Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1900-03-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON. d. c.. Mar.9 1900.
The Porto Rico muddle has
grown thicker since the bill has
been before the senate. All sorts
of amendments have been and
are being proposed, and the Wild
est sort of talk is being INDUCED
in by the supporters and oppo-
nents of a tariff on Porto Rican
products. Those who advocate
free trade say that it was the
sugar and tobacco trusts which
forced the house to pass the bill
imposing duty of Is per cent on
Porto Ricau products, while the
tariff advocates are equally posi-
tive in asserting that the two
trusts named are responsible for
much of the clamor for free trade.
Both claims cannot possibly be
true. and probably neither is. The
whole truth is that Porto Rico is
| being made the foot ball of part
isan politics The bill as passed
by the house may be- amended.
but it is not giving the majority
Iof the senate credit for ordinary
political shrewdness to say that
they will allow a party measure
to be defeated.
Both branches OF congress fin
isfed the financial legislation of
the session this week, by passing
the bill providing for the gold
|standard and for refund1ng the
bonded indebtedness of the coun-
| try with 2 per cent bonds, as
reported from the conference com
mittee, and the bill will be
promptly signed by the president.
| Senator Lodge made long
speech this week in favor of the
bill authorizing the president tc
act in his discretion in regulating
, the affairs of The PHILIPPINES until
congress shall see fit to further
: legislate on the subject, and Sen
/ ator Sullivan offered resolution
declaring that the Philippines are
the rightful property, honorably
acquired OF the U. s., and tina
"while the misguided Filipino'
continue the present war, brough
on by them, against the rightfu
authority Of the u SO long a
! a single gun III their hands i
trained upon our flag, no expires
J sion OF intention as to the the futnr,
/. course of the U. S. with respec
to them should be made by tn
!, senate Mr.. Sullivan's resolu
: ton is both sensible and patriotic
No bribc iii the shape of promis
y es should be given the Filipino
I while they are fighting us.
E Although not the usual thin;
: for treaties to be referred to tn
8 finance committee of the senate
:. that course is to be taken wit
y the French reciprocity treat
9 which has been favorably report
n ed by the committee on foreig
"a relations. The finance committe
s asked that the treaty be referre
} to it for consideration and repol
before being voted upon by th
6 senate on the ground that it dea
e with matters which will affet
le the revenues Of the governmen
E Representative Taylor of Obi,
Is who made a record as chairma
~ of one of the house committee
L on elections, has some ideas c
10 contested elections in the hous
~ that deserve more than passln
5. consideration, because, if adop
Ia ed, they would remove those cas-
is from the field of partisan polite
ae where they often do injustic
IL He said: 81 have often wonde
te ed whether a commission of
Va diciai character and sufficient te
he IRE of Office to insure indepe
on dence of action could not be ere
~ ted to pass upon contested ele
ne ton cases III the house. Such
es commission should be compos
of men of high character, who
ne sole duties should be to study
e. evidence in these contests and !
,es ~ port to the house imparatilly
~ ~ findings. The constitution,
s.. he sire. if11nnsas 11Dnn the Io,