The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-24
AGAINST TEE TARIFF BILL
Republican Opposition Likely to
Force It's Withdrawal.
4 Lively Conference in the Speak
er's Room This Mornini-PropOsi-
other Session of Those Interested
to he Held Later in the Day

A conference was held in the Speakers
room at the Capitol this morning shortly
after II O'Clock. between the advocates and
opponents Of the House Porto Rican Tariff
bill. The Republicans who oppose the bill
were represented by Messrs. Lorimer,
Powers. and Crumpacker. while Messrs.
Grosvenor. Payne, and Dalzell spoke for
the measure.
The friends OF the bill are today greatly
concerned over its prospects. The oppo-
nents want the bill recommitted with in
strucJion to report to the House the origi-
nal Payne bin giving free trade to Porto
BicO. Messrs. GrosvenOr. Payne and Dali
zeH are opposed TO this. They suggested
today that the bill be amended so as to
give the President plsaary power and let
him fix the tariff The effect Of such an
amendment would be to continue the pres
ent military control of the island.
No agreement could be reached, and q
recess was taken. The conference will be
resumed later in tbe day.
a Republican conference on the House
Porto Rican bill. was held las night
az the residence of Bepres snraiive NcCaI.
About sixteen members Of The House wera
present. This meeting represcnteI the
opposition 10 the passage oi the Porto
Rican bill Of the Ways aad Means Com
mittee and assurances were received that
twenty-siv Republicans woulI vote against
the measure. All the. Republicans who
have been prominently mentiJueI IN oppo-
sition, were participants in the conference.
The policy advocated and IQally declared
was to force the House leaders in the Ways
and Means Committee TO Voluntarily with
draw the bin for modification. IN case this
movement fails. the opponents Of the
| measure viii make a motion TO .ecom~lit
the bill to the commit.es. Representative
Richardson, the mino-ity IesGes, has SAID
| that the Democrats would sIpror, sJch a
motion.
The Republican opponent desire. how
/ ever. not 10 vote against members Of the
majority party ON the faCT. au the e;in-@-
| est effort viii therefore be made at a
I Republican cruCus tonight 10 induce the
! Ways ana Means Commi.'ae 10 withdraw
I the bill voluntarily for amendment
There were not more than twenty-five
members on the floor when The House
! first sCpaker was Mr. Clayton Of Alabama.
/ He made q constitutional argument
against tlE Porto Iican Tariff bill. The
! duty Of Congress. he said. was To- carry
I out the recommendations Of the Prezi-
dent and give free trade TO Porto Rico.
He wanted the House TO pass the bin in
troduced by Mr.. Henry Of Texas. giving
| constitutional government 70 Porto
Rico. and one which the people Of the
island were asking for.
The pending bill, he said. was a taxing
measure and not a regulation OF terri
tory, as claimed by the majority.
Mr.. Tawrey. a member Of the Ways au3
Means Committee defended the bill He
expressed his regret that yesterday il was
left for Mr.. LittlefcId 10 play the part Of
the bufoOn FOR the benefit OF the Demo-
cratic party and the pleasure Of the gal
I leries- The applause given him by the
Democrats, he said. would never have been
given TO a speech from that peerless Amer
lean statesman and always loyal Repub-
lican. Nelson Dingley. the predecessor OF
the gent eman from Maine Mr.. Tawney
read lengthy speech in which he de
/ Tended the bill and justified the action OF
| the Ways and Means Committee in refus-
/ ing free trade 10 Porto Rico.