The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-27
THE FIGHT on PORTO RICO.
Rice and Truck Growers Urged to
Lend Hand.

The rice and truck growers of Savannah
have as yet taken no steps in line with
their action at the recent Board of Trade
meeting, when It was agreed that the
two associations representing their sepa-
rate interests, should take steps to CO.
operate with the League of Domestic Pro-
ducers in it's fight against the admission
Of Porto Rican products to this country
free of duty.
The hearing on this question began be-
fore the Senate committee last week, and
a strong fight is being made by the cane
and beet sugar, tobacco, cigar. rice, fruit
and other Interests The hearing has been
continued and will be resumed from time
10 time, it evidently being the intention of
the committee o give the matter full con-
sideration before making is report 1t
IS desired to bring all the influence posi-
Bile to bear upon the committee in order
TO demonstrate the danger to the various
American products affected which would
result from free competition with Porto
Rico. Letters have been received here
from Chairman Myrick of the Domestic
League, asking for the names of interested
parties, in order that they may be com
municated with and urge to write their
senators and congressman I'm opposition TO
the pending measure.
Mr.. w. G. Morrell is in receipt of the
following letter from Chairman Herbert
Myrick which states the question in
nutshell:
''Win you not please write at once TO
the members of the Senate Commits ee on
Porto Rico in opposition TO The proposed
free trade with this island? Porto Rico
Is a land blessed with so marvellous fer
tility and such favored climate as TO pro
duce not only coffee, sugar and tobacco,
but also pineapples, oranges, lemons
lines and early vegetables Of all descrtp-
tons IN great profusion of finest quality.
Wages are from 10 cents to- 30 cents PEI
day; the bulk of the people live at cost
of only cents per day. Such was the
testimony of commissioners from the ISL
and and other before the Senate COM
mittee last week.
ITO admit all Porto Rican products duty
free would simply give the Porto Rican
500 per ton on tobacco and corresponding
sums on all other products. And this
would be at the expense of similar Ameri-
can agricultural industries without COM
pensatins benefits. for it has been proved
under reciprocal treaties that the tropics
exported to the United States from two
TO four times as much as they imported.
This country has little to gain and much
to lose, especially as to agriculture, by
free trade with Porto R.co. Moreover
such a course would inevitably be a step
ping stone later to free trade with Cuba
and the Philippines which would be dis
astrous to gigantic domestic agricultural
and manufacturing industries.
cat a hearing before that committee on
Saturday we gathered that that commit
tee is positive that Congress has absolute
power to do as it pleases with Porto Rico,
but is not yet decided whether to favor
free trade, a modified tariff or the present
full tariff 1t is imperatively necessary,
therefore, that the voice of the people be
heard by this committee; hence this urgent
request to you to write at once as above"
The members of the Senate committee
on Porto Rico aud the Pacific Islands are:
j. b. Foraker, 1900 Sixteenth street, north
west. Washington. d. c.; ]. H. Gallinger,
the Dewey; George c. Perkins, the Port
land; c. w. Fairbanks, 1900 Massachusetts,
avenue; K. Nelson, $40 East Capitol street;
L. Z. McComas, 1723 Rhode Island ave
nue.. northwest; c. NJ. Depew, 1909 II
street, northwest; F. NJ. Cockrell, 1913
street, northwest; r. l. Pettgrew, 1850 Q
street. northwest; s. b. Mallory, William
A. Clark, the Arlington.