The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-16
THE PORTO RICAN DEBATE
The Appropriation Bill Under Dis
eussion in he Senate.
a Proposition to Return 10 the
IsIand Revenues Collected for an
an Amendment which Results in "A
Lengthy ArguEient-Other Antters.

A long discussion relative TO Porto Ric,
was precipitated in the seuste sestevda.
by a request Of Mr.. Allison for immo-
diste consideration Of the bill agproprlating
for the benefit of the island the reyenns:
collected on importatiGns therefrom. The
Dil was read together with the amend
ments reported from the Committee On Ap-
propriatioHs which strike out the clause
appropriating revenues collected ait
January /, 1900. "and all revenues which
may hereafter be collected" and specify
the uses to which the money appropriated
by the bill shall be put
Mr.. Allison said that these amendments
had been carefully considered by the CON-
mittee. and had been proposed Tor the pur-
pose OF making the bill specifically an ap-
preparation measure.
Mr. Jones OF Arkansas objected to Tic
bill, and after short discussion with Mr
Aldrich proposed the following as a sub
stitute for it:
That all duties collected to this date
upon articles imported into the United
States from Porto Rico since the l1th day
of April. 1899, the date of the exchange ci
ratifcations OF the Treaty of Peace be-
tween Spain and the United States be re-
turned to the persons from whom they
we're collected. and from and after the pa
sage of this act no duties shall BE- collected
ON articles coming from Porto Rio.
UnIawfuIiy Collected Revenues.
Mr. Jones said that he could not vote for
bill providing that these unlawfully col
xhaE ha ,-atr Cd moi n
tht people who paid them, but TO the whole
island. Il should. however, be pleased, -
he continued, ito vote for the clause which
was stricken out of the House bill and
which provides that no more duties shai.
hereafter be collected on imports from
Porto Rico.
NO doubt" said Mr.. Allison, the Sena-
tor would be glad to do that, but l trust
he will not raise that question, which Is the
very one that has been debated here from
day TO day, in connection with the general
subject OF Porto Rico. The objsct ot the
appropriation was 10 avoid any question IS
respects matters which are continually
suo'octs of debate. We all agreed that it
rgould be unwise to involve these Questions
in the consideration Of this bill"
Il do not believe there is any law for
the collection of revenue on imPortations
coming from Porto Rico" said Mr.. Jones,
and so | believe it is the duty of Congress
TO return what has already been collected.
It should be returned to the men who paid
it. When we collect these duties from Ger
tain individuals and then pay them back to
the Government OF Porto Rico We are guilty
of double injustice. This ought no: to
be done.
Il do not know how the matter should
he remedied, but it seems to me that this
bill should provide for the return of the
duties 10 the men who paid them. and
should also provide that there shall be no
more duties collected on importations from
Porto Rico. | offer au amendment to that
effect as substitute for the pending bill a"
This bill in no sense deals with the
complicated questions suggested by the
Senator from Arkansas" said Mr.. Allison
He gives il as his opinion that these duties
ought not to have been collected. / think
the opinion of the law officers of the Gov
eminent and of the best lawyers in the
country is that, under existing law. these
duties may be collected until Congress pro-
Yides otherwise. II is known that the sit
uation in Porto Rico is Eow such that that
people require en- appropriation in order to
carry on their governmental affairs. / do
not wish to make point of order on the
Senator's amendment-that it is new legis-
lation and has no place on an appropriation
bill"
1t viii not be on an appropriation bill
if my amendment prevails, to strike out ali
after the enacting clause and substitute
what | have suggested" replied Mr.. Jones.
Mr.. Lindsay suggested that one part OF
the proposed amendment would amount TO
a donation 10 the people who paid the du-
ties. and he thought that that question
ought 10 be left to be determined by the
courts.
4 Picn for the Amendment.
Mr.. Spooner said he hoped that no Sena-
tor would feel bound to propose an amend
ment % the bill. which would raise ques-
ti0n concerning which there was a differ
ence Of opinion in the Senate. He hoped
shat on reflection the Senator from Arkan-
sas would not press his amendment. The
bill. he added, was really one of mercy, Of
generosity. CT humanity. It might be said
that IL was without precedent. but the sit
uation was unprecedented. General Davis
had reported that the condition of Porto
Rico was inexpressibly distressing After
coming out from under the tyranny of
Spain. the island had been devastated by
the forces of nature.
General Davis was using and had the
power TO use tas military commander
there) funds to relieve the people from
starvation. The proposed appropriation
was to be used for the government now ex-
tstiug or that may hereafter be established
in Porto Rico, and for public education
public works. and other governmental and
public purposes therein. And the diversion
of that money for the benefit OF those who
had paid II. he declared. was not purpose
that ought TO commend itself TO the popu-
lar judgment or to the judgment OF the
Senate.
Continuing. Mr. Spooner said that of the
50 095. .000 that had been collected on i'm
portations from Porto Rico. some 81 500. 900
had been collected from the duties On
sugar, contributed by very few men and
some sis0,000 from tobacco. why" Mr.
Spooner asked, should a decision by the
courts of the suits for a return of that
money be anticipated2" He thought that
the duties were properly collected and
could not be recovered by those who paid
them.
Mr.. Turley-Why not wait till that ques-
zion is decided?
Mr. Spooner-And let the people OF Porto
Riro starve until these suits have gone
through the various courts? Is that
proposition which eommends itself to the
Senate?
Mr.. Cockrell argued that the duties had
been paid, not by the importers. but by the
consumers and asked hoY the money could
be paid back to the consumers. The Presi-
dent. he said. had recommended that there
should be no duties levied on goods from
Porto Rico. The Secretary of War had
recommended the same thing. and so had
General Davis. But the bill passed By the
House was maheshift manner OF eyad-
ing the question. His Republican friends
had found themselves in d dilemma, and