The evening times., 1900-04-02
RIGHTS OF PORTO RIGANS
Several Senator's Speak on the Pend
ing lHSu!ar Bill.
Messrs. Vest and Rate Argue That
the Constitution Extends to the
pew Heard in Defence of the Tar
in Proposition OF the Republicans.


morning in order 20 give as much time a.
possible 10 the discussion of the Porto Ri
can bill, and in anticipation OF the speech
es on this subject, for which notice had
been given by Messrs. Bate. Depew, and
SpoOncr, the galleries were crowded al
most to overlooking.
Mr.. Vest. who had been absent during
the last week, and had Eot appeared in the
Record as being paired, took the oppor-
tunity OF stating his view Of the constitu-
tional question in relation to Porto Rico.
He endorsed the position that the Con-
stiJution followed the flag. although he
knew that the Supreme Court had decided
differently.
Mr.. Bates speech.
Mr.. Bate argued that the Constitution
was in force in Porto Rico. not needing
any act Of Congress 10 give it vitality, and
that therefore there could be no difference
Of tariff laws between that island and the
rest Of the United States.
He was proud 10 state that he was one
OF those who voted against the Treaty OF
Paris, and he believed that II that treaty
had not been ratihed a great loss OF Hfe
and great expenditure Of money would
have been prevented. However that
might be- he continued. the islands that
we have acquired belong 10 us as COM
pletcly as does any territory that has ever
come into our possession"
Mr. Bate declared that the fight over the
government and tariff FOR Porto Rico IS
merely a skirmish and that the real battle
is over the Philippines. The whole atti-
tude Of the leaders Of tie Republican par
". he said. shows that they are trying 10
direct attention 10 Porto Rico and TO carry
out their plans there because they can thus
establish a precedent for the Philippines.
and they are unwilling 10 have the great
night relate 10 the Orient He maintained
that the Constitution Of the United States
extends with It's full force over Porto Ri
co. and he asked. ''if IL does not. why are
civil and military officers there who are ma
tive born Porto Ricans asked 10 take an
oath 20 support the Constitution Mr Bate
argued that We have tWo-fOld claim On
our iusular possess ions-they are ours By
treaty and by right OF conquest-and that
the Constitution and The Tag together are
by right extended over that territory CCG-
tjuuing on this line of argument Mr.. Bate
declared that the proposed tarin over the
island is unconstitutional and unlawful be-
cause the Constitution extends over Porto
Rico. and one of its clauses provides for
uniformity Of taSatiou throughout the
United States
Mr. CullOm was the next speaker re
was willing so leave the Philippine ISL
ands 20 the care OF the President until
such time as Congress should give them
civil ECVerUm IT. But with Porto Rico
it was different It's people we're poor ig-
norant, and unfortunate. their property
having been largely destroyed or swept
away by great storm. They had been
cared for by the United States, and Con-
gress had recently appropriated over two
millions Of the customs duties collected on
Porto Ricau products up TO January 1
which was TO be used FOR their benefit
Now that immediate and substantial relief
had been given the peoaie OF the island.
the question as 10 The policy OF the United
States in dealing with the Porto RIc4us
temporarily and I'm tho future must be
met Senator Depew was the next speaker.
senator Dcpev'S Remarks
There is no division among the majority
in either House as 10 the power OF Con-
gress 10 legislate upon this subject" sail
Senator Depew. The majority all agree
that the Constitution does not extend by its
own power over these new possessions. and
that Congress can legislate for them as il
deems wise subject only to the prohibi-
tious upon Congress in the Constitution
The Democratic party accepted the other
view. that the Constitution does extend by
its own force into the territories. from the
moment that It was invented by John c.
Calhoun for the purpose Of carrying slavery
intO the new Territories. when il was i'm
possible against the aroused conscience Of
the country to secure legislation TO that
effect
While he practical part Of this meas
ure has received some consideration. vet it
has resulted In pictures Of Porto Rico and
its inhabitants which are utterly mislead-
ing. The lower House OF the Iowa Legis-
lature the other day adopted a resolution
for free trade with Porto Rice on the Senti-
mental ground that her people had accept
ed our sovereignty willingly. while other
islands were resisting it, But in Porto
Rico the population is so poor and so
cro~r5ed. and the conformation Of the isl
and makes il so easy for an army to put
down iEsurrection. that. though the same
government existed In Porto Rico as I'm
Cuba and in the Philippines. il was impOs-
sible 10 inauguTate revolution in Porto Ri
co. The Porto RiCans knew that they must
come under some government and after
three hundred years OF Spain hailed with
delight the transfer 10 the United States.
Porto Rico is more thickly populated
than any country in Europe Il is one OF
seashoTe 10 mountain top il can be culti-
waited. Where agriculture is the only oc-
cupation OF thickly settled communities
the conditions OF India are repeated. and
so there prevails in Porto Rico a wide
spread and grinding poverty unknown in
Europe or in America. There are in
round numbers million people upon the
island One hundred thousand Of these
people can read or write; about 50 900 can
do both Nine hundred thousand are in
absolute ignorance. Most of them have
never known bread or meat as 1t is ia
miliar to our people There are no school
houses ia the island Thus eight-tenths Of
this population are ignorant OF politics OF
government, Of Spanish or American -ule.
and intent only upon the always immediate
and eXigent necessity Of subsistence and
life.
For the five years preceding our Occu-
pancy the average value OF the exports OF
the island was SIG, ,000. 600, of which $t0-
0OO. 600 were coffee, s., 600 900 sugar, $780,
600 tobacco. and the rest molasses. cattle,
and hides. AS win be seen from these x
ures. the great staple Of the island. which
employed, in one form CT another. nearly
three-quarters OF the population and capi-
tai was coffee The coffee plantations are
upon the steep mountain sides, and run
from the foothills to the peaks. The cof-
fee berry cannot thrive under the tropical
sun unless protected by partial shade.
The hurricane which swept over the ISL
and destroyed nearly the whole of these
plantations. Il threw down the forest
trees or broke of the branches. and they
| FELL crisscross. producing network over
the coffee bushes which made the farm a
wreck
The testimony showed that every day