The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-04

tution IS tES-e, under our oatnS, IL Is
| here
Fourth. The Constitution of the United
| States provides that all duties. imposts.
and excises must be uniform throughout
| the United States 1t will be observed
| that this limitation of power is part of
| the very sentence which provides that Con-
gress may levy duties. imposts, etc.
This limitation is not even separated
| by period from the grant of power TO
us. The Limitation does not apply TO
taxes, but the word taxes is umitte..
in the Limitation. and it is provided that
Representatives and direct taxes shall be
| appCrtioned among the several States, SO
while it might be possible to have diff
| ferent plan OF taxation in Porto Rico and
| Alaska. yet when the Government goes
into the realm of collecting imNnst duties
those duties must be uniform through
| out the United States.
If Porto Rico is not a part of the
| United States, we ought TO cover her with
| the protecting arm of the Monroe Doctrine
and let her people fix their own schedule
| and We protect ourselves with the regular
| tariff or treaties OF reciprocity. II Porto
| Rico is a part of the United States, as
| believe the Supreme Court of the United
| States has decided it is. then We have
no more right to put an impost duty be-
tween Porto Rico and the United States
| than We have 10 put duty between Wash
ington and New York.
Unless you can get the Supreme Court
to stultify and reverse itself, there is but
one way to levy a tariff upon the people
OF the United States to prevent their trad
ing with the rest of the United States.
You must amend the Constitution to do it.
You must strike out that clause OF the
Constitution which says all duties must
be uniform. l beg you TO count the cost
OF such an amendment.
Mr.. Culberson who was the next speak
er. also made an argument against the bill
1t was his first Senate speech and he was
accorded very close and respectful hear
ing particularly on the Democrat side
of the chamber. He declared the tarin
provision of the bill to be indefensible,
either on moral, economic, or constitu-
tional grounds. There had been. he said,
a great change in the Republican party
of late years. 1t had set up the new doc
trine of commercial greed. The attempt
here was - carry into Porto Rico the
power of the United States un-ccompa-
MED by the Constitution. 1t was tarnish
on the fair fame of the Republic. The
skirmish line of the imperial forces had
been thrown forward.
Mr.. Clay also opposed the bill. He
quoted the Presidents message in favor Of
a Territorial form Of Government for Porto
Rico and argued that the President could
only speak to the Senate in one way and
as the President had not spoken TO the
Senate in that way he tMr. Clay) took
the position that the President was against
the pending bill The Senator from New
York tMr. Depew) had advised Mr.. Clay 5
colleague tMr Bacon) to make haste and
get on the band wagon. as there was only
twenty-four hours left. but. said Mr.. Clay.
that party falls from grace so fast that
if we want to get on the band wagon we do
not know where TO find it,
Supporting the Hill.
Mr.. Ross spoke in support Of the bill
He thought it would be unwise to oxtend
the Constitution to Porto Rico b. act Of
Congress. and that it would be wise 10
make haste slowly" AS 10 irse trade
with the island, he believed that it wod, d
be established as soon as that could lie
done with safety 10 all interests involved.
The provisions establishing a tariff in
Porto Rico did not meet his approval, oCt
so lcng as a bill had the consensus OF tie
majority necessary for its passage men
had to yield their individual judgments.
For those reasons, briefly expressed, re
should vote for the pending measure
Mr. Teller stated some reasons Why he
voted against the bill. He said he would
not vote against it because it imposed a
duty on Porto Ricsi goods. imported into
the United States. He did not object TO
that. lie belevcI that the United States
had ample power TO maintain Porto Rico
as colony, and to legislate for it without
making il part OF the United Statas. He
would not have colony governed accord
ing TO the old English idea Of governing
colonies. He would give the people Of
an American colony the right of self-gog-
ernment. He would recognize that great
fundamental principle which had existed
long before the Declaration of ILle pend
ence-that Just powers OF government are
derived from the consent of Ife goseTned.
Mr.. Bacon described what he called the
evolution of the bill from its first pro-
visions until the present ones were taken
up. The first bill. he said, had been one
establishing free territory and free trade
for Porto Rico, and had commanded uni
verssl approval on both sides OF the cham
ber. But it had been recommitted more
than once. At first 1t had come back with
two important changes. 1t still contained
a provision recognizing the inhabitants of
Porto Rico as citizens of the United States
and provision for a Delegate in Congress,
but after another "ecommittal those fea-
lures had been eliminated. The changes,
Mr.. Bacon said. had been necessitated by
to allow tariff to be established between
Porto Rico and the United States.
Mr.. Wellington said that he had given
his full assent and approval to the bill
as first reported by Mr.. Foraker because
it had contemplated scheme of govern
ment. under the Constitution. wise, benef-
cent and just. But that bill had been dis
csrded and relegated to the waste basket.
But the pending bill, he declared, vio-
lated every principle of patriotism good
faith. and justice. Il was a Legislative
monstrosity," and therefore he was COM
PEELED to part from the ranks of the Re-
publican majority and to vote against the
bill. The principles of the Government
demanded his opposition to it, The OBJ
servati0n of national honor required it. The
Constitution provided for it; and justice
and equity all pointed the way to it,
Mr. Foraker in Reply.
Mr.. Foraker, in charge of the bill. re-
piled to the various criticisms and objec-
tions made to it. He declared that there
had been not,ieg unusual connected with
the measure There had been no compuI-
sion whatever on anybody TO change his
mind about it. Il had been said a few
days ago by the Senator from Georgia (Mr
BaconD that there had been compulsion to
effect changes in the bill. That was not
true. There had been some changes made
and he would pont them out 1t was true
that the first bill did provide for free trade;
but it had been explained time and time
again why that had been changed to q
duty of l. per cent Of existing tariff rates.
Mr.. Proctor enduired whether the rea-
sons had not been known to General Davis,
The Secretary OF War, and the President
before the first bill had been reported.