Washington sentinel., 1900-03-24
suIzer and Porto Rico.

SuIzeF and Porto Rico.
Mr.. Sulzer concluded an able
speech on the Porto Rican cues
tIon in the following:
ITegard free trade between Porto Rico
and the United States as a necessity.
Pass this bill to loot them, and in all
the years to come what will they think
Oiaus1 The Republican party has de-
prived them OF self government and
given them a military government
They have no representation here.
Under Spanish rule they were repre-.
sented by twelve representatives and
four senators In the Spanish Cortes.
They had their own local Legislature and
absolute home rule Why, under the
circumstances, | ask, IN the name of all
that is fair and just and decent, should
we now tax them and rob them of the
little hey haveS Have we made their
condition better or worse3
Have we liberated them from monar.
chical tyranny only 20 enslave them In
industrial oppressioui The poor people
Of Puerto Rico will speak. and the great
heart OF the Republic will respond in
the coming campaign. The American
people will never repeat in the dying
year Of the nineteenth century the crimes
and blunders Of George the Third in the
closing years of the eighteenth century.
We have not forgotten our past. The
spirit OF 1916 still lives, and the American
people will ere long again vindicate the
immortal principles enunciated IN the
Declaration Of Independence. In the
sisterhood of States there must be no
stepdaughters, The flag we all love
must not be used as a cloak to rob and
oppress our fellow citizens at the dicta.
tioD Of the trusts and to bolster up the
falling Republican protective tariff
tallacy.
Mr.. Chairman, speak earnestly on
this subject. MY sympathy is with the
struggling citizens OF Puerto Rico,
want to extend to them the right hand
Of fellowship, and under the folds OF the
American flag and by virtue OF the law
Of the land welcome them into the
Federal Union want to help them,
and not injure them. | want TO save
them, and rot destroy them. I wan:
them TO love the Union, not hate us and
despise our institutions,
want to keep faith with them and do
unto them as we would that others do
unto us. The act you do today is a
criminal act Of Republican spoliation,
and the consequences will be more Ear
reaching and more destructive than you
now imagine. II is another step IN your
mad march toward imperialism aud the
subversiOn Of cur free institutions.
protest against il with all the emphasis
can command, and solemnIy warn
my countrymen that the day is not far
distant when the Republic will be de-
stroyed 1.-THE wrongs and the usurpations
Oi the Republican party are allowed to
20 unheeded. unchecked, and unre-
buked.
The manhood OF this country must
speak out, the great conscience oi
America must find voice. the citizenship
OF the Republic must assert itself, ere u
be too late and ere all is lost. Let US be
honest, let US be fair, let us be just, lei
US be true to our past, true to ourselves
and IL will follow like the night the day
we can not then be false to any citIzer
in all the broad domain Of our great and
glorious Republic.
nthe contest which is now on between
the Republic aud the Empire take m'
stand with the people against EmDlr'
and in favor OF peTpetuity OF the Repub
lie. Ours is the great Republic, tn,
beacon light Of the world. the refuge Q
the oppressed of every CLINE, the hom
for the downtrodden OF every land, an'
rs incumbent aud sacred and imper