Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-03-09
DOCTRINE OF CALHOUN
Again to the Front, Says the
Administration.
POWER OF THE CONSTITUTION.
Republican Party Fighting Principle In
Porto Ricon Tariff Questionable Gives
Islanders Some Relief, as Would Free
WASHINGTON, March "a member Of

Trade-President and Congress Agreed.
WASHINGTON, March "a member Of
the cabinet gave cut an authoritative
statement, which said in part:
The president in his annual message Of De
cernber, urged that the customs duties on trade
between Porto Rico and the United States be
removed.
What the president proposed was that the
United States should offer the largest and most
generous measure of help to the distressed and
suffering island, and he has never Ssavered
single instant in the object he sought But
when the time came for action in congress two
| tendencies were seen. On the one ~ I'd there
| were good men and some business arG igricuIt
ural interests that while not Directing or little
| objecting to free trade with Porto Rico alone
| feared that free trade with Porto Rico would
be made precedent for free trade with the
Philippines. They felt that there should be
distinct association and express power to i'm
pose duties, however small as an assurance
that this power was reserved for other cases.
On the other hand, what the president pro
posed as q worthy act of national generosity
| and liberal policy, was seized by political oppo
nents and claimed as a necessary and newt
able measure of inherent constitutional right
They insisted that the constitution by its own
force extends to Porto Rico and all the new
island possessions and spreads all its provisions
over them, including uniform taxation. They
were eager to commit a Republican congress
to the adoption Of free trade with Porto Rico
not as measure Of generous expediency but
because they could then claim that il had
r1veted hard and fast principle which would
tie the hands Of the government everywhere
IN the Philippines as well rs in Porto Rico
without regard to varying conditions, and
which would expose the administration and its
party to all the criticisms and attacks that
would be made on such position.
1t was % cunning game, but it did not sac
coed, The apprehension of the honest objec
tors, who feared that the concession of full free
trade to Porto Rico would lead to misconstruc.
ton, and the designs of the crafty partisans
who meant that it should, were both met and
frustrated by the bill which passed the house
and which levies Is per cent, or less than one
sixth of the Dingley rates. That low rate in.
wolves no possible hardship. 1t has the adj
vantage OF producing needed revenue which
until civil government and law are fully organ
lied i'll Porto Rico, cannot be raised as well
from any other source.
There was another point which was not gen
orally understood The bill provides that the
whole amount of duties goods coming from
Porto Rico should be paid back to Porto Rico
for the benefit of the island. Thus it fully har.
monies with the object at which the president
aimed, of relieving the trade of Porto Rico from
burdensome restrictions and Of extending the
largest degree of help; and when it was
crowned by the presidents special message
promptly carried out by the house, providing
not only that the duties hereafter collected, but
that those heretofore collected, to the amount
of S2,000,O0O should be appropriated, to be ex.
pended wholly i'll Porto Rico for her develop.
ment and Improvement absolutely, no ground
was left for any pretense that the policy of the
president ana congress was in the slightest de
gree harsh and oppressive.
Nobody can understandingly object to the IL
per cent duty, all paid back to Porto Rico on
the ground that it is unfair and hard towards
Porto Rico He can understandingly object
only on the claim that there is no power to lew
any duty at all, and such claim would leave
the president and congress powerless and
helpless in the Philippines, as we'll as in Porto
Rico
Congress was aiming at the same result as
the president, and the president rightfully ae.
cepts the act of congress. The representation
that either was not i'll accord with the other
disregards every essential element in the case.
The country is starting out on new depart.
ure and on a new experiment, and it is of the
highest Importance, for our own safety as well
as for the welfare of the new peoples who have
come under the flag, that we should leave our.
selves free to deal with each case as its own
merits demand. The claim which insists that
free trade goes by legal right to Porto Rico
would bind us hand and foot
The partisans who have sought to put the
president and congress in hole, have perhaps
unconscentiously, dug a pit for themselves
They will find that they have taken a position
which would estop them from carrying out the
policy they have proposed for the disposition
of the Philippines.
1t is enough for the present to say that our
contention that the constitution does not by its
own force extend over the new possessions
without legislative act is in harmony with the
general tenor OF judicial decision and leeisla.
tive action from the acquisition of Louisiana
down to this time.
The Republican party had its birth in an
issue very like that which is now presented
The Calhoun doctrine was that the constitu.
ton by its own force carried slavery into the
territories of the United States. The RepubE-
can party sprang into being from the uprising
of the public conscience against that doctrine.
One of che reasons of the Chicago platform Of
1860, on which Abraham Lincoln was elected
president was in these words: *'That the
dogma that the constitution of its own force
carried slavery into any all of the territories
of the United states Is a dangerous political
heresy, at variance with the explicit provisions
of that instrument itself, with contemporaries
Gus exposition and with legislative and judicial
precedent. Is revolutionary in its tendency
and subversive of the peace and harmony OF the
country"
The political heir of those who put forward
the dogma that the constitution of its own
force carried slavery into the United States
now MAINTAIN the dogma tnat the constitution
of it's own force carries free trade even into
the new island territory of the United States
without any legislative action 1t is an inter
esting circumstance that in this new epoch of
our history the Republican party is again bat
Ting for a principle kindred to that which
gave 1t birth.
DYNAMlTlNG OF CONCENTRATION.
Sovereign Reiterated the Story Under
Cross Examination.