The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-20

eoSeSof m n oFvo1, 5tSmaeh, LivoFand KID
neyE Sold ~ dEpggistS. 80, andbDe'
by the prosperity of their nelghbOrS.
to restore their own broken fortunes
Il Means Schools.
'That the Income under this bill will
increase from year to year there can be
no doubt; that II win restore prosper
lily and give new life and enterprise to
the people Of this island Is equally true,
This viii open up new channels for dl-
rect taxation without proving a burden
to the people, and the time viii not be
far distant when public improvements
all over the island VIII be complete and
a school house established In every
community beneath the folds Of the
American flag.
''Nor win this hill injure any interests
In the United States. With sugar at
Is per cent Of the present duties the
beet sugar industry viii still grow and
prosper; forty thousand tons a year
ago, and one hundred thousand tons
this year. It ls destined in the near fu-
ture to supply the place Of all we Inn
port. As I had occasion to say in clos
ing the debate on the conference re-
port on the Dlngley bill, with a beet
sugar factory in every congressional
district it viii solve the question Of the
sugar trust
Interests Identical.
Nor does the American tobacco
grower fear the Importation of this
four million pounds of tobacco. It will
furnish a new market for the wrapper
which he produces and will bring him
gain Instead Of loss, We believe that
the best interests OF the people Of
Porto Rico and the best interests Of
the United States are both subserved
in this bill.
'Rut our constitutional power is ques-
toned. do not propose to go into a
discussion of the dIctum of the supreme
court or any decision bearing on this
question. 1 find no case where the
question was directly involved or which
Is decisive.
ut Is now universally conceded that
we have the power to acquire territory
by conquest or by treaty. hnd no
limit In the constitution to this power.
We Have Absolute Power.
"In respect to Porto Rico, we are
not hampered by treaty stipulatIon5 or
by act of Congress. There has been no
law extending the constitution over the
island. In this 1t differs from the status
of every formerly acquired territory.
We have absolute power. This was
claimed in the debate on the Louisiana
case, and this contention prevailed.
This principle was affirmed by Webster,
Story and Benton, and long list of
statesmen and jurlsts.
The Cry of Imperialism.
But now the opposition say this is
imperialism. You are but re-eehoing
the cry OF the opposition of a hundred
years ago, stlll the majority moved on
and the American people approved
their course. The territory of Loulsi-
ana in the plenary powers given to the
president survived and fiourished until
1912, when part of It was organized into
the territory Of Missouri, with a legls-
lature at that late day composed of a
legislative council appointed by the
president and on assembly elected by
the people. Here. again. we had Inn
perlallsm, but tho fathers wisely wait
ed until this people were ut for self
government before they extended the
limitations and the privileges Of the
constitution to them. The same Is
true OF the territory Of Florida. Only a
year and a half ago Congress, by a
two-thlrds vote in the house and two
thirds vote in the senate, annexed Ha-
wall by an act modelled after, the FlorI-
do and Louisiana acts, The debate was
strong and furious, but according to
my recollection, no gentleman In the
opposition raised the cry Of imperial
ism against the manner in which Con-
gress asserted the right to Its absolute
power to provide any sort OF govern
ment for this new territory, Nor Is
there danger In all this. Congress, rep
reseRtlns the American people, is never
swift to put the power OF governments
into the hands of any people of the ter
ritory belonging to the United States.
Educate Them as Americans.
AS for the people OF Porto Rico.
would move az fast as their own good
viii warrant. Pass this bill, which
even. the gentleman from MHssaehu-
sstts, (MeCaln. admits is wGll-con-
sidered measure from fiscal stand
point. ana give them better markets
and abundant revenue. Do not tie
down their destlnles to the within OF 90
per cent Iillterate or to the caprice OF
the 10 per cent of the educated, who
have known no government except
Spanish mIsrule. Keep them all in
leading strings until you have educa-
ted them up to the full stature Of
American manhood and then crown
them with the glory OF American cItl-
senshlp: In the meantime give them
ali tho rights accorded to our own peo-
pia under the constitution consistent
with their best interests and happiness.
The Philippines.
"What shall we do with the Philip
pines? First stamp out lnsurrectlon