The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-28
OPPOSED BY Mr.. STEWART
He Argues Against the Porto Rican
Tariff PROVISION.
senator Foraker Announces That
He VIII Not Ask n Separation Of
Government Substitute - Discus
sion of the Various Amendments.

The Porto Rican bin was taken up in
the Senate yesterday at the close OF the
morning hour.
Mr Foraker. who is in charge of it, said
that he had concluded not to ask a sep
Grafton of the two propositions the Houss
tariff bill and the Senate civil govern
ment substitute but to proceed with the
unfinished business in its original form.
Mr. Stewart addressed the Senate in op-
position TO the tariff provision. He said
that the question whether President Nc
Kinley was TO be commended or execrated
for his acquisition of islands beyond the
seas was one that was now discussed in
OF the people, aud he predicted that the
time would come when people would Won
der how anybody could have objected to
the United States holding the Islands that
had been wrested from Spanish cruelty.
The first question was on the amendment
to insert in section 30 the words ''as 10
railroad. telegraph, and telephone fran
chises," requiring such franchises to be
approved by the President and reported 10
Congress. After discussion the amend
ment was agreed to. being modified SO as
to reserve to Congress the power to annul
or modify such franchises
Mr.. Morgan moved to add to section Z a
provision for the free coinage Of gold and
silver, and argued that the provision was
in line with section I. which authorizes the
recoinage of the Porto Rico peso and other
coins at their face value in American
money. In the course Of his argument he
remarked that there was no provision in
the bill for national banks in Porto Rico.
The Senator is mistaken Mr.. Foraker
interposed. There is a provision that
everything in the law not locally inap-
plicable shall apply to Porto Rico, and un-
der that provision national banks can be
established there
Then" said Mr.. Morgan, Porto Rico
is not foreign country. There is no ques-
tion about the logic of that proposition"
He then went on to speak in favor OF
his amendment and said that the seventh
section inaugurated a movement that
would result in the entire freedom of gold
and silver coinage. This section came
from a Senator from the great State of
Chic just as the Stanley Matthews amend
ment had come from another Senator from
that State. and he tMr. Morgan welcomed
the movement. The silver mines of the
world, he said. were in the Western Hem
isphere. Nations and communities could
mot live without the use of silver subsi
diary coin. And why should not the
United States, he asked. being the pos
SCISSOR of the most valuable gold mines of
the world, create policy that would
stimulate the production of silver and
also of gold?
The Democrats of the country. he de-
of too much specie money. They would
bonds TO secure circulation, the deposit Of
gold and silver.
Mr. Foraker objected that Mr.. Morgan s
amendment was in the nature OF general
legislation, while the pending bill was only
concerned with Porto Rican affairs. Sec
tion was not a provision for free coin
age Of silver bullion. but for the exchange
and redemption Of Porto Rican coins. so
that only American coins should be used
In Porto Rico. He expressed unqualified
respect" for the Senator from Alabama,
who. be hoped. would long continue to &C.
cupy seat in the Senate.
Mr.. Morgan said that his amendmen Mt
gave to Republican Senator's an opportuni-
" to pacify the people after the passage
OF the gold bill. He hoped that the oppor-
tunity to do justice 10 the people would
not be forever and forever declined BY
those Senators. He argued that his
amendment was as much at home on the
Porto Rican bill as it would have been On
the gold bill. 1t was not only at home
but il was so by invitation. What kind OF
justice was 1t, he asked. to force the peo-
pie of Porto Rico TO sell their silver coins
at the rate OF 60 cents per peso, which
contained as much silver as the American
dollar?
Mr. Foraker remarked that the present
value OF the peso was only from As to As
cents, and yet under the bill so cents would
be paid for il: so that ii was not proposed
to deprive the people OF Porto Rico of any
value.
Mr.. Clay suggested that II the peso were
re-coined into American dollars land 1
contained silver enough for the purpose
the profit to the United States would b.
| 40 cents on each peso.
Mr.. Morgan explained that his amend.
ment contemplated the coinage of a dollar
| in gold for every dollar in silver.
A vote was taken on the amendment
| and resulted, yeas 10; nays, 25-no quor
UNI.
The Senate then at 4:5G O'Clock ad
journed until today.
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