The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-05
ROOTS PORTO RICAN RECOMMEN-
DATION.

The recommendation Of Secretary Root,
that the products of Porto r co be admit
cd 10 or marx Is fee Of duty, meets
with viol opposition from some OF me
Republican leaders. Tney are not willing
that a breach shall be made anywhere in
the high tariff barriers, under whose pro
lection trusts are formed and the people
robbed.
But have they a substitute TO propose
for Mr.. Roots recommendation? If they
have they have not made it known IL
is true we m ght cont nue. Mill airy rule
In Porto Rico. but that would be SO man
ifestiy unjust that there would be s-orm
OF protests The Porto Ricans are peace
able and ready TO adjust themselves 10
their new condition. Th,ir island IS
part Of our tsrritory, and hey have a
right to ask to be placed on a foo ing with
the people of our other territor IS.
If Fo-io Rico is a part Of our territory.
and. there is no doub, at il i, tn re is
no legal way in VIII ch the products o. that
island can be burlened with our tarin
duties when seeking an entrance into our
markets The Porto Ricans have just as
tic markets Us he citizens of any one
Of The states of the Union.
The Republican leaders understand this
very well, hut they nave hecn hoping ali
along that this tariff question would no,
be forced on he country at this time.
They no doubt thought that it would be
permitted to remain in an unsettled condi-
ton, and that probably something would
turn up by which it couEd be adjusted to
The satisfaction of those who are the CHEF
benenciar!es of the high protective du-
ties.
There is no doubt that some sort of gov
eminent, a erri orial form of government
probably, will be provided for Hawaii
at the present session of Congress, but
there would be no consistency in giving
Hawaii a territorial form of government
and permitting IFS products 10 come into
our markets, and denying a Ike privi-
lege to Porto Rico.
In fact, Mr.. Root recommends that
Porto Rico be given a territorial form OF
government at once, and that, to as great
an extent as advisable, Porto Ricans be
put into The offices. The recommended
ton is undoubtedly a good one. 1t is the
only thing that can be done If we wish
TO convince the Porto Ricans that they
have lost nothing by becoming a part
of the United States. If we should keep
the island under military rule. and con-
tinue to exact customs duties on her pro-
ducts coming into our markets, they
would have good reasons for thinking they
had gained nothing by living under our
flag.
Mr.. Root recommends that there be
a modificat ton in our duties so far
as the products of Cuba are concerned
that Il, while we are holding that island
in trust for it's people. The recommen-
dalton is a wise one if ii is our purpose
to try and convince the Cubans that II
is to their interest to be annexed to this
country. If we do not want the island
and ID is not our policy to try to influ-
ence the Cubans to seek annexation, there
is no good reason why we should make
them a present of a part of the revenue
which we now collect from its products
coming 10 our markets If we make our
markets free to Porto Rico, the Cubans
will not be dong in seeing that if their
island is TO prosper it must become part
of this country.