The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-16
Not an Orphan.

The controversy over what Is called
foolishly the "free trade" policy Of the
administration with reference to Porto
Rico originates with small but noisy
band of gentlemen interested In the
production or marketing of sugar and
tobacco. They object to the admission
of those commodities free OF duty from
our new island possession, and have
been calling names vigorously and de-
picting in startling colors the ruin that
is to fall upon the beet sugar raisers and
the tobacco growers Of the United States
II the Porto Rico products come in free.
No doubt the larger market thus as
sured will interfere to some extent with
the profits of those industries, but the
relative size Of the countries caricatures
their extreme fears. Little Porto Rico
is a rich country in soil and adaptability
for the growing of cane and tobacco:
but II we hold our own against the
rest of the world, and II reciprocity with
Hawaii has been coincident with the
development of the beet sugar industry
here, the disasters predicted show as
phantoms OF the imagination. The adj
dition of Porto Rico to our sources of
free supply for the home market will
not derange anything except the minds
of those who see in 1t curtailment Of
profits.
Even II the consequences Of placing
Porto Rico industry on an equality with
our own were more injurious than there
is any reason to suppose, 1t would be
our duty to endure them, and to make
what reparation we might to our own
people in some other way For We are
charged with a duty to the inhabitants
Of that island which 1t would be mon
strous to disregard BY our treaty with
Spain, Porto Rico ceased to be a part OF
the territory of that country. She for
feited such privileges as the former
connection carried with it. Reciprocity
arrangements with Spain and her COLI
onies are no longer applicable. Porto
Rico has no government of her own,
and cannot protect herself. The fact
J is that industry and commerce there are
in a Iamentable condition for this very
reason. Thus far the Punishment >of
Spain from the Western hemisphere has
brought good to others, but only stag
nation and temporary ruin to the Porto
Ricans.
We cannot leave this island a politi-
cal and commercial orphan. It would
be at once ruinous and disgraceful.
Porto Rico belongs somewhere. 1t is
| not an independent sovereignty. 1t is
not colony Of Spain. 1t is not
possession of any other power. Treaty
provisions and the logic of facts make
it United States territory. 1t must have.
then, the commercial rights and priv
iieges of its territorial connection.
There is absolutely no choice about the
az we do cur own in the establishment
of commercial relations. To call this
free trade" in any sense is balderdash:
| almost as silly as to denounce ''free
trade" between Washington and Ore
gon, because Federal customs are not
collected on all traffic across the bound
airy line President Mckinley is wholly
right in his recommendations. and on
no ground Of reason. justice or human
ity can congress fail to ratify them.
The Baltimore American approves the
creation of a military department of
Alaska. but it really doesn't know why.
II says:
Zone would naturally suppose that the
| large immigration into the Klondike re-
| gions during the past two or three years.
| composed almost entirely of whites. and
| large proportion of them educated.
would have so improved the conditions as
to justify an extension of civil forms
| Of government, rather than . recourse to