The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-19
DEMOCRATS ARE REJOICING.
COL. LESTER SAYS THEY ARE FULL
OF GLEE JUST NOW.


West Than Ever Before-The
Currency Issue Not Likely to
Play n Prominent Part in the Next
Campaign-COnGre Very Busy
and Public Men Find 1t Difficult TO
LenVc Washington Just Now.
Congressman Lester arrived in the city
yesterday, ard is staying with Maj. Ed
ward Karow, on Gwinnett street He
viii be in the city several days. and will
be among the guests at the Hibernian ban
quet tonight, and at the Dewey banquet
Wednesday night.
1t is Col. Lester's desire to be present
at the two banquets which brings him
here at time when Congress Is more asst
lively and more interestingly engaged
than at any time this session. II is some
what strange that Col. Lester should
come to Savannah to meet Admiral Dewey
and yet such is a fact.
II have never met Adm raj Dewey. and
what is more, | have never seen him, at
least not since he became an admiral"
said Col Lester II think | remember
seeing him in Washington when he was a
captain in charge of one of the branches
of tine navy department when l first be-
came member of Congress"
Col Lester is in the best of health and
spirits, and not the least cause for the
latter is that he is immensely tickled at
the situation which the Repu blicans have
placed themselves in their attempts to leg
islate for Porto Rico. He is jubilant on
this subject.
We, Democrats have been having all
the fun in Washington lately" he said.
I'VE haven't had such a good laughing
spell in long time. Our Republican
friends have been doing all the worrying,
whiEe we were enjoying the fun. 1t looks
as ii they had gotten the Porto Rican
business into such a middle that they
will never be able to get the matter
straight with any credit co themselves.
They have furnished the Democrats with
good big plank for their next platform,
for which we are duly thankful"
Col. Lester said that the Republicans
We're so disguised with themselves for the
tangle in which they had gotten with the
Porto Rican business that the probability
is that they will do nothing at all in the
matter beyond passing the bill appropri-
ating the amount collected in customs on
Porto Rican goods, about 81 100000, to be
used in public works in Porto Rico. This
sum Will be expended by what Col Lester
styles the ''carpetbag government" of
Porto Rico with little benefit to the people
of che island at large
The condition of the people of Porto
Rico is really distressing" said Col. Les
ter. "A large portion of the population
is on the verge of starvation and even the
expenditure of the sum proposed will be
OF little benefit to the masses of the peo-
pie Shut out from their former markets
IN Spain and with our tariff wall main
tanned against them they have no market
Tor their products and the island is in a
condlSion of industrial stagna ton"
Ny position in regard to Porto Rico"
said Col. Lester, in answer to a query.
is that when the island became Ameri-
can territory it was at once entitled to be
placed upon the same footing as Ill other
territory of the United States, which nee
essarily Includes all benefits and privi-
leges included under the constitution.
such being the case, Porto Rico should
be entitled to the same benefits of inter
state commerce as are other states ard
territories. The very fact that there are
objections to extending these benefits to
Porto Rico merely confirms me in my be-
lIet that we should never have taken the
island in the first place, and that the nest
thing we can do now is to cut loose from
it altogether. Still, if it is to remain a
part of the territory of the United States
1t should enjoy all the privileges of any
other portion of the United States
THE Republicans started OUT 10 accent
Porto Rico on this basis, but the protec-
ton element raised a hue and cry against
1t. They were afraid it would estab-
lish a precedent as to the Philippines,
wnen the United States shall have estas,-
hshed fun control there, and they were
opposed to any such extension of the tar
if boundaries. 1t would undoubtedly have
become precedent, and rightly So IF
the Philippines are to become a part of
the United States their products should be
admitted free of duty ALSO.
The passage by Congress of the cur
rency bill, Col. Lester thinks relieves the
Democrats of the necessity of Civ
ing the financial plank chief pro .ninence
in the platform to be formulated AZ Kan
sas City this fall. The financial plank
in the platform will be practically as be
fore" he said, but 1t will not be so PROM
inent in the minds of the people. The
fact that the currency question has been
settled by the Republicans will pr)ye o.
benefit to the Democrats, as it will enable
many Dem )crats who have been ont Ct
sympa by witt: the party on this issue to
give 1t their full support in the next cam
paign. The Democrats are f"u of conll-
dence now, ana they believe that their
chances of electng Bryan are V Try bright
With the mistakes which the Republicans
have male III thc,- colonial policy and the
currency question out of the way, il is he.
lieved chat tho entire party strength car
be rallied to the support of Bryan. Bryan
is undoubtedly stronger to-day in the
North and West than ever before and
his strength in the South rs unquestioned
The Republicans appear 10 be hopelessIy
befuddled, and the Democrats are CORE
spondingly rejoiced."
Congress is very busy just now" said
Col Lester I'm fact. it has Just be-
gun to get down to work in good shape.
This, together With the muddle which
the Republicans are making of the Porto
Rican business, makes the situation so
interesting that il is difficult to get any
one away from Washington. On this
account l am doubtful if any other mem
Ler of Congress will be present at the
Dewey banquet, and the same state of af-
fairs tends to keep members of the
cabinet and other officials at their posts
Secretary Long, unfortunately. is pre-
vented from coming by the illness OF his
wife and daughter l do not think any of
the other representatives. from Georgia