Arizona republican., 1898-10-31
A pROBlErf FOR CONGRESS
The AssimiIa ton of Our Newly Ao-
 quired Possessions.

Washington, Oct 39.-The problem congress will have tS wrestie with in the annexation of Hawaii and Porto Rico. and probably Of the Philippines. is sciHg to be ons which officials in the various departments recognize as big enc. The short session of congress will be unable to dispose Of this and all other importan. and necessary busi- ness, it is thought by many, thereby Eecess;taiilg an extra ssssicr after the 4th of March.
 Porto Rico's finances will be no mere difficult to deal with than the questions of taxation-customs, internal reyenua. etc. The same problem will apply to Hawaii and with much more serious ness to the Philippines, if they ccnic pernnanently under the flag.
 The constitution provides that all impcsts. excises, duties and taxes shall be uniform throughout the United States. This was commented upon to- day by prominent administration cfii- cial. He said that if the. new acquisi- tions of Uncle Sam are to be treated as different from home territory the constitution will have to Ee amen e1 by congress If there is no amendment tc the constitution Porto Rico, for ex- ample, will share the same customs and internal revenue laws as the bal ance of the country. Exports from the United States to Porto Rico will go to that country without customs duties and imports from there. to the United States will come in without duty.
 As to Hawaii, congress provided that ic-1o d- -c1,~ dy-o,, old form Of government until a change was made by the legislative bcdy Of this country. Porto Rico will tempo rariiy remain under military form Of government. AS matter of fact, Porto Rice is not legally territory Of the United States. Only congress has the power to annex territory. The an- nexation of the island will ba provided by congress, which must also provide laws and government.
 Assistant Secretary Howell cf the treasury has some figures of the i'm ports and exports Of Porto Rico. Thsse figures show that the total revenues collected by the island in 1S93-'94 we.Ie S, 3,614,60S, Of which $2.129,SG0 were from customs. The expenscs tEe same year were S3,592, TOT.
 Heretofore Spain has sent 10 Porto Rico the bulk Of hsr goods. In 1895, for instance, the imports to Porto Rico were SIG 156, GOO. Spain sen. 50 per cent of this, the Uni.ed States 15 per cent and Great Britain 10 per cent. The imports from the United States consist ed largely of flour and pickled pork other things being lard corn meal, vegetables, buttsr. cheese, bread and biscuits, cottcn goods and machinery. Many of these items, however. did not aggregate much ever S10,00G. The value of the four sent in was s734,0G0 and Of picklsd pork, S360.G00. The tables will naturally be turned in the future and the United States will fu.- nist the bulk Of the gcods going t3 the island.
 i Porto Rico exported less gods than she imported. Her total experts i'll 1895 were S.4629. .3S4. Spain getting 20 per cen, Of this, Cuba 9 per cent, the United States 12 per cent and Great Britain, Germany and f'raGc:, 10 per cent each. Coffee, sugar. toaacco and honey are the largest items Of expert, coffee making mp over half tho amount. i Tha value of the ccfTee sent out of i Porto Rico in 1895 wes sS,7S9,7SS. Sugar was valued at s3,047, ,S9t, tobacco i at s64e,O00 and honey at s517.000.
 Comparatively the business Of the
 island is small and insignificant, but
 under the guidance Of Uncle Sam the
 situation will quickly improve. The exports and imports will both increasa
 Assistant Secretary Howell may make a trip to Porto Rico this winte,
 to investigate the customs business oi the island. He is one Of the best
 poted men on customs matters in ths
 United States, and handlss sll business
 of this kind in the treasury. He ha:
 not yet decided whether it will be nee essary to make the trip.
 Assistant Secretary Vandarlip scmt .time age decided, as then announced that ha would visit Porto Rico thi: fall to look into the financial situation He may. get away next mcnth after Secretary Gage returns to the city. l. All cf the treasury officials are pest ing themselves On Porto Rican affairs
 as the business Of the island will com.
 largely under that department in th,
 future.
 PROHIBITIONISTS QUANDARY.'