The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-04-25
REPUBLICANS Viii
ALL BE READy
Members OF The Union League OF
Philadelphia Are Look {.
ing Ahead
PRESIDENTIAL CANVASS BEGUN.
GeaeraI J. u. Foraker Discusses the
Policy OF the Republican, National
Administration as REGARDS Puerto
Rico. In Anticipation of the Conn
ing Campaign.

Administration ns 1AessaAfo> ueFtc
Rico. In Anticipation of the Com
ing Campaign.
Especial Correspondence)
Philadelphia, April 24.-In prepara-
ton for the coming presidential cam
paign the Union League, OF this city,
Is holding a series OF lectures and dis
cussions upon issues which are likely
to be to the front in the fall canvass.
Leading Republicans 1rcm different
parts of the country are Invited to ad-
dress the league and their speeches
are distributed with a view 10 educat-
ing the people. Republicans through
out the country Sfe following these
discussions with a keen interest and
the indications are that the party men
will be equipped to meet every issue
that may lie raised in the approaching
contest The orator at the last weeks
meeting at the league was United
States Senator J. b. Foraker. OF Ohio.
He devoted himself TO the question Of
the attitude OF the United States to-
ward Porto Rico and gave a complete
review OF the policy OF the Republican
administration on that subject He
showed that when congress met Puerto
Rico was ruined. The markets Of the
island were lost It's coffee plantations
were destroyed by the hurricane. and
in most cases five years must elap5e
before they can bear again. The CO.
pacity Of the island for yielding reye-
rue was destroyed. Where before con-
gress. in dealing with the territories.
had legislated for lands empty of peO-
pie, it had now to deal with a taronged
island smaller in area than Conaecti-
cut and larger in population h 3O0.-
600 souls
If this population vss to be provided
with education, reads and Sn ode
Quate government II needed an ex-
penditure OF s.. 600 Geo en- island aad
81 COO. .060 on mCuieinal 3D. rie+-7-ion
The island had but SIO0, Geo .0J9 OF tax-
able property. carrying rlu-tsl--s thc
interest arTe2rs 70 s~o-e than half its
value. Presidert ifcA.5a'ey pTo1Csed
as the first remedy a Ie-liszioa OF n.
duties between PEeitO Rico and the
United States. Inquiry showed this
was not enough. lsore rust lie d0Ie
and more has beer done IN iacome
could not be raised - our Internal rev
enue taxation because this world De
burdensOme beyond reJson n T02r-
lation simple IN habits and crude II
industry. Direct taxation was fnpCs-
sible. A land and property tax coulC
cniy be established in one or two years.
The previous reliance OF the island fol
revenue was on duties.
GEN. FORAKER'S REVIEW.
Among other things General Foraker
said:
"a civil government was a necessity.
II must have three millions of dollars
for its support. and the municipalities
must have at least one million more.
There was no system of direct tax
alton of property in operation. There
was no time to establish one. More
over. if there had been time such a
system would have entailed upon that
people an --rs-ihle burden.
-Four Ier ~ or even three per
cent. is too burdensone tax TO impose
on the property Of even the most pros
porous state in the Union. To impose
il on Puerto Rico would mean only
disaster, failure. bankruptcy and ce-
spair.
In view OF these considerations, we
decided. first. that we would find some
way to exempt the people of that island
from the direct taxation of their prop
erty. such as every other state or ter
ritory of the Union has always been
subjected TO. The generosity OF this
proposition was far greater and more
helpful than that recommended by the
president. No such favor has ever
been shown to any other people for
whom We have legislated.
I'VE next decided. for the reasons al
ready given. that we would not, for the
time being. undertake to apply and en-
force our internal revenue laws in the
island, but. except on merchandise i'm
ported into the United States. we would
exempt the people of Puerto Rico there
from-anOther unprecedented favor.
never befose shown TO anybody-and,
in the third place. we decided that we
would protect their conee, which con-
stitutes their chief industry and
amounts to more than two-thirds OF
their exports, from injurious compe-i-
tion, by levying a duty of 5 cents a
pound on all coffee imported into
Puerto Rico; and then. finally. we de-
termined that there should be collected
on all goods imported into Puerto Rico
from foreign countries tariff duties as
provided by the tariff laws CT the Unit
ed States; but that, instead OF turning
this money over INTO the national
treasury for the benefit of the United
States, as Te have always heretofore
done TO every other territory. we would
turn il over to Puerto Rico for the ben
eft and supporter its government.
I'VE then found, according to the best
estimates we could make. that when AL
this had been done there would remain
a large deficiency, amounting TO from
81 ,Oo0,0O0 to 81. $4,000.
TAX REDUCED, NOT FUT ON.
"The question then was how further
we could raise revenue without direct
ly taxing the property of the island to
meet this deficiency; and we found
that We could. in our opinion. best ac-
complish this by leaving a light tariff
duty upon the commerce between the
United States and Puerto Rico; and so
we finally concluded. and provided il
the bill. that, instead Of absolute free
trade. which all desired, as we'll as the
president, we would, for a short time.
until the local government could be put
in operation and devise a system OF
taxation for its sunnnrt redEca the ter-