The evening times., 1900-03-01

AS Tar as the House OF Representatives Il
concerned the crime against our suffering
fellow Americans in Porto Rico, and
against the Constitution of the United
States. is complete. The Republican party
and its Administration have crossed the
Rubicon. They have at last thrown of all
pretence of respect for the fundamental
law of the country, or Of the
rights of its inhabitants sacred
ly guaranteed by that law. They have
registered the declaration that, hence
forward they will own no allegiance
to the Constitution oaths of Office TO the
contrary Notwithstanding and will do no
act of legislation that is not in the inter
ests Of and dictated by the oligarchy of the
trusts and monopolies they so humbly ard
criminally serve.
In these circumstances there is hardly
room for doubt that the Republican ma
iority in TIE Senate viii ratify the action
OF the House and increase the illegal tar
iff against Porto Rico TO the original p
per cent demanded by the oil. sugar. to-
bacco. and rum trusts The rate was only
cut down by the House Ways and Means
Committee as a subterfuge 10 ensure the
votes of Representatives whose consciences
revolted at grand but could stand petit
larceny. The bill once in conference. no
trouble viii be experienced in cooking it
to suit the Hanna control.
In view Of the facts OF the case it would
be folly for Democratic Senators to offer
any serious or prolonged resistance TO the
Payne iniquity The sooner it is placed
- on the statute books the sooner il will be
wiped out by the Supreme Court II is a
dastardly outrage on the Porto Ricans
who so gladly threw of the yoke of Span
ish sovereignty and accepted ours. under
the promise of our Government that they
should enjoy the blessings and privileges
OF American institutions But they must
bear their burden with what patience they
may. knowing that the honest people Of
the country. which is equally theirs and
ours. will punish their oppressers in No
vember: and. knowing also that there is
a power in the United States which an Ad-
ministration and a majority in Congress.
owned controlled. and operated by the
trusts and monopolies. cannot long defy.
however great may be their combined
ability TO do mischief and commit public
crime for the time being. That power is
the Constitution. which will speak by the
voice of its prophet. the Supreme COurt-a
tribunal which never yet has tolerated the
impudent assumption that any territory
under the flag and sovereignty Of the ma
ton can be considered or treated as. for
eign or denied any basic right enjoyed
by citizens of the component States Of the
Union.
Were il not for the cruel suffering
which this infamy viii impose upon nearly
a million loyal Americans, We coIld regard
the political situation created by the
course of the trusts and their exc cutive
and legislative agencies. not only with
equanimity. but with positive delight.
The defence Of American justice and the
Constitution against the designs and as
saults OF a rcbber enemy. is an issue upon
which a united Democracy can sweep
the country In this connection there is
great encouragement in the record of yes
terdays vote. Out of all the Democratic
members OF the House, only four could be
found sufficiently open to trust influence
to violate the principles Of their party in
the matter of mOnOpOlies oppressive of
the people. and their duty to support the
Constitution. This is brilliant evidence
that the vast majority of Democrats are
still true to the faith Of the Fathers not
withstanding the unfortunate differences
that have kept the party disunited for
wears. and given the organization Of the
oligarchy an enormous advantage on the
political battlefield