The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-21
THE REPUBLICANS
GETTING NERVOUS
Fate Of Porto Rical Tariff
Bill in Doubt.
A SMALL MAJORITY.
Eight Republican Votes Would Defeat
the Measure.
MOVEMENT FOR A CAUCUS.
No Call Has Been Issued, But it Was
tho Understanding Ono Would
DC He'll To-Night-alr. Swan
son, Of Virginia, Was One
ofthe Speakers i'll OPP
position Yesterday.
! SMALL MAJORITY.
MOVEMENT FOB A CAUCUS.


WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-Again to-day
there were but three speeches in the
House upon the Porto Rican tariff bill
Five hours were consumed In their deliv-
'cry.
Mr. Hopkins, of Illinois, spoke in sup
port of the bill, and Mr.. Newlands, of
Nevada, and Mr. Swanson, Of Virginia. in
opposition to it. The speakers devoted
themselves almost exclusively to the con-
stitutional question involved. and We're
listened to with attention.
The Republican leaders are becoming
nervous over the fate OF the bill They
have only q majority of fourteen over the
opposition, which is solidly opposed 10 the
measure Eight votes from the ReDuoll-
can side would. therefore, defeat II, and
there are from twelve to fifteen Republi-
can votes in doubt.
A movement for q Republican caucus IS
being agitated, and although no call mas
been issued up to the time OF adjournment
tonight, the general understanding was
that one would be held tomorrow night.
The Republicans reported to be opposed
to the bill are: Aessrs. Mccall, of Aassa-
chusetts: Littlefeld, of Maine; Powers,
OF Vermont; Tonlpkins, OF New York;
Bromwell, of Ohio; Lorimer. Of Illinois;
Heatwole, OF Minnesota; Tongue, of Ore
gon; Loud, of California, and Jones and
Cushman, of Washington, and Crum-
packer. of Indiana.
At the opening Mr.. Hepburn, of Iowa,
attempted to secure an agreement to take
up the Nicaraguan Canal bill and asked
cn,,t m hn f1L
two weeks from to-day and later pressed
for it a week hence.
AIr. Richardson, Of Tennessee, the Dem
ocratic leader, had no objection, but MIR.
Cannon, OF Illinois, chairman of the
House Appropriation Committee, dissent
ed.
The House then went into committee of
the whole and MIR. iNewlands. member
OF the Ways and Means Committee, took
the floor.
A PART OF THE UNION.
'It was evident Mr. Newlands said,
'that so far as Porto Rico was concerned.
whatever present objections there might
be upon the part of the dominant party
TO establishing freedom of trade between
that island and the Union. such trade
would not long be deferred, as apart from
the Importance of the constitutional ques-
tions raised by discriminating tariff,
which doubtless would be only temporary,
it was evident that both of the political
parties of the country were now on sub
Stantial agreement that Porto Rico should
become a part or the Union
Our duty was to immedia teIy incorpo-
rate Porto Rico in the Union as Terrl-
tory, with all its rights and privileges
under the constitution and laws of this
country. Equality Of representation and
equality of burtfen would, render them
satisfied with our system of government,
and contented with u condition of tutle-
gate which would ultimately lead to
representation in the Federal Union.
MIR. Hopkins, Of Illinois, another mem
Der of the Ways and Means Committee,
then spoke in support OF the bill. The
issue presented in the measure, he said,
was whether Porto Rico and the Philip
pines, under the treaty with Spain, be-
came integral parts Of the United States,
or whether they can be treated as terri
tory, and separate and distinct customs
and internal revenue laws imposed there
from what are levied, controlled and
paid in the United States
81 believe the constitution of the United
States is broad enough and elastic enough
to enable US to control the inhabitants of
those islands, and give them a larger
EbertE and higher civilization than they
have heretofore enjoyed, without impair
ing in the least the integrity of our do
mestic institutions, or entaiiing upon our
people additional taxation"
Mr.. Hopkins then proceeded to discuss
the constitutional question involved, quot
ing lberaly from the decisions from lne
Supreme Court, the speeches of Web
ster, Benton and Calhoun.
MIR. SWANSON SPEAKS.
. Hfr
member OF the Ways and Means Com
mittee, was the last speaker to-day In
opposing the bill he said that the Presi-
dent, III his message. had announced that
it was Our plain duty to abolish ali
customs tariffs between the United
States and Porto Rico The conditions
in Porto Rico had not changed, yet the
Republican party had since entirely
changed its policy in dealing with this
matter, and he said it was solely on ac-
court of political exisencies He dis
cussed the injustice of legslating for
the people Of Porto Rico, on account Of
political conditions here. and the doc
trine upon which the bill was founded.
He said that the Republican party
was sponsor for government by iniunc-
ton in the United States, and that they
now proposed a new doctrne-Goyern-
ment without the Constitution He said
that if Congress should govern the Ter
ritories and new possessions without the
constitutional limi tations it would create
a congressional despotisIn precisely like
that claimed by Great Britain at the
time of the Revolutionary War; that the
power claimed to enact the bill is pre-
eisely the power that was claimed by
the British Parliament for the enactment
Of the stamp act Every person who
votes for this bill announces himself a
follower of George ILL.,
GREAT INJUSTICE.
He argued the Injustice of Congress
fixing the terms upon which the Porto
Ricans should sell their goods in this
country, and at the same time the terms
upon which they must be purchased from
this country. This power. he. said, had
been. and always would be- abused The
intention Of this bill. he asserted. was
to force. all of the leaf tobacco to be 5ex-
ported here for manufacture, and there
Dy? paralyze tho n:3 mn "a indus