The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-22
FORAKER ON PORTO RICO
Our Relation TO the Island Dis
cuSsed at Philadelphia.
The senator From Ohio Speaks in
Defence of the Administrations
mcnt of Recent Legisiation-
The Presidents Altered Position.

! PHILADELPHIA. April 21.-Senator J
/ B. Foraker of Ohio addressed the member!
Of the Union League upon The Relations
of Porto Rico TO the United States to-
! night. He came from Washington in the
private car of Vice President Charles L
Pugh, of the Pennsylvania Railroad. and
was met at the station by President Darl-
ington, of the League. At $3.50 O'Clock he
was entertained at dinner, other guests
being J. B. Foraker, jr.. who accompanied
the Senator from the Capital; Major Cen
cral Brooke. Charles f. Pugh. f. T. Stotes-
bury. Hon. Dinner Beeber. Charles :. For
syth, and Theodore Search. The speech
which was crowded. Mr.. Foraker said, in
part:
The criticisms of the legislation in re-
spect to Porto Rico has been due TO two
misapprehensions. First as to the atti-
tude of the President in regard to it. and
second as 20 the legal relations of Porto
Rico to the United States.
The President in good faith recon-
mended free trade between the United
States and Porto Rico. but earnestly ia
vored and personally as well as officially
approved the bill that has just passed.
His reasons were fhree-fold: First, be-
cause its provisions are a substantial and
almost literal compliance with his recon-
mendations; second, because they are far
more liberal and generous than his rec
ommendation was; and third. because in
SO far as the bill fails to comply strictly
with his recommendation there was a ne
cessity therefor, recognized by the Presi-
dent and all engaged in framing the legis-
lation that has been enacted.
The President in his message used this
much-quoted language;
our plain duty is 70 abolish all customs tariffs
between the United States and Porto Rico and
give her products tree Sccess to our markets.
When he made that recommendation,
he had reference to what had occurred,
and to the then existing conditions. Be
fore Porto Rico was ceded to us she traded
chiefly with Spain and Cuba; but when
the cession occurred, both Spain and Cuba
closed their ports against her products
except on payment Of tariff duties that
were so high as TO be practically pro-
hibitive. The President. as Commander
in-Chief during the milit 4-y occupation.
could control The tariff dcties leyis1 on
imports into the island. but he had no
power TO alter those imposed by law on
imports into the United States. In conse-
quence our ports remained closed to Porto
Rico except on payment Of the full Dingley
rates of tariff, and as a result the war
took from Porto Rico her former markets
ana left her none in return. The result
was complete business stagnation. and tens
of thousands Of Porto Ricans were suffer-
ing for the necessities of life
"On August the conditions We're aggra-
waited by the great hurricane. which de-
vastated the coffee plantations. BY ii the
people were brought almost TO absolute
poverty and despair when the President
wrote his message. What he had in mind
was not any great principle or legal right
or obligation, but the best means for the
speedy relief of the suffering and starving
people. 1t occurred to him that the Dest
help to them would be in giving them free
access to our markets. But in that same
message the President pointed out the
urgent necessity for providing the Porto
Ricans a civil government to take the
place of military rule. and he recommended
immediate action IL. that respect.
Conditions in the Island.
Both recommendations were general in
their terms, and were made with the
knowledge that Congress would take no
action without investigating the conditions
there The Congressional committees hav-
ing the matter in hand, found that the
President was right in calling for the i'm
mediate establishment Of the civil gov
ernment. and they found that not less
than 50 .O0O 600 annually would be needed
to run it, An additional million a year
would be needed TO maintain the municipal
governments on the island. They found
that the total valuation of taxable property
on the island would not exceed 800. o00. 600.
and that it was already burdened with
private debt. amounting nearly to $36. .000,-
900. according to the records.
Poverty. bankruptcy. and ruin were
everywhere. No system of property taxa
tion had been employed. and probably two
years would be required 10 establish one.
On the other hand. the public revenues OF
the island save from income and business
taxes were raised chiefly by import and
export duties. Owing to the conditions