The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-02
AS VIEWED AT WASHINGTON.



will easily rank as one OF the best tnat mas
so far been delivered on that subject IL
was not only a good speech. but II was
doubly good because 1t came from re
publican source. 1t was good, sound
democratic doctrine, because preached oy
one OF the high priests OF republicanism.
1t was an able argument and IL Is
speech that the democratic campaign com
mittee can afford to spend large amount
OF money on In having printed and circu-
lated throughout the country. 1t VIII DO
most to defeat republican candidates Tor
congress next fall
The direct effect of this speech by Sena-
tor Davis will be to defeat the Hon
James f. Tawney Of Minnesota for re-
nomination to congress. Mr.. Tawney is
now out home battling for denomination
and when this speech reaches his State,
having been delivered by one OF the sena-
tors from his State. 1t is going 10 make his
work all the harder Mr. Tawney is a
member OF the ways and means commit
tee and Is largely responsible for The
passage OF this Puerto Rican tarin bill
| through the house. II he should prove
strong enough to get the nomination AGAIN,
then the democrats can use the DAVIS
speech with deadly effect on him at the
polls.
1t will not only prove lethal weapon
so far as Mr.. 1awney is concerned, but
| it will probably retire every other repub-
| lican member OF congress from Mime
sofa, with the exception Of Mcssrs. Heat
wole and Fletcher who voted against the
Oxnard abomination and deded the parry
of trusts and Doodle. 1t is one OF the best
democratic campaign documents that has
| been Issued this year.
| Senator Davis was given close attention
| in the senate while he delivered this
broadside against the republican party, the
party that has SO long honored him, ana
of which he has been one of the most use
! full members. The only senator who d d
not pay attention TO his sledgehammsr
blows was Mark Hanna. who talked to
some visitors during the whole time tina,
Senator Davis was talking The Mime
sofa statesman pointed out the fact that
this government had recently negotiat,
reciprocity treaty with Great Britain
affecting the British West Indies. As the
chairman of the foreign relations COM
mittee of the senate. it was peculiarly
pertinent that he should tpNsh upon this
point, and that he should have more ac-
curate information concerning 1t than
any other man In the senuSe.
He pointed out the fact that these people
In the republican party who are now howl
ing for tariff against pour little Puerto
Rico which is a part OF this country, do
not seem TO be disturbed by the recproci-
! ty treaty which gives these islands be-
longing TO Great Britain the right to send
! their products to this county fire. OF duty.
and yet they raise the same produc S
| raised In the island of Puerto Rico. and
those products would meet the same COM
! petition as would the pr Aiptts from the
island Of Puerto Rico.
This shot made the republicans wines
and several Of them hurried from the
chamber They evidently do not Hike Ia
hear the truth so bluntly, and / notice 1
that none of them tried to answer tho
senator.
Some time In the past political history
OF this country there may have been some
political party that entered campaign in
the same sad preilcament that the repub-
llcan party is now about to enter this
one that will start with the early summer
months, but If so, do not recall It. What
has caused it except the deliberate SELL
out to the trusts that are interested in
the products that come from Puerto Rico,
can not possibly be conceived.
When congress assembled last Decembe,
The first thing that engaged its attention
was the presidents message and in that
message he blazed the way for free trade
| with Puerto Rico and advocated 1t earnest.
~, He was backed up ably by his secre-
tary OF war who is one of the ablsst juris 8
in this country. The country fully eX-
peeted that congress would respond to the
call OF these two illustrlsus heads Of the
party, and therefore there was no surprise
when the ways and means committee re-
ported bill Tor free trade with reference
to Puerto Rico. and everybody applauded
it.
That was the signal, however for the
appearance on the scene of Mr. Oxnard
and the cohorts Of the sugar and tobacco
trusts. They swermci he corridors Of the
capitol and they hobno5bed daily and until
the early morning hours with the leaders
OF the republican party in the house and
especially the members OF the committee
on ways and means. Then the trouble for
the &. .. p. commenced In good, harl
earnest. Inc Tree trade blu was Withdraw u
and thea the committee h.tche1 this bill
placing % per cent tariff on ill products
golns TO and coming from Puerto Rico
This was scaled to Is per cent and then
Was forced through the house by the party
lash, 'N' y
What did IT, and why was ii done? Tho
powerful arguments of the trusts did ms
work They used primarily the most potspI
argument they had IN their sleeves and
thai was the big campaign purse which
they dsngled before the eyes of the part,
leaders, accompanied by threat that nm.
less something was done for then, thn,
would withhold every dollar That wal
argument number one, The ney.. was tina
the republicans could not grant Sree trad
TO Puerto Rico without committing III
party 10 the principle that "the consti,,I
ton follows the nag" Next, that tart
was necessary for Puerto Rico In order +
create fund TO relieve the immediat,
Rico.
The passage Of the bill returning to N,
people OF the island the SO 100000 collecte,
from them in customs duties. now obyl,te
the necessity OF the passage o, his tarIf
bill, Another argument that was whispers
into the ears OF the republicans was tina
the tariff must be levied in order 10 M
hold the principle OF protection which /
nj q ~. -. !.