The National tribune., 1900-03-01
In CONGRESS-.
Synopsis of the More Important
Proceedings of Both Houses.

In The Senate on Feb. 10 the bill for
Government for Hawaii was taken up.
Mr. Cullom. in charge of the measure
explained its provisions section by section
celebrating the necessarily condenSet
language of the bill.
Mr.. Tillman was disposed to criticize
the bill. as indicated by his Interruptions
of Mr.. Cullom, because property and edu
cational qualifications for voters and Office
holders were required. inaSmuch as OBJ
jectiOns were raised III this country to South
ern States demanding similar qualitica
tions of their voters.
Mr.. Cullom said the matter had been
considered most carefully by the Foreign
Relations Committee, and as a means of
protecting the interests of the islands and
their citizens from disorder and confusion
the restricted suffrage quail fication had
been adopted. No discrimination was
shown against any race or class of people
in Hawaii. Under the bill all were treated
with absolute equality
In the House on Monday the Porto Rican
tariff bill was considered in Committee of
the Whole.
Mr. Payne. in charge of the bill. opened
the debate with carefully prepared argu-
ment in support Of the measure. He was
listened 10 with marked attention.
He compared the riginal bill with the
substitute brought forward after mature
deliberation. as the original. he said. would
not produce enough revenue 10 meet the
EXPENSES Oh TIE ''pNelIlltllt. 1 iC SiibS'l'-
tute imposes duty equal TO our own tariff
upon all articles imported from abroad,
other than those of the United States. INTO
Porto Rico, and "A duty equal 10 % per cen
tum of the rates of our own tariff laws
on all articles imported into Porto Rico
from the United States or from Porto Rico
into the United States.
The best estimates that can be obtained
show that this Will produce a revenue Of
81. 5000 from customs duties, which
added TO the internal revenues of the island
will produce 81, ,300.00 sum sufficient
to pay all the expenses of the Government.
including the postal service and also S325,-
600 for the public schools. The total
estimates of Gen. Davis for the eXpendi-
lures is 81, $4,000 The remission of 15
per centum of the duties on sugar and
tobacco. which are now paid means an
annual increase Of income 10 these people
of S2,300.Oo0. This means the lifting of
mortgage from many small plantation.
better wages for the laborers. more money
in circulation, and greater general pros
perity. 1t means hope instead OF despair
1t means announcement 10 the other agrl-
cJIlturists who Will be stimulated by the
prosperity of their neighborS 10 restore their
own broken fortunes.
That the income under this bill will
increase from year 10 year there can be
no doubt: that il will restore prosperity
and give new life and enterprise 10 the
people Is equally true. This will open up
new channels for direct taxation without
proving a burden 10 the people. and the
time will not be far distant when public
improvements all over the island will be
complete and schoolhouSe esta blished in
every community beneath the folds of the
American flag" He claimed that the bill
would not iniure any American interest.
But" he continued, "our constitutional
power is questioned. In respect TO Porto
Rico we are not hampered by treaty stipula-
h. =
absolute power. But now the
opposition say this is imperialism. You
are but re-echong the cry of the opposition
of a hundred Years ago. Still The ma
lority moved on. and the J I1"rican people
approved their course. Tie Territory of
Louisiana i'll the plenary lowers given
TO the President. survived and fiourished
until 1912, when part of it was organized
into the Territory of Missouri, with a Legis-
lature at that late day composed OF Legis-
lative Counsel appointed by the Presi-
dent and an Assembly elected by the people.
Here again We had Imperialism. but the
fathers wisely waited until this people
were fit for self-government before they ex-
tended the limitations and the privileges
of the Constitution TO them. The same is
true Of the Territory of Florida.
Pass this bill. which even the gentle
man from Massachusetts (Mr. McCall)
admits is a well-consdered measure from
fiscal standpoint. and give them better
markets and abundant revenue. Do not
tie down their destinies to the whim of the
80 per cent. illiterate or TO the caprice Of
the 10 per cent. of the educated who have
known no government except Spanish
rule. Keep them all in leading strings until
You have educated them up to the full
stature of American manhood and then
crown them with the glory of American
citizenship In the meantime give them
all the rights accorded 10 our own people
Under the Constitution cpnsiStapt baiy ~
best interests and happiness"
MIR. Richardson in opposition, said in
part:
The bill is framed upon the idea and as
sumption that Congress enters upon the
government OF Porto Rico unrastraiaed by
the provisions OF the Constitution. This
We deny. Those OF us who oppose this
measure, ] believe. without exception.
maintain that .he bill cannot be enacted
into law without n total disregard and vio-
latlon OF not simply the spirit, but the cx-
press letter OF the Constitution.
The Democratic party has always
favored proper. expansion. Those of us
opposing this measure are not basing our
oppoSItfon TO 1t on the ground that il is n
measure Tor expansion. This is not a
measure OF expansion. Lepisla-
ton by Congress for the island AT once
makes IT a part of the United States. If
this bill passes IL must follow that il is thea
a part Of the United States.
ms Delilg true the proposition which
this bill carries for unequal taxation of
the island rs a portion of the United States
is the boldcSt form of imperialism. Tho
opposition 10 this bill plants itself upon
this ground. The measure is ifnpari-
alism itself In the former acquisitions 10
which have referred no such measure as
the pending one was eyer proposed or
deemed necessary. This effort. Therefore.
q clearly marks the dividing limo between all
former acquisitions, and that of Porto
Rico. If il be conceded that the enactment
OF the proposed bin into law is required"
Mr.. DalZell. of PENNSYLVANIA, second
ranking member Of the Ways and Means
Committee, madc 4 close legal aud cons:i:,i-
tonal argument in support of the conten-
ZION OF the ma jority that tie Constitution
did not extend over our ncR. possessions
In the Senate on Feb. 20 an amendment
to the Hawaiian bill offered by Senator
Warren, OF Wyoming. was accepted blr
Warren was one of the first advocates of
home rule for the Territories. securing the
first expression in thai direction from n
Republican National Convention and writ
ing the home rule plank of the Republican,
platform OF 1888. His amendment. which
was formally adopted. provides:
Provided however, That the Legislature
OF the Territory Of Hawaii may at any time
after Jan. /. 1903, submit To the lawfully
qualified voters of such Territory such
changes and notifications in the quail