The Portland daily press., 1900-04-27

revenue. No state IN our Union 10 per-
mitted N enjoy similar privileges.
IL r. furtner provided that all goods
(e1eept coifeel, not dutiabls und er our
tariff laws aud all articles now free Of
duty in Porto Rioo By military order,
shall be admitted into the island free az
duty when Imported from the United
states. The articles thus made free Of
duty, when imported from the United
States are 500 numerous 10 he here sched-
uled. They are In part; fiour. pork,
bacon, beef, and beef c;ttle. mutton,
rice, Goldfish, rough lumber. school fur-
piture, bags for sugar and ooopers' wares
for sugar or moiasaes packages.
Compared with the benefits conferred
upon Porto Rico through the legislative
action which 1 have tried to explain, tae
simple privilege Of freedom II trade be-
tween the island and the United States
appears to be In significant In value.
The arrangements entered into promises
to give TO the islsnd the financial re-
SOURCES SO absolutely necessary to redeem
10 frcm Its present. almost he lpiess situa-
lion. 1t does 10 too without putting her
people under psuper like dependency
upon direct contributions from our
Treasury.
Finally, 80 Is to be carefully noted that
these provision are temporary, not per-
mspent. The law provides that. when
ever the legislative assembly Of Porto
Rico shalt have enacted and put into
operation q system OF local taxation to
meet the necessities Of the government of
Porto Rico. By this Act established, and
shall By resolution duly passed so notify
the President, he shall make pro clama-
ton thereof, aud thersupon all tariff
duties on merchandise and articles going
into Porto Rico from the United States
or coming into the United States from
Porto Rioo shall cease, and from and
after suoh data such merchand's, and
articles shall lie entered at the several
ports of entry free of duty; and In no
event shall any duties be collected after
the first Of March, 1902, on merchandise
and articles going into Porto Rico from
the United States or coming into the
United States from Porto Rioo.
II, therefore, fresdum Of trade with rs
10 "plAin duty" toward Porto Rioo,
that duty 10 recognized by law. II the
performances of that duty Is delayed, the
sxigenoies of the situation In Porto Rico
furn'sh full justification for its brief
postponement. An immediate and per-
feet retdom OF access TO our markets
would be worth three or four hundred
thousand dollars year 20 certain land
owners In Porto Rioo. The arrangement
made carries with 1t the advan tsges Of
and manifold blessings 20 all the people
NJ the island OF Porto Rico.
Mayor Thomas N. Hart Of Boston fol-
lowed Secretary Gage and said that the
city had teen glad that 1t could invite
the members OF the convention to Its
confines and Its mayor hoped that the
member would long have pleasant
memories OF the city In their hearts.
Hon. Elihu Root. secretary OF war, was
then liz troduced ana wss greeted with
continued onsers. He called attention to
the be slnsss which the army is engaged
IN because It is the business of the people.
The army 10 in Cuba because the people
wers satisfied to suffer for tas relief Of a
nsigh boring peopls. What the future of
Cuba may be nc, one oan say, but we can
ssy that the army In Cuba has shown the
Cubans that they shall have the indie
pendence which was rromissd them By
Congress. The army Is In the Philippines
by the same high behest Of the people.
They army there was the army author
lied by Congress after tife insurreotiop
had resulted in the onslaught upon Ma
nils, the killing Of the American soldiers
and the attack upon the American flag.
The sovereignty Of America in the
Philippines Is to be maintained.
We are In Cuba in the performance Of
high duty. We are IN the Philippians In
the performance of high duty. 1 will
not argcs whether 1T is best that we
should have been there or not. We are
there. IL 10 American soil. American
sovereignty we are bound BY law ana by
oath and by duty to maintain but We ara
bound to do more than that.
The faith and the honor of the Ameri-
can people requires that the maintenance
of American sovereignty In the Philip
pines sail not be simply fer conquest or
gain. IL requires that we shall lead the
people OF thos, isiands in the path CT
peaoe and prosperity; it req uires that we
shau give to them justice, Individual
freedom and self government to the ex-
tent Of their capacity for government and
Just and equal laws and opportunity to
the fullest extent for progress and pros
perity and civilization and in the per-
formance OF this high duty Cf the Ameri-
can people which concerns their con-
sciences and their honor, this army of
yours Is engaged today in this Philippine
Islands
Can we not have for this army Of ours,
performing this diiiiouit and delioste AMI
new IL SIX the support, the encouragement.
the confdeuos Of the whole OF the Ameri-
can people.
Cannot we not have politics here stop
st the waters edsei Can We not have for
thsa great undertaking which ooncsrt
the credit and honor CT US all, the good
name end fame of our beloved country.
before the eyes of all mankind in which
We are to succeed with honor or TO fail
with humiliation, tho support and en-
enlargement of all Amerlcauss (Cries of
'iGood, good" and ohssrs)
May not appeal from partisan detrac-
ton to American patriotism for that sup
port?
The task is difficult but not too difficult
for the good faith and sincerity with
which We are psrfor ming it.