican
Tariff Bill.
SENATORS ALLISON and SPOONER
Both Talk With The President for
Some Time.
NO RE S ULT RE ACHED

Two long conferences as to the Porto
Rican bill were held at the White House
this morning. Senator Allison, chairman of
the Senate republican caucus and member
of the steering committee, spent a long time
with the President. Later Senator Spooner,
likewise a member of the steering commit
tee, and recognized as one of the foremost
of the administration leaders, was with the
President nearly an hour.
Senators t,lkins. Scott and Penrose were
others who saw the President but the chief
executives desires as to the Porto Ricau
bill were intrusted to Senators Allison and
Spoonar. These two also put before the
President the strong fight made in the Sen
ate against the bill as it came from the
House, and told him of the difficulties and
complications which beset the path of the
bill yet.
No Definite Understanding Reached.
The two long conferences with the Presi-
dent did not result, it is declared, in any
understanding definite enough TO warrant
a prediction as to the outcome. The Presi-
dent stands by his position that the pro-
posed tariff is so small as to amount to no
tariff at all, but he counsels harmony and
unity above anything else. Personally he
will accept any solution which will leave
room for a test case to the right of
Congress to impose Independent tariff rates
on the new possessions. A test case must
be had. The President has no arbitrary
views on the subject of the exact amount
of duty to be fixed so long as il is sufficient
to give the courts a case on which to rem
der final and complete decision.
The opinion of several senators was that
the most favored amendments before the
Senate are those which admit American
goods to Porto Rico free and charge
duty on goods coming to this country from
the island The opinion was strong that
the bill will contain these amendments
when 1t passes both houses and reaches
the President.
Talking Over England's Attitude
Secretary Hay was at the White House
at $50 o'clock this morning and found
President Mckinley in his office waiting for
him. The conference lasted nearly thirty
minutes. The Secretary appeared to have
improved from his indisposition of yester-
day. The authoritative statement can be
made that the attitude of Great Britain to
the indirect representations made to her by
this country at the request of the Boer
government was exactly what was ex-
pectcd by Secretary Hay and State Depart
ment officials.
1t is generally predicted in cabinet circles
that the incident is closed, and that it will
be the only connection which this country
Collector of Customs ct Toledo,
Ex-Representative F. B. De Witt of
Paulding county, Ohio, saw the President
this morning. Mr.. De Witt is the most
prominent of Il dozen candidates for col
lector of customs at Toledo. He lives fifty
miles away, but the republicans of that
district outside Of Toledo look upon the col
lectorship as Il position which belongs to
!, tir. St,p+ Rpht ~,
has been hard and fast Five or six of the
candidates have been to Washington and
have conferred with Senators Foraker and
Hanna. who will virtually fill the place. in
asmuch as the man selected by them will
receive the nomina tion.-
1t is now thought the nomination will be
made in a few days, and the expectation is
that Mr. De Witt will be the successful
earnest loyal supporter of Senator For
aker and has been on good terms with Sem
ator Hanna. His relations with the Pres
ident are also most pleasant.
Whatever the decision arrived at. there
are sure TO be some spots left. Nearly
all Of the candidates are men of influence
in the party, and the prize contended for is
one which will not be relinquished without
some bitterness.
Today's Nominations.
The President today sent the following
nominations of postmasters to the Senate:
Maine, E. A. Fairfield, Kennebunk Massa-
chusetts Asa B. Fay, Marlborough. New
Jersey, R. s. Snyder Atlantic Highlands;
Louis D. Gallison, Orange. New York, Jas.
Fox, st. townsville; Ebenezer Evans, Wa
tervile. Ohio, VIM. A. Coble, Delphos.
Kentucky. Jesse K. Freeman, Central City.
Michigan, w. H. White. Decatur. Mime
sota ;,6,a Eya Kaiser: Bemdji G H pisree'
Peru; T. ]. Taylor, Wilber. North Caro-
Ina, A. L. McCaskiil, Fayetteville North
Dakota, E. X. Myhre. Valley City. Indian
territory, James f. Elliott, Duncan Colo
RADIO, c. B. Chrysler, Delta California, +.
L. Glass, Martinez.
The Financial Bill Signed.
Just before 1 O'Clock this afternoon Presi-
dent Mckinley signed the financial bill.
making important changes in the financial
system of the country.
The bill, printed on parchment, was taken
to the White House by Representative
Overstreet Of indianapolis. Mr.. Overstreet
introduced the bill in the House and was in
charge of it at various stages through that
body.
set in a gold staff, the top of which was
pearl. The bill was signed with this pen.
1.-The gold standard bill was signed by a
gold pen bought from Goldsmith said Mr..
Overstreet later
When ths President was appending his
signature he remarked, as a coincidence,
that nearly all the important financial
legislation of the country had been signed
on the 14th of the month. The refunding
act was signed on July IA, 1870 the re-
sumption act on January Il, 1870, and the
Sherman act on July IA, 1890.
The President did not read the bill over.
merely asking Mr.. Overstreet II care had
been taken to see that nothing had been
left out.
The gold pen will be presented to Mr. H
H, Hanna of Indianapolis. Mr. Overstreet
said that a great deal was due to Mr.
Hanna In the passage of the bill.
Bank Cashiers Sentence Commuted.
President Mckinley has cominuted the
sentence of William Steele. the cashier of
the defunct Chestnut Street National Bank
of Philadelphia. The failure of this bank
was one of the heaviest in financial history
i'll the country, and created a sensation.
Steele was tried on the charge of aiding
and abetting in allowing Illegal loans, was
convicted and sentenced to six years and
six months In the Eastern tPa) Peniten-
tiary. A petition asking his pardon was
recently circulated and was recommended
by the judge and district attorney The
President was asked to grant the pardon
on the ground that Steele was only tech
nically guilty, and was not the real cul-
prit in the misdeeds of the bank officials