Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 April 1900 — PORTO RICO TARIFF. [ARTICLE]

PORTO RICO TARIFF.

OXNARD BILL IS PASSED BY THE HOUSE. Vote Stands 101 for Concurrence to 153 Against-Debate Limited to Four Honrs, and Amendments Are Not Read. The national House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon completed its record on the Porto Rican tariff bill by concurring in ail the Senate amendiuents. The final vote was 161 in favor of the bill and 153 against it, with eleven members present and not voting. There were nine Republicans who refused to vote for the bill but voted against it. They were: Lorimer of Illinois, Warner of Illinois, Cruinpacker of Indiana, Lane of lowa, Henry C. Smith of Michigan, Fletcher of Minnesota, HeaWole of Minnesota, Littlefield of Maine, McCall of Massachusetts. These nine wiped out the Republican majority of eighteen in the House by voting against the party. The majority for the bill was made up of Democratic votes. Had all the Democrats voted against the hijl, the nine Republican votes that went ajkainst it would have caused the vote to break even. The Republican leaders secured, by one vote, the adoption of a rule allowing four hours’ debate on the motion to concur in all the Senate amendments. The result was the adoption by the House of a civil government bill for Porto Rico, which was not read in its entirety In the House. The contest over the bill began with the session of Wednesday. The committee on rules brought in a rule limiting the debate to four hours and fixing the time for the final vote on the motion to concur at 5 o'clock. There was forty minutes’ debate allowed on the adoption of this rule. There was bad temper evident on both sides of the chamber in the beginning, and intemperate language was used by the leaders on both sides. The rule was then submitted and was adopted by a vote of 158 to 142. Eight Republicans voted against it. They were Littlefield, McCall, Crumpacker, Lorimer, Warner, Heatwole, Lane and H. C. Smith. Mr. Fletcher of Minnesota voted for the rule, but afterward voted against the bill. Announcement of the result was greeted with applause,, and the House then settled down to the debate upon the bill. Speeches in favor of the bill were made by Messrs. Watson of Indiana, Hopkins of Illinois, Dolliver of lowa and Chairman Payne. Its passage was opposed by Congressmen Lorimer, Warner of Illinois, Crumpacker of Indiana. McCall of Massachusetts and H. C. Smith of Michigan.