, 1900-04-26

THAT PORTO RICAN MEASURE
A Very Interesting Letter From Sena-
tor Warren on that Important
Matter.

TOR Warren on that important
Matter.
Below we give the contents of a
private letter from Senator Warren
on the Porto RicHn measure that
our friends the enemy are so in
dustriously disappearing just
now. The letter, though a private
one, is of such Importance in re-
gard to that matter that we ven
ture to publish it.
"WAsHINGToN, D. c., April, IA.
"My Dear Crawford:-Many
thanks for your kind letter of the
18th inst, just received.
Il have taken it for granted that
our good people from Wyoming
would stand by us IN doing what
we thought was for the best in the
island of Porto Rico. The bill is
now passed, though it had a pretty
close shave in the House.
"Originally l was for absolute
free trade between Porto Rico and
the United States, but upon hear
ing all the arguments on both
sides and upon a further study of
the situation, l discovered that we
were leaving Porto Rico naked
and with no tools to work with if
we Immediately brought all their
revenues toa stand still. Their laws
are such now that they have no
snch laws as to machinery or way
of collecting a property tax on
real estate as we do, and therefore
to start the wheels of their govern
ment without money, and with no
way provided for the successful
collection of taxes, would simply
be confusion worse confounded.'
"Of course the fifteen per cent
now contained in the bill is not
fifteen per cent ad valorem as some
people represent it, but simply
fifteen per cent of the Dingley
Tariff, what ever that is. All of
our bread stuffs, medicine, farm
machinery, and all necessities for
the poor, go into Porto Rico free.
Then We take the money we col
lect there on the remainder, and
all the money we collect here on
Porto Rican goods under the if
teen per cent of the Tariff. and
send the proceeds to Porto Rico
to pay the expenses of her govern
ment.
"This arrangement ends in 1902
and we have absolutely free trade
between Porto and the United
States unless new legislation is
had in the meantime. On the
other hand, when the Porto Rican
Legislature is organized, and meets
and acts on the question, if they,
declare for the immediate free
trade between the two countries or
an earlier termination of the ar
rangement than the date indicated
above, then the President has the
power to make the change by pro-
clamation.
l dare say you are fully cogniz
ant with these facts, but there is
much misunderstanding about the
bill even right here in Washington,
and among newspaper men too,
that l have taken the liberty of en-
tering somewhat into an explana-
ton of the terms of the bill.
Il do not hesitate to say that
the measure is too liberal if
anything on the side toward free
trade, and l know that a thorough
understanding of it will convince
any deliberate person that we did
what was forthe best under all cir
J cumstances.
+ "The watch-word for this fall
should be Business Prosperity
such as Mckinley has brought us,
and will be continued if we re-
elect him, and Prosperity should
be the war cry in Wyoming as to
local affairs as well, for it's as nee
essary for Wyoming to have Re.
publican state officials and legisla-
ture, as it is for the nation to have
a Republican president.
Sincerely yours,
) "F. h. WARREN"
, Shot Him nv Mistake