The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-23

They found that the total valuation OF property |
of all kinds situated in the island would not ex.
ceed, for taxation purposes, more than about one
hundred millions of dollars They found that this
property was already turdeDed with private
debt, evidenced by mortgages on record to the
amount Of about twenty.sx millions of dollars of
principal, with an accumulation Of several years
Interest at extravagant rates, that swclled tie
sum to probably thirty millions Of dollars. They
found, in short, that poverty, bankruptcy and
ruin prevailed everywhere.
'Here, then, to recapitrlate, was the situations
civil government was a necessity, II must
have three millions Of dollars for its support, and
the municipalities must have at least one million
more. There vas no system oi direct taxation OF
property in operation There was not time to
establish ore. Moreover, If there had been time,
such a system would have entaed upon that pco-
pie an impossible burden. Four per cent. or even
per cent. Is tCo burdensome a tax rate to i'm
pose on the property of even the most prosperous
state in the Union. To impose il on Porto Rico
would mean only disaster. failure, bankruptcy end
despair. In view of these considerations, we de-
cidcd, first, that we wCuld find some way TO cS-
cmpt the people Of that island from tine direct
taxation of their property, such as every other
state and territory Of the Union has always been
subjected to. The generosity Of this proposition
was far greater and more helpful than that rec.
commended by the president. No such favor has
ever been shown to any other people for whom
we have legislated We next decided, for the
reasons already given, that we would not, for
the time being, undertake to apply and enforce
our internal revenue laws in the island, but eX
ccpt Oh merchandise imported into the United
States. We would exempt the people of Porto Rico
therefrom-another unprecedented favor, never be-
fore shown to anybody; and, in the third place.
we decided that we would protect their coffee,
which constitutes their chief industry and
amounts to more than two.thirds OF their exports,
from injurious competition ly leNying duty OF
5 cents pound on all coffee imported into Porto
Rico; and then, finally, we determined that there
should be collected on all goods imported into
Porto Rico from foreign countries tariff duties
as provided by the tarin laws Of the United
States; but that, instead of turning this money
over to the national treasury for the beneht OF
the United States, as we have always heretofore
done as to every other territory, we would turn
it over to Porto Rico for the benefit and support
of its government.
Still a Deficiency.
We then found, according to the best estimates
we could make, that when all this had been
done there would remain large deficiency,
| amounting from million TO a million and
| half Of dollars. The question tnen was as to
how further we could raise revenue without
directly taxing the property on the island to
meet this deficiency; and found that we
| could, in our opinion, best accomplish this by
| leaving a light tariff duty upon the commerce
| between the United States and Porto Rico; and
| so we finally concluded and provided in the bill
| that instead of absolute free trade, which all
| desired as well as the president we would for
| a short time, until the government could be put
| in operation and devise a system of taxation
| for its support, reduce the tariff on duiable
goods coming from Porto Rico into the United
States only 5. per cent, instead of entirely re-
hitting il, and that would for the presest,
allow all food products and necessaries Of life,
farm implements, machinery, etc, to enter Porto
| Rico free Of duty; but on other articles, what
| ever they might ye, would reduce the Ding
ley rates only So per cent You hear constantly
OF our putting commerce with orto Rico a
tariff of Is per cent, when the truth is that we
have removed all but u per cent. We did not
| add or increase, but reduced and RENTED.
We expressly provided, however, that from
| and after March |, 1902, there shall be absolute
| free trade between orto Rico and the United
States, and that there shall be such free trade
sooner-in year, six months or ninety days
| possibly-whenever the local government shall
have provided otherwise for its necessary reve
nue., and that, in the meanwhile, all collections
both those to be made in Porto Rico and thos,
to be made in the United States, shall be paiC
over to Porto Rico for the support Of its gov
ernment without placing any additional burdel
upon the already over-burdened lands and prop
|
government as to revenues was ever given b,
this nation any otner to any territory o
colony. II far surpassed all recommendation
and all expectations. II should be further state,
that an analysis Of the articles constituting thi
trade shows that this tax, imposed, would b.
borne almost exclusively by the sugar and tobac
co interests more able than any Others to bea
. it without feeling any burden.
Senator Foraker went into long dis
cussion of the Democratic assertio,
that the Constitution follows tn
flag" In speaking of the senate de
bate, he said:
The argument was long, it was exhaustive,
, was convincing to the majority, and legi'
: lation followed. II is unnecessary and impractiC
| able here, but, suticc il to say that the Tadci
: basic difference in the whole matter lies at tn
2 very beginnings to whether or not Porto Ric
is a part of united States. ! have observe
that not only the Democrats, but many Republ
, cans have assumed the affirmative OF this pre-
, position 10 be true. Such is not the case Port
Rico belongs to the United States, but it is nc
the United States, not a part of the Unite
States. When we acquired, Louisiana, Flordi
New Mexico, etc, /, was provided in the treat
| in each case that we should not only acquil
the territory, but that the inhabitants shoul
-- incorporate into the Union of the Unite
| States, and be admitted 10 all the rights, az
vantages and immunities of citizens Of Il
United States. The act by which we anneXC
Hawaii declares in express terms that the IL
waian Islands shall become and be part
the United States. But no such provision WI
ncorpont ted in .ae treaty of Paris as to Port
Rico and the Philippine Islands, and ii the
! had been, il is safe to say that treaty wou
: never have been ratified. On the contrary, Il
I the purpose Of making it clear that no su,
| was i1pd
that treaty that the civil rights and polite
status of the native inhabitants OF the territori
. hereby ceded to the United States shall be d
termined by the congress.
! Constitution Not Migratory.