The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10
Tho Tariff and Porto Rico.

Inc Iar1u ana FOrUO ttlCOs
The foremost symbol Of national sxpan-
sion now before the eyee OF Congress. for
action according to the requirements Of
the situation, Ia the island Of Porto Rico.
1t IL ours as fully az New York, Ohio or
California 1t Is inalienable to the extent
that no United States Government will
venture upon Its alienation.
The opinion that the time has como to
bring this American island within our taritf.
put forth by THE SuN two weeks ago today,
was urged upon Congress by the President
in his recent message. and was recon-
mended by the Secretary Of War. the Hon.
ELIHU Roof. who also speaks with an
authority not bounded by his oflcial place.
To many this proposition has appeared as
the first blow against protection. Porto
Rlcos products promising to compete with
their like within the old borders OF the
United States. Doubtless many champions
OF expansion now protest against letting
Port D Rico through the tariff door; but pro-
tests are useless, since In the island must
come. 1t IL proper to describe. however.
the limit Of the effect Of its admission and
to call attention TO the fact that the pro-
tective system merely follows our boundar-
les Instead Of being broken. It will b
enlarged.
The absorption Of Porto Rico within our
economic system whether We like II or not
10 inevitable. We cannot take 9 people
from Spain, destroy all the markets they
had, and then choke them to death by re-
fusing them entrance to our own markets.
Nor is it necessary to argue the point
that In the long run tho possession
Of Porto Rico and the free access OF
her products to the United States
will add to the wealth OF this
country and will DO on that account for
the benefit Of the great mass OF our
people. Practically the production OF
Porto Rico is so small that the change
In her relations TO us will not be
felt In the great volume Of our imports and
OF our business. Such opposition a. there
Is or will he to Porto Rico Gomez from tho
fact that Cuba Is close behind. and Of course
the ultimate absorption Of Cuba will neces-
state arrangement OF our sugar Inter
ests. and will practically wip" out the r-ve-
nue. from sugar. That this. too, will DO
OF great value to the people Of tho United
States and add greatly to the wealth OF
the country there can be no doubt, but
there Is no need to discuss Cuba now.
The only practical question concerns
Porto Rico.
The principal products Of the island arc
sugar. tobacco and coffee, In the order
named. Coffee comes into the country free
In any event. 30 In that respect there will DO
no Indifference The sugar production OF Porto
Rico is from $4,000 to 90. 900 TONS II the
island Is admitted through our tariff, sugar
production would probably be increased In
the course OF ten years to perhaps $50. 900
70 100000 tons. Our annual consum pton
OF sugar Is 2, 100. 900 tons. so that the Porto
Rcan contribution would be but drop In
the bucket, and at It's highest point would
not exceed the annual increase In our own
consumption.
AS to tobacco We may expect opposition
from the growers OF leaf tobacco In some
OF our Northwestern States. but with little
reason. The total amount Of lea tobacco
exported from Porto Rico to Spain In the
best year was worth $500. 900. Possibly as
much more went to Cuba and passed In that
way into the United States. II Ia a trivial
amount. The quantity imported into the
United States. for We should not at the out
side get moro than half the crop. would be
30 small that 1t would not be noticed. It
would not affect the ciRarmakers In the
least, because II is a matter OF indiffer-
ence to them what tobacco they usr to make
their cigars. As matter Of fact the cigar
makers opposed the high duties placed
on leaf tobacco when the tariff bill WAS
passed, feeling that their interest was to
have leaf tobacco come In as nearly free ss
possible. There ls no danger to them from
manufactured Porto Rlcan cigars which
have no market in this country, and proba-
bly, never will have.
The opposition from the tobacco growers
Is equally unfounded. In the first place. II
we are correctly informed, Porto Rlcan to-
bacco Ia not suited for wrappers, but only
for filling. and our Northern tobacco grow
ers raise wrapper tobacco. When the to-
oacco growers were urging the highest
possible duty to protect them against the
sumatra wrapper. the Porto Rican tobacco
was never mentioned. The tobacco people
must also not overlook the fact that Porto
hican cigars and cigarettes paying as
they would have to pay. the excise, would
be on the level OF their own productions
and would not threaten dangerous COM
petition.
Inc moment we admit the island within
our taria 1t viii become prosperous and an