Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-04-24
PORTO RICAN BILL.
Triumph Of Protectionists over
Free Trade Party.
THEY WORKED HARD TO DEFEAT IT
Democrats Wished to Wake the Cam.
paign Material by Creating Free
Trade Precedent-GreatF ut.
nre for the Island.

II,
Washington, d. c., April 1s.-(Spe-
cial Correspondence 1.-The Porto Ri
can tariff bill is a law, despite every
obstacle that the free trade democra-
cy could throw in its way. Could they
have compelled the enactment of a
measure establishing immediate and
absolute free trade with Porto Rico
they would have had opportunity to
assert that the precedent thus estab-
lished must be applied to the Phil
ippines, to Hawaii, and to any other
non-contiguous territory which might
subsequently come into similar rela-
tions with the United States, and that
by the act OF the republican party the
cheap labor of the Orient and the
tropics was thus to be brought into
direct competition with the working
1 men and agriculturists of the United
States. That was the political oppor-
tunity for which the democrats were
fighting, but they failed to accomplish
it.
The bill as it stands proposes to
temporarily collect on goods passing
from Porto Rico into the United States
and from the United States into Porto
Rico Is per cent of the regular Ding
ley tariff and to pay into the empty
treasury of the island every dollar so
collected. this plan TO continue only
until the legislature of Porto Rico
shall have provided local taxation suf-
fcient to meet the necessities of the
island and in no event to continue be-
You'd March 1, 1902, after which date
There is to be absolute free trade be-
tween the island and the United States.
One OF the objects of a tariff upon
Porto Rico's products imported here, is
to establish a right to impose such a
tariff in later years, should it be found
necessary. This will be a precedent in
our legislation for our new possessions
the Philippines. The proposed import
duty-15 per cent of the Dingley rates
lis merely nominal, within per cent
of free trade. Back of it is an estab-
lisheds power mad recognized authority
to deal with these questions as shall
seem wisest and besb when we know
more about the whole matter, and shall
better understand the true situation
with which we have to deal.
What Porto Rico is today we know
what it may become ten or twenty
years from now, under the influence of
American capital and enterprise, we
can only conjecture. Cotton may be
grown there, and cotton manufacture
ing might become a large industry.
With cheap island labor, the product
of our own northern and southern
mills could thus be undersold. Would
it be right to expose the agricultural
and industrial interests of these Unit
ed States to such competition? If the
principle of tariff be not now main
tanned, it might be difficult, if not i'm
possible, to impose one hereafter, if if
should thus become necessary. Then
the republican party would be blamed.
and justly so, for its neglect to protect
the interests of American citizens on
the mainland, and for its lack of fore
thought.
It!maX be that the sugar yield there
may grow to such an extent as to cur
tail the available market area for our
growing beet industry. The same may
be true of tobacco, of vegetables, OF
oranges, of rice, of hides, of hemp, land
other products. 1t is not claimed that
there is danger today. But that there
is strong probability of danger to
American Industries thru the estab-
lishment of free trade relations with
Porto Rico. as precedent for our pol
icy in dealing with all our outlying
possessions, no one can deny, after
having given the subject careful inves.
tigation. What applies to Porto Rice
might be held to apply equally to 9TH
er possessions, and who can say what
may develop in that much larger and
equally fertile area in the east, with
its abundance of cheap labor.
This is what we must guard against
Without precedent, and the estab,
lished right to impose a tariff upon
any Of the products of our island pos
sessions, the United States may il
years to come feel the effect of such
lack of legislation TO a very serious
degree.
By the adoption of this legislation
future protection will be possible. tc
American interests in case it be needed
against that source, or againsr the
Philippines, or against the Danish
West Indies, should we acquire them
or any outlying possessions.
An ounce of prevention is worth .
pound of cure, and it is best not IL
LIZ p1GSSdCHUe Will dDOllSn
right which maintains our nationa
policy. Moreover, the republican par
ty will not be committed TO the policy
of free trade as is so earnestly desired
by the democrats.
lit is stated at the treasury depart
ment that the general effect of tn,
new financial bill will be to great,
increase the banking facilities of tn
smaller communities. Comptrolle
Dawes has received large number O
applications for charters Of bank
which will be organized under the ma
tional system with capital of $25,
600 in villages of less than 5000 inhab
itants The extent to which this pro
vision of law is being awaited of show.
that the banking privileges which hav,
been extended by it to the smalle