Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-12-24
DEBATE ON TARIFF Bill.
Chairman Payne Opens Discussion
on the Philippine Revenue
Measure.
SHOWS THE NEED OF THE LEGISLATION.
In Absence of Mr.. Richardson, Rep
resentative Swanson Speaks for
the Minority Declaring That None
of Promised Benefits to Filipinos
Would BE Realized from Measure.

Washington, Dec. 1S.-The first de-
bate of the session in the house began
Tuesday on the bill to provide tenn
porary revenues for the Philippine is
lands. Under the agreement made last
Friday the debate is to continue Tues
day and Wednesday until four o'clock,
when the vote is to be taken. Mr..
Payne, the floor leader of the majority,
opened for his side, and, owing to the
indisposition of Mr.. Richardson, the
floor leader of the minority, who is suf-
fering from an attack of the grip, the
task of opening for the democratic
side devolved upon Mr.. Swanson (Va.).
Mr.. Payne's Speech.
Mr.. Payne, in opening the debate,
carefully explained the purpose of the
bill which already has been set forth
in his report. A synopsis of his re-
marks follow:
Mr. PAYNE reviewed at some length the
events leading up to the formulation of the
tariff He contrasted the Spanish rates
with those fixed by the commission. On
-four, for instance, he said, the rate mao
been reduced from $1SS to 50 cents; on rice
smoked meats from 1913 to $500 Proper
tionate reductions had been made on other
articles.
Mr.. Payne explained that the commission
also had deemed 1t wise to continue por-
ton of the old Spanish export tax on hemp,
sugar and tobacco owing to the difficulty
of levying and collecting land tax. Per-
sonally, he said, he did not like the idea of
an export tax, but there seemed no other
way at present. There was necessity for
immediate action to meet the situation
created by the decision of the supreme
court.
Mr.. Payne also explained the feature of
the bill providing for the extension of the
navigation laws of the United States to the
islands and the permission it granted to
foreign vessels to ply between Philippine
and American ports until January, 1906.
Mr.. Payne's statement that by that time
It was hoped American ships would be able
TO take care of this business aroused scat
tering applause on his side of the house.
Lively Colloquy.
During Mr. Payne's speech there was
quite colloquy between Mr.. Gaines
(Tenn.), who visited the islands last
summer, and Mr.. Payne. The latter
described the success of the Philip
pine commission and asserted that the
republicans were trying to lift the
Filipinos to American citizenship. Mr..
Gaines declared the constitution and
flag should be carried to the Philip
pines.
Mr.. Payne said he was surprised that
Mr.. Gaines had not carried the flag and
constitution to the islands. you have
done that covertly," said Mr.. Gaines.
II propose to show you up"
Mr.. Payne sarcastically replied that
he supposed Mr.. Gaines had learned
more in brief visit than all the Off
Gals of the United States in two years
and half of investigation.
Mr.. Payne also had brief contro-
versy with Mr.. Wheeler (Ky.), in
which the latter asserted that aggre-
gate capital had the assurance that the
attorney general would not prosecute
the trusts and that was why they eX-
listed.
Mr.. Payne declared that Mr.. Wheeler
did not believe his own assertion any
more than he (Payne) believed it.
Speaks for the Minority.
Mr.. Payne closed his speech at 1:2o
and was followed by Mr.. Swanson
(Va.), who declared that none of the
benefits for the Filipino people spoken
of could accrue through the agency oil
the pending bill
1.-THE voice of the floor leader of the ma.
jority," he said was the voice of Jacob
but the hand was the hand of Esau." Mr.
Swanson said that the president and secre-
tary of war favored making generous con-
cessions to sugar and tobacco from cuba,
but this bill failed to make any concessions
TO the Philippines Reciprocity treaties
pending In the senate allow concessions to
foreign countries. but none to the Philip
pines which we hold as part of our own
country. Holding the Philippines by
force weakened instead of strengthened
this country. The money we now
waste In the Philippines would build
us the largest navy in the world The solu-
ton of the Philippine problem was con-
gressional declaration to give them inde-
pendence as soon as a stable government
could be formed.
Mr.. Thayer (Mass.) opposed the bill
He said we had oyerpowered the Fill.
ipinos, but had not conquered them
The same spirit of liberty which let
them to rebel against Spain still ami
mated them.
Mr.. Shafroth (Col }, who recently re
turned from the Philippines, vigorous
~ opposed the bill.
Mr.. Grosvenor lO) said it was unfor
tunate that the democratic caucus
could not be advised SO that the exac
position OF the democratic party nigh
be known. He referred to the fact har
q republican administration tried tt
avert the war with Spain. The same
thoughtless cry of liberty rang
through the halls of congress. a.
wanted the opposition to join the re
publicans in bearing the burdens O
that war.
Washington, Dec 1S.-Soon after tn,
senate convened Tuesday joint reso
tuition making some amendments t.
the act ''to establish "A code of law TO
the District of Columbia" was report
ed and passed.
After the transaction of purely rou
tine business, the senate at 1885 p. m
on motion of Senat tor Allison, went int,
executive session.
Senate Committees
Washington, Dec. 1S.-The republic
AZ senators met in caucus Tuesday t,
hear the report Of the committee OIL
committees which had completed tn
republican arguments. The repor
was made by Senator Platt Conn
chairman of the committee.
The report of the committee wa
adopted and the republican member
ship of the senate committees will bt