The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-04-27
rHE pREslpENr IS RIoHT.
Common. Sense View of the True In
wardness OF the Puerto Rican Matter

wardness OF the Puerto Rican Matter
The men who have rushed Wildly
into criticism of the administration
and the Republican party because OF
the Puerto Rican tariff bill, including
some Republicans who spoke before
the facts were all within their knowl-
edge, are commended to the expression
of opinion by President Mckinley. IL
Is identical with the editorial view OF
the question taken by the Post-lntelii-
gencer. and is absolutely unassailaDle
in principle and in fact.
Mr.. Mckinley prefers, as the POST
Intelligencer prefers, entire free trade
between the United States and Puerto
Rico. He has not changed MS mihu
on this subject nor have we we 40
not regard the difference between free
trade with our new possession ana
duty of Is per cent of the rates carried
by the Dingley act as vital either way.
1t will make no great difference to us
nor to the Puerto Ricans, except that
it will put money into their treasury
and none into ours. But free trade be-
| tween us is the ideal condition.
The party in the house was forced
from this position by the radicals on
the other side, REINFORCED by few OF
its own extremists. By the speeches OF
these men another issue than expedi-
ency was introduced. 1t was contended
by them that Puerto Rico must have
absolute free trade, not in fairness,
but as a legal right 1t was held to be
the due of those people under the con-
stitution; and acquiescence In thls
doctrine would have bound us for all
time to come with reference to the
Philippines as well as to Puerto RICO.
1t was impossible to ratify this the
ory. Yet the course of the debate and
the attitude of the press were such that
there was only choice left between
two extremes. Either we must impose
some trifing duty, or we must an
nounce that all territory acquired came
within all of the provisions of the con-
stitution as applied to the states OF
this union, reverse the policy anu
precedents of a century, and tie our
hands in the important work that we
have to do in the far east. This Is the
argument which constrains President
Mckinley, as it has constrained us, 10
agree to the imposition of slight tax
to vindicate general principle rather
than to hold free trade with Puerto
Rico at the price of conceding the new
{ false and fatal theory of the constitu-
ton which the Democratic party have
bound up with it.
1t is still possible that the senate
may find a way out of this choice be-
tween evils. 1t would seem practicable
to amend the house bill by abolishing
the duty, if there were incorporated
in it a clause denying in the strongest
terms any constitutional compulslon,
and asserting the unimpaired right OF
congress to legislate at its will on all
matters relating to new territoy Or
if this is not DONE a decision OF the
Supreme court will settle the question
presently, and the Puerto Rican tariff
| may be repealed without danger AS
| matters stand today, however, the
president is right and he is consistent
| We suggest that those Republican
| newspapers in the state of Washing
| ton that have complained of his course
and the policy of the party before all
the facts were clearly stated should
study the subject anew in the light OF
his utterances and of the explanations
that have appeared in our columns
Seattle Post-lntelligencer.