The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-02-09
Majority Favors Change From United
States Rates.
Minority for a Uniform
Rate.
Mr.. Mccall Practically Holds
With Democrats.


Washington, February s.-Ths reports
on the bill framed by the ways and means
COMMITTEES imposing duties equivalent to
twenty-nv per cent Of the American
tariff on goods imported into Porto Rico
from the United States and Woe vera
were submitted to the House today.
The Republicans Of the committee az
oept Mr.. Mccall of Massachusetts, agreed
to report In support Of the bill, dsvoting
. considerable portion Of their argument
10 sustaining the oonteution that the
clause OF the constitution declaring that
''all duties, imports and exoisss shall be
uniform throughout the United statss"
IL not applicable to our new POSSESSIONS
which, they say, are not United States
territory within the meaning Of that
deolara ton.
The Democrats together with Mr.. New
lands, Silver. Nevada, took the contrary
view.
Mr.. Mccall. the dissenting Republican.
practically holds With them. He made |.
separate report. saying he cannot support
the bill because 10 does NOS follow the rule
OF uniformity prescribed BY the oonstitu-
ton,
The ma jority report says that the
twenty 1--we per osnt duty IL necessary to
prevent United Ssetss manufacturers OF
spirits and cigars from being at o disad.
vantage. The report declares that the
revenue laws to be applied TO Porto Rioo
are absolutely within the power OF Con-
gress to determine.
Discussing the question. "Is Porto Rico
included within the meaning Of the term
United States in the constitution the
report says:
hThat it IL not 90 included would seem
apparent from variety Of considerations.
Ii must be recollected that the term
United States has more than one mean :
ing. 1t means In the first place the several
states respectively that CONSTITUTES the fed
geographical sense. all the tsrrit ory over
which the United States has jurisdiction.
lust as the British empire means all the
eomponent parts Of ths Kingdom OF Great
Britain. But it means In It's political
sense, corporation which IL the result Of
United states a nation. It 10 undoubted-
iy in this latter sense that 1t 10 used In
the constitution"
Concerning the acquisition Of territory
the report states:
"Subsequent to the acquisition Of
Louisiana, the United States has acquired
territory In number Of instances by viz
-. oh.srva6 thst an aacS ana Ali of these
800 ~. doctrines snnonnosd in aooord :
anoe with the acquisition and govern
ment CT Louisiana, have been reaffirned.
In the case Of territory acquired with NO
,.s nnwsr ;s sbso,nts and exoiusivs. an,
ant tm 40 Ia A. ~ is linitsd Nv the
thtr...rth smsndment to The oonstitution
.ht.h n,ohihits the sy,stsnns af siavarv
in any place over which the United
~, n,,in, nanx ...ss In .unport of
its oontenfion. NE renors oonoludest
NThst mon reason and authoritv the
..M uPoS anu n.s SI -, .hs ,o ono
s,t.n.,on hss rsSsrsnca ,niv In the statas
thse con.t;sn.s tha fsdsrai milan. and
S'rSat ~. no-s, 81 Congrss. v,th "a.
.rsot - isg;sis Ion for IN" fsrritoriss ia
ngsn Nan ' ~
PSMyh.t nndsr that pover Conrrssa
NAV n,asor,hs SifYsrent ratss M duty for
pos,.i a., ram tnos. n,ssor,hsd To- ths
Mated Statas -
mhs ,stn"r,tx ,s,o,t q. .,snad hv all IN.
,ns.rS no,,, ,oatss. and bv "Reminiscences
Me%Isnc. az s,ivs. msmhar Of th.t
a"rr.sI,sas ~ .avs IN n.,t,
Tha undars,srsS smamhsrs of thu oom
;t,s. nn.sis ~ sg,ss nth ths cor.
ninS,"n. % ,hs oom w,ttss IN r.snscs To
n hill ranNrtad tn raR lAf4 the trade OF
po,.o R,co ana far other purpoaes and no.
.nsrtSnIiv snhmis onr visxs ~ foiioWs,
spTsa Mn 49, to ouastions whieb
ns, =. .ors,Ssrsa ana datarminaS
IT, rSnhs ~ co~sr wrder onr wit.
.n.s.,,ns,or - eract the r,sasnrs
s'n wsassts ~ %..a,Sa nn~sr shc,,a
cea,.. .wa.n,sa - a. ths wsnrar nro.
s,ans ~. LII ~ =" VIZ f
vi91u IN M elii. .,a IA. and
:. ans pala ~ l.."s T upSn 'n 49, nnon
ssunP s,on sncs - n.so ~ NJ. ~
tne eove,nmna' =, =, ~ co,s.atn-
strnineo W sne pro''s'"ns VI '"' 0""''''"'
ZION. .. .. ..k. nm A.. oor..,.r.
Ia Ine fepo.t snsn sas IN t w sne - .,,
tionai provislon thas al auue,s e'o;, I'M,
Dc unnofm snrouSpoes sno ~,
Statss ana Rrvasn's ens -" asosou .s
the tefm Cniesa ssas ms uni's's"'
apPtioeton !" .e.tivy I ias .x,.r.
The branch o. the snD1scy nas pre'ip p,s