The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-02-20

ws will not ourselves forge, thos. -
cipies in our dealings with them. Cr7- 80.
slant aim shall be 10 elevate them u
whether we incorporate them fnsI.y -
our system. or send them form ars.,
the nations Of the world. We win ,,g.,-.s
safe TO them the blessings ~ lths-,-
Wherever our flag goes Up q shan "a.
come down without having first gusrs.
teed under its folds the blessings oy rfy,''
zation, OF liberty, and Of sovereign ell.
zenship."
Representative Payne concluded AZ -,
p. m, having spoken an hour ana a raj,
The Republicans gave him a drm1usr-.
ton when he finished
MIR. Richard.on's speech.
Representative Richardson. OF Tsr,..
see. the leader OF the minority. made -.
opening argument in opposition 90 -.
measure. II am not an alarrnsS'" "a
he but In my judgment the pen5fr- baf
IS more dangerous TO the liberties Of -A,
people OF this republic than any msasu,.
before seriously presented TO the Amer
can Congress. 1, will prove more "a.
reaching in its provisions and disas,ror,
in the results that must OF necessity o.
low, II IL should be enacted into law. ,bs,
any act ever passed by Congress. Tb.s,
statements are broad, + confess. but tn.
they are true do most solemnly asss-,
as the result OF my best and most GaIibsr.
ate judgment.
The bill is framed upon the idea ana
assumption that Congress enters un.-
the government OF Porto Rico unreSrr3.-.
ed by the provisions OF the Constitution
This we deny Those OF Us who our5s,
ton. maintain that the bill cannot be- On
acted into law without a total disregard
and violation OF not simply the spirit. b..
the express letter OF the Constitute
The Louisiana Territory, Florida Texa.
California, New Mexico. oregon. ana
Alaska have all been acquired under am
Constitution without a jar or strain -o
any OF its wise and benefcent provision.
and without any demand for is amanl,
ment Every foot of this vast domain was
acquired and annexed under Democratic
Presidents.
Democrats and Expansion.
THE Democratic party has always "a
vored proper expansion. Those OF us op-
posing this measure are not baslng oppo.
sition to 1t on the ground that IL is a
measure for expansion. This ig nor a
measure Of expansion. Whether the CON
stitution of the United States is extended
to the island of Porto Rico. * prop-io
vigore, or not. it must be admitted that
when We enter upon legislation Tor tb,
island, as Congress will do II It passa,
this bill, that question will be- put al rest
and the Territory will then be a part
of US
THE control OF the President and oy
the military will have ceased. and the ex-
pansion as 10 the island will have been
completed Legislation by Congress f1r
the island at once makes il a part OF tho
United States II this bill passes ir must
follow that II is then part Of the United
States. This being true. the proposition
which this bill carries for unequal taxa
ton OF the island as a portion Of the
United States is the baldest form Of i'm
perialism. The opposition to this bin
plants itself upon this ground. The meas
ure ia imperialism itself In the former
acquisitions to which ! have referred no
such measure as the pending one was
ever proposed or deemed necessary. This
effort. therefore, clearly makes the divid-
ing line between all former acquisitions
and that of Porto Rico II II b. conceded
that the enactment OF the proposed bill
into law is required.
can We not in conformity 10 former
rules and regulations and laws which
controlled US in anneKatiOns of territory
do so now without violating our organic
law? If not, the argument to my mind IS
strong and, perhaps. unanswerabIe tina,
such anneXationS should not be sma1p
They will cost us more II this b. neces-
sery than they can ever be worth.
Taxes Equal and Uniform.
This is a tax measure The power "a
tax is the power 10 destroy. All taxes ara
burdens to be borne. They are borne
without murmur and without complaint
no matter how high they may be. and
Onerous they are, II they are only equal
and uniform in their burden Under our
beloved government. with Constitution
approaching perfection. all IT'S blessings
fall. share and share alike. on all rs
citizens everywhere. and ali its burdens,
great and small, are laid equally on the
people
''The wisest clause In II, perhaps. Is
that one which declares that all taxes
snail be uniform throughout the United
States. When they are unequal. the COM
plants will be loud and long, and will
eventually rend US, and destroy the gov
Representative Richardson then pro-
ceeded with an exhaustive legal argu-
ment to prove that the Constitution ex-
tended over our new possessions, quoting
numerous decisions of the Supreme Court
IL II be conceded that Congress has the
power TO legislate In accordance with tho
provisions Of the pending BILL" he con-
tinued, then the exercise Of such power
would be unwise. If we pass this bin It
will be an act OF bad faith toward The
people OF Porto Rico. We are told that
the inhabitants OF that island welcomed
Gen. Miles and the armies Of the United
States, IN July. 1898 when they invaded
their territory and struck down the power
were assured and confidently believed that
as the tyrannOus sh3ckles Of Spain were
stricken from them they were 10 be adj
mitted TO the immunities and blessings "
our liberal institutions. as well as our
enlightened civilization. We are told our
soldiers were hailed as redeemers. Why
II was because OF the alluring promises
held out to the inhabitants Of the island
by the United States.
Power to Enact Laws.
IT know Il Is in the power or discretion
OF the House TO pass measures directly
contrary to the decisions Of the Supreme
Court, and also III open disregard Of the
advice Of the Chief Executive neverthe-
less feel II my duty before such action
is taken 10 bring 10 the minds and atten-
ton OF members the decisions Of the
court and the advice OF the President. /
shall not assume that II gentlemen arr
reckless enough to disregard the iogm'f
that they will the latter. We have been
fully Informed as 10 the painful con1i-
tons Of the people OF Porto Rico by the
President, by the testimony Of officers OF
the government, who have been there,
and by the evidence OF numerous wit
nesses, who have testified as 20 these
before several committee Of
his body.
Shall we not, then. do our plain duty.
Let us vote down. this most dangerous
bill. am proud TO be able 10 say that i1
my opinion when the roll Is called on i's
passage not a solitary Democratic vote
IN this chamber will be recorded IN i-
favor. All will stand by the Union and 'ar
We revere that instrument
because while 4 Is not perfect. FOR human
perfection has never yet been attained is
the best ever devised by the brain and To-
tellect OF man. IL has been thC hope aal
The stay OF the people for more tnaH
hundred years"
Representative Richardson spoke over
an hour. He was several times lnterrlp'.