Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-03

the islands from Spain. The exploita-
ton of the Southern States by carpet
bag governments was nm experience
for which the acquisition OF Porto Rico
and the Philippines offered opportunl-
ties which were provided for in the
treaty itself. A tariff for Porto Rico
that subject of Congress which pro
tects certain interests of the United
states and denies ,to all other people
In the States the benefit of competi-.
tfon-creates a virtual trust On cigars,
cigarettes and tobacco. and helps the
actual trust in sugar, for the benefit of
manufacturers, at the cost OF con-
eumers in the States and producers in
Porto Rico. While 100000 tons OF sugar
in Hawaii. the property OF the trust
king of the United States, enters free
of all duty. the sixty thousand tons of
sugar produced by the impoverished
planters of Porto Rico are taxed under
the power which the treaty of Paris
was manipulated SO as to give to Con-
gress the power which has been thus
abused.
OAINIPoTENCE OF CONGRESS-.
"The omnipotence of Congress over
the civil rights and political status of
ten millions of people is grated on
treaty, and the treaty is now alleged
to supercede even the Constitution and
to have become the supreme law of the
and shocking TO every sense of consti-
tutional law the people of the States
in the Union will enter their solemn
and efficient protest. They will never
assent to the new Republican dogma
that the Executive through his diplo-
matte agents can negotiate a treaty
which shall be paramount to the Con-
stitution; and that the State Depart
ment through and by means of the
hocus pocus of diplomacy can convert
this republic Of republics into an i'm
perlalism more despotic than the abso-
lutism of Parliament. He maintained
that the Democratic party was the
original party of Expansion along lines
which added strength to national re-
Sources"
Advertlng to the proposed tariff on
Porto Rican products, Mr.. Bate de-
clared that the original bill provided
for free trade, but the trusts took
alarm and the long and Shiny tenta-
cles OF the octopus soon reached into
the conrmittee-room and all was lost.
A DILEMMA.
'The debate on this bill has unveiled
the fact that the treaty OF Paris has
given Spain the same trade privileges
that the United States may use-frec
trade if there is free trade between
the island and the States: while the
favored natiSn clause in our treaties
with foreign nations stands ready to
open wide the Philippine door into the
United States In that dilemma this
bungling treaty, I mean no disrespect
to it's trainers has placed the Repub-
lican marty. IT was that discovery
which FASTENED the sugar and tobacco
interests as advanced couriers to the
of no moro money for political cnm-
'paigns unless barbed wire fence of
duties was placed around the indus
tries which heretofore have put so
much money where 1t would do the
most good"
CHARLOTTESVILLE WINS.
A bill authorizing the holding OF n
regular term of the United States Dis
tr'ict Court of the Western District OF
Virginia ut Charlottesville was passed
Mr.. Cullom and Mr.. Depew followed
Mr.. Bate.
Mr.. Spooncr. In RESPONSE to q aues-
ton asked by Mr. Tlllman. of South
Carolina, said:
1.-THE proposition that the constitu-
ton extends of It's own force over ac-
CURED territory was invented I'm the in
tercst of slavery: the new dogma was
advocated In the interest of slavery by
Mr.. Calhoun"
Mr.. Tillman. in the course of col
loQuy with Mr. Spooner, inquired how
# was that the United States was in
Porto Rico.
by the mower of the President as
communicating Of the army" re-
piled Mr.. Snooner
Replying to Mr.. Tillman, Mr.. Spooner
declared the pending measure treated
the Porto Ricans more generously than
people of other territories, because they
were in dire distress.
A SUGGESTION.
Mr.. Bacon suggested that Mr.. OK
nard had appeared before the commit
tee. which had done what he demanded.
1.-THE idea that the Congress OF the
United States can be influenced to do
injustice to the pcoplc OF Porto Rico"
declared Mr.. Spooner vehemently, "by
Mr.. OXnard or by any protected inter
est, is n libel on our Institutions that
ought MOTTO btsuttered here, and ought
not to find Judgment anywhere. want
to repeat that O. large and Industrious
lobby-and I say what I KNOWS here
cndenvoring to induce Congress to pass
n free trade BILL
A TART REJOINDER.
u don't think" interjected Mr.. Bacon
tartly. that any one OF that lobby has
deemed 1t to his interest to speak to any
Senator on this side of the chamber.,'i
MIR. Perkins. for, and Mr.. Simson,
against, also spoke. The latter said
the pending measure might, IL any bill
could, transfer Oregon from the Repub-
lican to the doubtful list. The imposi-i
ton of the tariff. he said. in the face
of the agreement with those people was
a serious party blunder.
At 6:2o p. m. the Senate adjourned.
IN THE HOUSE.
Washington, April "a possible re-
duction of the war taxes was fore
Swallowed IN q resolution adopted by
the House to-day calling upon the Sec
rotary of the Treasury for information
as to the probable surplus existing rev.