Evening journal., 1900-01-18
FOR PORTO RIco's RELIEF
CONGRESS LIKELY TO PASS FREE
TRADE LEGISLATION.

TRADE LEGISLATION.
Washington, Jan. 1S.-The republic
can leaders in Congress are preparing
to meet the demand Of the residents Of
Porto Rico for free trade with the
United States by enacting at an early
day legislation in line with the recon-
mendations contained in Secretary
Roots annual report and approved by
President Mckinley in his message.
The representation made to the admin
istration and to congressman by BUSH
ness men in Porto Rico supplemented
by the information furnished by Gen
eral Davis, the governor of the island,
in his talk with the Congress commit
tee, have impressed the leaders Of both
houses with the importance OF prompt
action. The Senate committee on the
Pacific Islands and Porto Rico has
therefore taken the matter in hand, and
will at an early day report a bill or
joint resolution which it is thought
can be passed within the next three or
four months.
The plan under Amusement, which
has been agreed upon only in outline,
contemplates the extension of the Fed
eral revenue laws to Porto Rico and the
tuaLAhAtnt VI III III "a HONtAA
similar to that existing in the terri
tories on this continent. 1t is pro-
posed to apply the internal revenue
laws OF the United States to the pro-
ducts of the islands, but to allow abb
solutely free trade between Porto Ricah,
and American ports. customs dutier'
being collected at the Porto Ricanl
ports upon importations from foreign
countries just as they are collected now
at American ports.
The fact is recognized by the lead
ers who are arranging to frame the
legislation outlined that they Will be
met by the opposition of those who
represent business interests fearing
competition with Porto Rican products,
and by that smaller, but no less per-
sistent, number of statesmen who find
in the Constitution a prohibition
against extending the laws Of the
United States to our territorial posses
sions. It is thought, however, that
this latter objection may not apply
to a proposition to extend the revenue
laws alone 10 Porto Rico leaving the
question of their application to Cuba
and the Philippines to be determined
later
There Is. Of course. no reason for
delay in Porto Rico, even If NE indus
trial conditions did not demand haste
for the island already belongs to. the
Unitel States, and is at peace with it.
self and with this government. AS for
the opposition of those who fear the
effect of free trade with the island upon
certain business interests, IL is not
thought that it will be of such weight
as will seriously endanger the passage
N the proposed legislation.
What Secretary Root said in his an.
nual report as to the Importance of re
moving the tariff barriers that now ex.
list against Porto Rico is this I'm
mediately upon the transfer Of the is
land from Spain TO the United States
Spain erected a tariff barrier agains
the introduction of Porto Rican pro
ducts The interests of Cuban agricul
ture led to the erection Of a simila
barrier in the tariff adopted for Cuba
so that Porto Rico was debarred from
the principal markets which she hal
previously enjoyed, and at the sam
time this country has maintained II
tariff against Porto Rican product
just as IL existed while the island wa
Spanish territory. The result is tina
there has been a wall built around tn
Industry of Porto Rico. Even befor
the hurricane of August 8, 1899 tw
crops Of tobacco lay in the warehouse
of Porto Rico, which the owners wer
unable to sell at prices equal to tn
cost of production. Their sugar share
the prevailing depression in that con
modify arising from the competition {
bounty-fed beet sugar. Their COTE
was practically unknown in the Unite
States, and had no market here 1t
plain that it is essential to the prot
perity Of the island that she should r,
ceive substantially the same trea
ment at our hands rs she receive
from Spain while a Spanish colon.
and that the markets Of II
United States should be opened
her as well as the markets
Spain and Cuba before the tran
fer of allegiance Congress has III
legal right to regulate the custom
duties between the United States an
Porto Rico as it pleases. but the higl
est considerations of justice and GOO
faith demand that we should not di
appoint the confident expectation
sharing in our prosperity with whis
the people OF Porto Rico so glad
transferred their allegiance to Il
United States. and that we should tire
the interests Of this people as our ow