Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-04-12
THE PUERTO RIoAN LAW.


The struggle IN Congress over the
Puerto Rlcan bill is ended and the
amendments made 70 the House meas
ure by the Senate having been con-
CURED IN, a duty OF Is per cent Of the
rates imposed by the Dingley tariff
will be levied on certain articles going
into the island from the United States.
while Puerto Rican products will come
into this country duty free. A number OF
articles from the United States, incud-
ing some foodstuffs, will be exempt
from the IS per cent duty The law will
20 into effect on May j. 1900,
A measure for the government Of the
island Is attached to the law Il ex-
tends partial independence to the peo-
pie, by giving them the right 20 elect
Q legislative body and some local OFF,
GERS but does not reach even the limit
ed liberty Of the Territorial system, a
cabinet being appolntive as well as a
governor and other high functlonaries,
and there Is no provision for a Delegate
IN Congress. Possibly. It is as high a
degree Of self-government as the ma
tiyes are fitted at present 70 maintain
However that may be. this Is the glst
Of the measure passed by Congress.
An editorial Ia the Tribune Of this
morning commences with this state
ment, as a basis Tor long argument on
the effects Of the law:
"The bin has passed proposing TO put
a tariff OF 10 per cent Of the Dingley
tarlff on Puerto Rico products
AS we have explained. the bin pro-
vides for the very opposite Of that. The
further assertion Of that paper. that OPP
position 10 the measure was the work Of
trusts and syndicates" who had
bought large quantities OF tobacco and
sugar" 10 Puerto Rico, and want 10 get
them into the United States free Of
duty" Is very funny. II is also mis-
leading and for that reason we notice
It. The public should not be led astray
on the purport Of this law which has
occasioned 80 much agitation, involving
question OF constitutional power. The
same paper which editorlally makes
these ludlcrous mistakes, gives In its
press dispatches the following summary
" the provisions OF the bill. thus fur
nishing a complete denial Of It's editorial
statements;
"As amended by the Senate and to-
day agreed 10 by the House all restric-
lions on goods coming into the United
States from Puerto Rico are eliminated
and certain foodstufts and other artl-
cles. which heretofore have gone into
Puerto Rico free by executive order are
excluded from the operation Of The 10
per cent duty imposed on goods enter
ing the island from the United States.
A complete scheme OF civil government
for the island is also attached TO the
measure"
The struggle over the passage Of the
bill was chiefly occasioned by differ
ence Of views as TO the scope and ex-
tent OF the national Constitution.
1t was contended on one side Of the
controversy, that the Constitution fol-
lows the flag, and that 1t rules as the
supreme law In every part Of the public
domain. That therefore no tax or
duty can be constitutlonally imposed
upon articles exported from one part
Of the United States TO another. The
tariff proposed, therefore, upon either
Puerto Rlcan products coming into this
country, or upon United States goods
going into Puerto Rico, IS regarded as
IN violation Of the supreme law.
On the other hand, II Is maintained
that the Constitution IS extended by
its own force over sovereign States
only. That Il conferH upon the Cons
gress power 20 dispose OF and make
all needful rules and regulations re-
specting the territory or other property
belonging TO the United States and
that the Constitution may, by law. be
extended or not. as Congress may de-
termine, over any part OF the domain
Of the United States. And further that
the provision as 20 exemption from
tax or duty applies only TO articles
exported from any State" Puerto
Rico Is not a state Of the Union, but Is
territory belonging 10 the United
States, and therefore all needful rules
and regulations respecting e may be
passed hy Congress This Il the posi-
ton taken by the majority IN the
national Legislature.
The benefits 81 otherwise 20 the
Puerto Ricans from the passage OF the
bin Is another matter A good thing
might not be the right thing II effected
without lawful authority. Whether
complete free trade or the mixed meas
ure now determined upon would De
preferable Is an open question.
The Puerto Ricans claimed that the
severance Of their relations with Spain
deprived them OF a market for their
products, and that the closing Of the
United states 20 them would mean o.
nancial ruin poverty and starvation
This objection has been fairly met IN
the tariff BIN that eliminates the re-
strictions on exports. and besides pro-
yldes for the free Importation Of food
stuffs and other similar articles.
The measure Is intended for the
benefit Of the Puerto Ricans. giving
them system Of indirect taxation, 80
different from that under which rev.
enues we're raised during spanish rule