The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-01
CIRCULATION aTATEMENT.
THURSDAY. MARCH l, 1860.
The Crime Against Porto Rico.

After desperate exertions. aided by the
lamentable weakness Of a President who
first announced policy in formal mes
sage to Congress and then had not the
courage to stand by his convictions, the
Republican majority in the House of Rep
resentatiyes yesterday passed the Payne
bill to impose fifteen per cent of the Ding
ley tariff rates upon the American COM
munity of Porto Rico, for the sole benefit
of the OIL sugar, tobacco, and rum trusts.
1t now goes to the Senate, where there is
a Republican majority. We are unpre-
pared TO state how many of the gentlemen
constituting that majority have con-
sciences, and a respect for law and justice
superior 10 their respect for the executive
commands of Mr.. Hanna.
That the proposed law is VIGOROUSLY and
fiagrantly unconstitutional does not af-
feet the fact that the people of Porto
Rico will be without hope of relief
on that account for perhaps many
months. or until a test case can be
brought before the Supreme Court. Then,
of course, and as the authors and abetto S
of the Payne atrocity are thoroughly
aware, it will be swept from the statute
books. In the mean time the spectacle
will be presented of an American Ter
ritory distinctly guaranteed freedom Of
trade with all other parts of the common
country by the Constitution robbed of that
right, knowingly, deliberately, and ihso-
lently.
The vote by which the indignity was con-
Ia,
party one. II is trge that four persons
claiming TO be Democrats assisted the ma
jority in its designs upon the fundamental
law of The Republic. II is but fair, how
ever. TO say that every genuine Democrat
voted TO prevent the crime, and the mi
nority as whole is to be heartily congratu-
lated upon its attitude and its fight. Not
only the Democrats in Congress but the
party and its adherents everywhere are to
be felicitated upon the issue which Repub-
lican. defiance of the Constitution and of
every principle of truth, decency, and jus
tice, involved in the suppression of Ameri-
can rights In Porto Rico, brings to their
hands at this late but suspicious day.
Wisely did the Republican Philippine Com
missioner, President Schurman, warn his
party fellows, that if they passed the
Payne bill, Democratic orators would de-
clare that the trusts came down TO Wash
ington and throttling the Republican party,
choked this foul thing out of 1t,
The issue is one upon which Democracy
can 60 before the country with the most
absolute confidence. The American -peo
pie are not fools, and when the truth of
this unpleasant history is explained to
what they will do in consequence next No
vember. They only need TO be told that
President Mckinley, knowing that a GUS
toms tarif could not be constitutionally i'm
posed between American possessions, tried
to avoid that question by according Porto
Rico her rights as an act of grace. In
this he was Joined by his Secretary of War
and the leaders of his party in Congress.
But, when the Republican magnates of the
oil. sugar, tobacco, and rum trusts heard
Of the proposition, they vetoed 1t and COM
PEELED the President and their people in
Congress to face about, ignore the famine
stricken islanders, and defy the basic law of
The Union. The Democracy has been look
ing for paramount issue upon which to
rally all its scattered and divided forces.
Here is one, and better could not be con-
ceived Honesty, Humanity, and the |
CONSTITUTIONS