The times., 1899-04-17
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

Our Colonial POlicy.-That the Ad-
ministration is confronted with number
CT intricate and delicate problems in con-
nection with our recently acquired colon
les is apparent to everybody who has given
any attention to the matter. The question
that is agitating Administration circles at
the present juncture is whether articles
frcm Porto Rico shall be admitted into
this country free of duty-the same as
from one State to another from Maine to
California. 1t was pointed out yesterday
by Cabinet officer that Porto Rico was
| now practically part of the territory OF
the United States, and that in his Judgment
there was no authority in the Constitution
to impose, a. tariff on goods or merchan-
disc sent from one portion of the United
States to another. We have no more
right. in my judgment" he said, Ito i'm
| pose tariff barrier to the products OF
Porto Rico that may be shipped to this
country than to say that Alabama, for in
stance. must not ship any of her products
| outside OF the State except upon the pay
ment of a special tax. One contention is
Just as tenable as the other 1t seems to
me. The Government has no right to dis
criminate against any particular territory
that is under the jurisdiction of the United
States
Il ain aware of the fact that the estab-
iishment of free trade between the United
States and the Island of Porto Rico may
lnjure the sugar planters of Louisiana, the
Grange growers of Florida and California
the tobacco producers and few others en-
gagged in special lines of industry in this
country. but that cannot be helped We
are one immense family. and we must
stand together. The doctrine of the sur
vivai of the fittest must be applied to the
present situation and conditions. There
should be absolutely free intercourse be-
tween all the States. territories, and pos
sessions of the United States, both. COM
mercially and otherwise
What does the Administration purpose
doing in the matter? Throw down the
Porto Rican tariff barrier right away?"
The President has been giving the sub
1ect great deal OF study. For the pres
ent presume that the Government will go
ahead and continue to collect duties on
goods from Porto Rico. Congress, after
all, will have the final settlement of the
matter: and 1t may be found expedient to
call an extra session of Congress in the
not distant future. It is a serious ques-
ton. in my mind. II the residents of Porto
RICO viii not be entitled to recover the
tarlff money that they pay on goods ship
ped to the States, particularly since the
fnal official proclamation of the ratification
OF the Treaty of Peace with SPAIN
Ihe establishing of free trade relations
with Porto Rico will hasten the develop
ment of that island wonderfully and incl
dentaily it will help to bring about the an
nexation of Cuba to the United States. as
II VIII give the Cuhans a practical Demon
tration of the advantages resulting from
coming under American control. American
capital, American energy. and American
men will rush 10 Porto Rico the moment
RICO Is IA very rich country The soil is
! strong, and sugar. coffee, tea. tobacco and
oranges and in fact everything that can
be raised in tropical land can be grown
there TO advantage.
The tariff for the Philippines is quite
another story. as Mr.. Kipling would say.
The future disposition of the Philippines
will be determined by Congress assisted
by public sentiment. | presume that we
shall hold them, but under what system
of government 1t is impossible to say at
this time. Our information concerning
the Philippines up to date is extremely
limited and naturally no steps Will be
taken to equip the Filipnos until the
present insurrection is put down and our
sovereignty has been recognized IL the
trouble in the Philippines can be brought
to an end within the next sixty days |
believe that the President would then call
for an extra session of Congress forth
with"
HOtc1s In Cuba and Porto Rico
THE one thing needed in Cuba and Porto
Rico. said, gentleman yesterday who
accompanied Secretary Alger on his recent
trip to the West Indies, more than per-
haps anything else is better hotel accom-
modations. There is not even what could
be called a good third class hotel. accord
ing to the american standard, on either
island. Thousands of American tourists
and men seeking investments will be GO
ing TO Cuba and Porto Rico by another
winter, and they will have to put up with
all manner OF discomforts unless some en-
terprising hotel men from this country
go down there and establish a few good
hotels. The best hotel that Havana has
today is something awful, and the public
houses in Porto Rico are no better 1t
seems to me that a large fortune awaits
the man or set OF men who will inaugurate
a series of first class hotels at the princi-
pal points in Cuba and Porto Rico. OF
course, they are bound to come in time
but the hotel men who go to the rescue
now viii reap the biggest share of the
profits. as they will place every American
who visits Cuba or Porto Rico under ever
lasting obligations to them. They will
continue TO bestow their patronage on them
ioi iEe bdidiCt VI their lives Just from
sheer gratitude alone"
Uncle Sam and spain.-''The reetora-
tion of friendly diplomatic relations with
SPAIN said a representative of the State
Department yesterday will still leave a
great deal of work to be done before the
TWO countries will be on the same fco ing
commercially and otherwise that they
were before war was declared. The dec
laration of war abrogated all treaties that
were in existence at the time, but the
restoration of peace does not revive the
treaties; they must all be negotiated anew
and ratified by the respective Governments
10 be effective We had been trying for
several years TO arrange commercial
reciprocity treaty with Spain, when the
negotiations were, of course, broken off by
the opening of boStilities. The chances
are now that we will be able to arrange
reciprocity treaty with Spain that will
be mutually advantageous. 1t will be fully
year, however before any new treaties
with Spain that may be thought desirable
can be negotiated and formally ratified.
The next Minister or Ambassador to Ma
drid, Mr.. Bellamy StoTer, will have an op-
I ~