The evening times., 1900-03-30
OPPOSED BY Mr.. PROCTOR
The Vermont Senator Talks Against
a Porto Rican Tariff.
lie Comments on the Sudden Change
of Republican Ideas In Dealing
With the IsinEd-The People I5e-
mand Fair Treatment of the Ma
tives-The Plain Duty OF America.


the relief OF Porto Rico was taken up.
and Mr.. Proctor spoke in opposition to the
tariff portion OF the bill.
Mr.. Proctor said. in part:
The outline OF civil government for the
island Of Porto Rico contained in the bill
reported by the Senator from Ohio CAIr.
Foraker) meets my entire appreciation and
witnesses the ability and care which was
exercised in its preparation. But the com
mittee has included in this bill provision
for tariff between the United States and
that island On basis OF 10 per centum Of
the rates 3f duty prescribed 10 the Ding
ley act Of 1887
Il greatly regret that these two meas
ures. naturally separate and distinct.
should be thus combined and still more
I regret that in declining 20 support the
/ tariff provisions Of the bill this unwise
union eompels me to vote against the ex-
celleut governmental features which it
! contains. My remarks will be directed ex-
( clusiyely TO the tariff portion Of the bill.
Let us briefly consider the history Of this
tariff proposition. The President. in his
/ annual message, a document always pre-
pared with great care, after much thought
and consultation with his advisers. saws:
C1A P4aAA uAtg IS 70 aUOIsu LAe customs
tariffs between the United States and PoT-
10 Rico and give her products free access
10 our markets The people OF The United
States know that sentence by heart
The Secretary of War in his very able
annual report had said. The highest con-
sideratiCus Of Justice and good faith de-
mand- that we should not disdppOint the
confident expectation cf sharing in uu7
prosperity with which the people OF Porto
Rico so gladly transferred their allegiance
20 the U1ited States We should treat the
interests o. this people as our own. I wish
msst strongly TO urge that the customs du-
ties between Porto Rico and the United
States be removed Note the words OF the
President. our plain duty" and of the
Secretary, justice and good faith demand
The Change OF Front.
'Following these recommendations a bin
was introduced in this body by the Seua-
tor from Ohio, the chairman Of the com
mittce. giving Porto Rico free trade A
Ike measure was introduced in another
t)dy, bur presto, with little notice or ap-
parent reason bill comes 90 us levying a
tax upon Porto Rican exports and imports
''It is strange that some Of us in lack
% an Official statement OF apparent reason
Tor this sudden SHIFT. should be slow 10
give up a line OF action which we believe
20 De based on principle and justice, which
We believe 20 be The only honest and con-
sistCut cCurse3 II is Charged DO not
know with what truth, If any-tha- this
change was demanded and brought about
by The sugar and tobacco interests. and
also. it is stated by organized labor T.
however have failed TO see Jhat the rep
reseutatves Of this latter interest appear
ed before the committee. IL is practically
admitted that free trade with Porto Rico
does not harm these interests materially.
but they claim that it creates a precedent
that may harm them if adopted in refer
ence 10 the Philippines and Cuba. It viii
be time 20 cross those rivers when we come
20 them. and. la my opinion. the crossing
win no, be difficult when the proper time
comes for action.
Admitting. for the sake Of argument.
that Congress has plendry power under
the Constitution. that right must be in
terpreted in the fair and generous sense
which the American people give 10 that
instrument. ard not given the interpreJa-
tion OF absolutism. We may do many
wrong and foolish things without violating
the Constitution. but it does not follow
that We must do them or ought TO do
them. and I claim. M. President, that
the plain people, the sensible honest
American people, who look at this ques-
ton from no standpoint of interest, who
are not sugar men. nor tobacco men. nor
men who have any commercial or class
interests which il is claimed must be
plscSted by our action. are the best judges
Of what is fair and right and honest. and
chat their judgment in the end must and
viii prevail
Bound TO Deal Fairly.
IF we are not bound by the letter Of the
Constitution, We are bound by justice and
humanity to deal with these questions in
the spirit OF American Institutions and
American civilization. Our nilsson mist
I be 10 prepare these people, who have come
/ by the fortunes Of war under our control.
for self-government according to Ameri-
can ideas, and during this process we
must treat them with absolute Justice and
good faith. The fundamental principle OF
| our Government is that IL must be for the
benefit Of the governed.
The people look upon this as a matter
Of principle, a question OF good faith and
common honesty; and their moral sense
has been shocked and the national heart
and conscience stirred by the fear that this
measure OF taxation will be adopted by
Congress. Let us thank Heaven that we
have a people whose moral sense. whose
love OF justice and fair play. cannot be
trifed with with n1pUnity. The people
! believe as the President did when he wrote
in his annual message, in the formal and
| solemn method for communicating with
| Congress sanctioned by the Constitution
end usage. that our plain duty is to abol-
ish the customs tarin between the United
States and Porto Rico
Americas Plain Duty.
THE Constitution says that the Presi-
/ dent shall from time 10 time recommend
TO the consideration Of Congress such
measures as he shall judge necessary and
( expedient He las told us in this con
/ stituticnal method what is our plain
/ duty and. Mr. President, while that state
ment stands as his solemn judgment Off
/ cially made known TO US, l propose 20 do
! my plain duty as he stated il and as / see
! it
When the people of Porto Rico are
! taxed this 10 per cent on their trade with
us will they not appreciate at its proper
/ value our promise to bestow upon them
the immunities and blessings of the lib
/ eral Institutions of our Government?
! Again. il this bill becomes a law, IL will
| stand greatly in the way Of the develop
/ ment Of that little island. 1t leaves the
\ future in uncertainty: for If we levy tax
| Of Is per cent, the next Congress may levy
| a tax OF 80 per cent. If we adopt free
| trade. it will be accepted by everybody as
a definite policy toward Porto Rico. Bust
| ness interests will know what TO depend
upon, and earital and enterprise will go
| there and sOoa change the deplorable con-
/ ditiOns now existing. Uncertainty will
| paralyZe industry.
But. it is not the effect nf this measure
J upon the people OF Porto Rico which con-
stitutes the greatest objection to this bill
Il is it's effect upon ourselves. II IS the
| rrufafrpese o. ~s-- t-a.