The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-28
REPuBLrcANs STILL DIVIDED.


The harmony committee and the caucus
failed to bring about an agreement among
the Republican senators on the Porto
Rican bin. The caucus on Monday night
lasted two and half hours. and ended in
an instruction to Senator Foraker who
has charge of the bill, to press the bill,
! as it now stands, to a vote, the under
standing being, however, that he would
offer an amendment putting certain
| articles exported to Porto Rico from this
! country on the free list. The failure to
reach an agreement leaves the Repub-
| Leans in the same troublesome position
they have occupied ever since it became
! evident that there were a number of Re
publican senator's who would not vote for
a bill that denied Porto Rico free trade
with this country. II may be that enough
votes will be secured 10 pass the bill, but
1t is very doubtful. 1t is certain that a
very large element in the Republican
party is so strongly opposed to taxing the
commerce of Porto Rico with this country
that if the congressional elections were
to be held this week the Republican party
would lose control of the House
There are three things which are inhu-
| encing the Republicans in this matter one
is that our representatives in Porto Rico
promised the Porto Rlcans that they
should have free trade with the United
States. To deny them free trade now is
to refuse to fulfil these promises-prom-
ses which the President recognized as
binding in his message to Congress last
December when he said that it was "our
plain duty 10 give the Porto Ricans free
trade The people believe in keeping faith
with the Porto Ricans. They don't want
the nation to 80 on record as having re-
fused to fufll its promises.
Another thing is that the doctrine of pro-
lection has not the hold on the Repub-
lican party that it once had. There was
time when it was easy 10 marshal the
entire Republican host in support of that
doctrine That cannot be done now. Many
things have come to light in the last few
years which convince many Republicans
that the industries of the country are no
longer in need of protection--that they
are able on a free trade basis to compete
successfully with those of other nations.
Still another thing is the feeling that
the effort certain Republicans are max
ing TO save the doctrine of protection is
prompted by the trusts The fact Is rec
ognized that trusts are depending on the
tariff to maintain the robber prices which
they are eXacdng from the people. The
growth of trusts promises to be the death
of the doctrine of protection. 1t is prob
able that the Republicans who are insist
ing va rrpfeptiXra In ba
islation for Porto Rico are in sympathy
with the trusts. Those who are opposing
the doctrine in Porto Rican legislation are
against trusts.
That the doctrine of protection is of
great value to trusts is shown by the re-
Gently published statement respecting the
lead trust. The statement is that the
lead trust, by the aid of the tariff, sells
lead in New York at $40 per 100 pounds,
and in London at $500 per 100 pounds. In
other words it sends lead to London and
sells it in that market for $22 per ton less
than it sells it in this country. Here is
one instance to prove that the protective
tariff is the mother of trusts. There are
many others. Is it to be wondered at that
even Republicans are beginning to turn
against the doctrine of protection?
The revolt in the ranks of the Repub-
leans over the principle of protection has
become serious. If it is not checked be-
fore the presidential campaign begins
public sentiment will run so strongly
against the Republican party that the sue
cess of the Democratic party will be al
most certain. AS it looks now, the only
way 1t can be checked is TO abandon the
doctrine of protection in the legislation for
Porto Rico. But to abondon it in that
case means Its abandonment in the case
of the Philippines. But if it should be
abandoned in me case of the Philippines
would the Republican party be able to
avoid disruption? 1t is doubtful The Re
publican leaders are worried. Their party
is in hole.