The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-20
HOUSE WON'T CONCUR
With Senate Porto
Rican Bill.
Democrats Favor COncurring to
Avoid Delay.
Republicans Stand by
House Measure.
Senate Bill Limits Money Col
lected to January 1.

Masn1nRtOn, MaEou -Ano oooo9 w
day refused to concur in the SENATE
amendments to ths Porto Rican relief
bill. The DsmocrS t. supported motion
TO concur ON the ground that it would
avoid further delay In extending relief to
the Inhabitants Of the island, but the Re-
p,blicans stood firmly behind Chairman
Cannon In his demand that the House
should insist upon its original provision
to appropriate not only the money collected
on Forto Rican goods ny to January J.,
but all subss quent moneys collsntsd or to
be collected. The remainder Of the day
was devoted to District Of Columbia busi-
ness.
Washington, March 19.-At the opening
of the session OF the House today bills
were passed to authorize q. k. Mari and
L. H. Pearoe to accept silver watches
awarded to them by Canada for services
In iescuing British sailors and to author
ise G. X. Dobbins to accept gold watch
from the Dominion for similar services.
The pension appropriation bill was sent
to conference, Messrs. Barney Of WILSON,
sin, McLauroy of Minnesota and Bell Of
Colorado were OF pointed conferees.
MIR. Cannon called up the Porto Rico
appropriation bill and moved that the
House non-ooncur in the Senate amend
ments. Mr.. McRae of Arkansas, moved
concurrence. Mr.. Cannon explained the
changes made In the bill by the Senate
which, he said, restricted the appropria-
tons to the duties collected previously to
January i, 1900. The House provision
appropriated also the duties collected Af-
ter that date and those to be hereafter
collected. The other change made by the
Senate that designating the purpose to
which the money should be put. he said,
was only O change of form, the House
provision having lett ths expenditures OF
5 the money to the discretion Of the Presl.
dent. MIR. kcRAs SAID the essential
difference between the two bills was that
the House bill afforded the right Of the
United States to impose the Dingley rates
against Porto Ricc, whereas the Senats
provision upon this subject was indeh-
mite. Members ON both sides, he said,
we're agreed that the duties collected on
Porto R,can goods should be returned
the Demo c-ats taking the position that
there should be absolute free trade be-
tween the island aud the United States.
Demo C. atlc applause.
MIR. Bel OF Colorado, also advoc ated
concurrsrcs in the Senate amendments,
bt cause he said, the Language OF those
amendments distircJy assumed the ill.,
stalIatlon OF a civil government In Porto
R,co in the near future.
Mr.. Ball of Texas, said he was aston
ished to hear the gentleman (Canncn)
move non conc lrrencs in the Senate
amendments. When the bill was origi
nally before the House Mr.. Cannon had
appealed for "storm swept, starving Porto
Rico"
Concurrence would send to the leland
immediate RELIEF. Non. IN c1rrence would
cause delay. MIR. Bell then paid his re-
specs to the anonymous cabinet officer"
who come days ago had attacked as crafty
politicians those who had refused to sup
port the Porto RicIn tariff bill. He said
he could hardly believe that one who as
saiied others in so undetermined q way
GOULD be a member of the cabinet.
Mr.. Moody of Massa 1usetts supported
M Cannon's motion on the ground that
it would support the House proposition
to turn to the account Of Porto Rico
every cent of duties collsc'ed under the
Dingley law. The conflics OF the two
Houses had absolutely nothing to do with
the gu sstion OF free trade between the
United States and Porto Rico
OWN non.con currencs not delay the re-
liefF' inquired Mr.. Bell.
"It may delay 1t an hour or day." re-
piled Mr.. Moody, ''but there Will be no
apprt cable delay. The essential thing is
that we on this side believe that the
United States should not profit one dol
lar from duties collected on Porto R.can
goods"
MT. McCleary of Minnesota, In advscat-
ing Mr.. Cannon's motion, declared that
the Porto RIcan tariff bill proposed to
treat the people of the island better than
tina people of any territory Of the United
States were ever treated.
MIR. Swanson OF Virginia, denounced
the Porto Rican tariff bill as Infamous"
and said that the pending bill to give
back the duties collected under the Ding
ly law. was an attempt to sugarcoat the
outrage. The power to fix the duties on
goods A1ming into and going from this
country was the power exercised by Eng
land prior to the revolution, and was one
of the main reasons why the colonies
threw of the yoke Mr.. Hemsn way Of In
diana. said the trou BILE with the Demo-
cats was they talked one way and voted
another. The Republicans proposed to
deal with the situation IN practical
way. They did not propose 10 give the
Porto RioAns free trade and impose In
ternAl revenue taxes upon them. They
proposed to give to the people of the