The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-03

Of Is per cent if imposed. would not raise
this price: it would be paid by these deal
ers.
Under this bill this tariff lasts only
two years and may be ended by the Porto
Rican Legislature any time 1t is tenta-
tive measure; Ii is wholly for the benefit
of the people of Porto Rico; its proceeds
are used for no other purpose than to i'm
prove their conditions and enlarge their
opportunities.
This bill is the peoples law. 1t re-
stricts. as far as can be ;ione. the power
of trusts or combinations or concentration
OF industries. II puts upon the free list
these products going from the United
States into Porto Rico-the food products
from the American fsrmer-so that the
American farmer has this market free as
against the agriculture Of other countries.
whose imports must pay Dingley tariff
rates Ii gives TO the Porto Ricans the
fullest opportunity for cheap food. In n
word. every product OF the farm Or factory
in the United States which will help Porto
Rico. enable her to rise triumphant from
her ruins. and give remuneratiye use for
capital and employment and wages to her
people are on the free list. The luSuries
consumed by the prosperous are as they
ought to be taxed for the support of the
Government"
In conclusion. Mr. Depew said:
Porto Rico. Hawaii, Guam. Tutuila. and
the Philippines are to be held and govern
ed by the United States with an impera-
tive duty on our part to their inhabitants
for their civilization. the announcement
of enterprises which will utilize their re-
sources and for their constantly increasing
participation in their local and general
governments. and also for their and our
commercial progress and growth. l do not
believe that We will incorporate the alien
races and civilized, semi-civiiized. barbar-
Gus, and savage peoples of these islands
into our body polite as States of our
Union.
'order. law. justice and liberty will
stimulate and develop our new posses
sions Their inhabitants will grow with
responsibilities of governing themselves,
constantly increasing with their intelli-
gence into conditions of prosperity and
happiness beyond their widest dreams of
the results of that self government they
now so vaguely understand, while the
United States, in the increasing demand
for the surplus of our farms and factories
in Porto Rico. Hawaii ana the Philippines
and in the tremendous advantages Of posi-
tion from Manila for reaching the iimitless
markets of the Orient can view without
apprehension and with hopeful pride the
inevitable expansion of our population and
productions
Views of Nr. Vest.
At the close of the morning routine Mr..
Vest. rising to a question of personal priyi
leee. said that during his absence last
week, on account of illness. he had been
noted in the Record" as absent and not
paired on the vote to strike out the tariff
provision of the Porto Rican bill. He eX-
planned that he had general pair and
that he thought it must be known that he
would have voted against the tariff clause
if he had been present, and said that he
desired 10 make a brief statement of his
views on that subject.
He took the position that the Constitu-
lion follows the flag and in support of it
referred TO a notable case which he said
had been overlooked in previous argu-
ments sailor named Ross had shipped
on an American merchantman bound from
New York to Nagasaki. At the latter port
he had murdered a fellowseamah on the
vessels deck and was convicted and sem
fenced to death by a consular court. His
sentence was commuted TO imprisonment
for life in the Albany N. " penitentiary.
He SIZED out a writ of habeas corpus. the
ground being that he had not been given
trial by jury. as ensured by the Constitu-
lion. The Supreme Court decided that he
had had fair trial and must remain in
prison and that in order to avail himself
of the right to a trial by jury the vessel
must have been within the territorial lin
its OF the United States.
Mr. Vest challenged any Senator TO ex-
pain how the Supreme Court could come
10 that conclusion and state emphatically
that within the territorial limits Of the
United States the Constitution applies
without act of Congress or treaty stipula-
tions and yet agree that different tariff
can be imposed on the people of Porto Rico
from that imposed on the people Of Mis-
souri,
Mr.. Bate Opposes the Bill.
Mr. Bate was the next speaker, and in
the course of his argument in opposition to
the pending bill. he entered into a general
discussion OF the question of expansion. He
denounced the acquisition OF Spanish terri
.ory under the Treaty OF Paris, and said
ne was proud to state that he was one of
those who had voted against its ratifca-
ion. He believed that If that treaty had
aot been ratified great loss of life and
great expenditure of public money would
nave been avoided.
Concerning the powers Of Congress in re
The omnipotence of Congress over the
civil rights and political status of ten mil
ions of peoples is grated on a treaty. and
the treaty is now alleged TO supersede even
the Constitution. and TO have become the
supreme la@ of the land. Against a claim
80 monstrous and shocking TO every sense
nf constitutional law the people of the
States in the Union will enter their solemn
and efficient protest. They viii never as
sent 20 the new Republican dogma that
the executive. through his diplomatic
agents. can negotiate a treaty which shall
be paramount TO the Constitutions and that
the State Department through and by
means OF the hocus-pocus of diplomacy,
can convert this Republic Of republics into
an Imperialism more despotic than the alb
solu-ism of Parliament
He declared that he is opposed to the
retention o: the islands acquired from
Spain any longer than is necessary TO re-
establish order and security but that so
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