The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-25
MAKING ISSUES.

It was very truly said by leading Demo
Gratis during the meeting Of the Demo
cratic National Committee last week, that
there would be no lack Of issues in the
presidential contest this year. The Re
publicans are making them, and it is evil
dent, from the speeches some of the Re
publican members of the House are max
ing that they are not issues that will as
sist the Republican party.
The House has agreed 10 vote on the
Porto Rican tariff bill next Tuesday. IT
is a Republican measure, but It is by no
means certain that it will be passed.
There are some issues growing out of it
that viii play an important part in the
presidential campaign For instance, the
Republicans. in order to justify a tariff
on Porto Rican products sent to our mar
kets, have been forced to take the posi-
ton that Congress is not bound by the
constitution in legislating for territory be
longing to the United states-that the
constitution does not extend to territory
outside of the Union, except by treaty
or by statute Congress is therefore free
to impose any laws it pleases on our in
sular possessions, or any other United
States territory for that matter. 1t can,
say the Republicans, make one set Of laws
for Porto Rico and another for Hawaii
and shn another for the Philippines. The
Democrats vigorously deny this conten-
ton of the Republicans. This will be one
issues whether the Porto Ricau bill be
comes a law or not.
Growing out of this issue win he the
charge against the Republicans that they
favor millionaires in legislation. This
charge will be a minor issue but it Will
be an effective one. The evidence in sup
port of the charge is found in the differ
ence between the Porto Rican tariff bill
pending in the House and the Hawaiian
bill pending in the Senate. Both are Re
publican measures. In the House bill a
tariff tax is placed on the sugar of the
Porto Ricaus coming to our market.
though there are only about 5000 tons
of it produced annually, and it is owned
by a large number of poor farmers. The
Hawaiian bill provides that the sugar pro-
duced in the Hawaiian Islands, amount
ing to 100000 tons year and owned al
most wholly by American miliouaires.
may come into our market duty free. This
discrimination against the poor farmers
of Porto Rico is one of the results of the
theory that Congress has authority to
legislate outside of the constitution for
territory belonging to the United States.
Another issue that will plague the Re
publicans during the presidential campaign
is found In the action of the President
in governing our insular possessions with
out any reference to the constitution or
to Congress. 1t is true he claims the
right to do this Commander-in-C Chief
of the Army, but there is no war in Porto
Rico. and has been none for a year and
a half, He is directing a civil government
in Cuba, although there is no war there.
1t has been announced that the war in
the Philippines is ended and yet the
President Is governing those islands, al
though Congress is in session.
There will be an issue also in the gold
standard BILL which has been agreed upon
in conference, and which will be passed
in all probability, this week. There will
be no lack of issues in the presidential
campaign. and they are issues which are
making the Democrats feel certain that
they will elect the next President.