The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-03-17
PORTO RICAN TARIFF.
An Authoritative Statement of the
Presidents Position Made by
Cabinet OmcInI.


"There has been wide misrepresentation
OF the Porto Rican tariff bill, OF the atti-
tude of the president, of the action OF con-
gress and of their relations to each other
The criticism and the concern which have
come from some well-meaning quarters are
due almost entirely to a misunderstanding
OF the real facts. When the country cor
rectly understands the truth, as 1t certain
ly will. 1t will thoroughly approve what has
been done.
"The attempt to represent that there has
been a disagreement between the president
and congress is wholly unfounded. There
has been no essential difference between
them. Both have sought the same object.
The recommendation of the president. and
the house bill. In their purpose and effect,
amount to the same thing. As a conse-
quence each rightly sustains the other,
The clouds of confusion on ahe subject
have been clouds of misunderstanding and
will clear away. A simple statement OF the
facts will make this plain.
THE president In his annual message or
December urged that the customs duties
on trade between Porto Rico and the Unit
eG States be removed. Imports from Porto
Rico into the United States have been and
are now paying the Dingley rates They
have no preference over goods from any
foreign country. The president felt that
Porto Rico should be relieved of this bur-
den. He urged that II should be removed
not as matter OF legal right. but OF lib
eral and humane public policy. His argu-
merit indicated his reasons and suggested
his view as to the question of constitutions
al obligation. Porto Rico. severed from
Spain, had lost her old markets and had
gained none In their place. She had been
devastated by hurricane and left destitute.
Humanity dictated every effort to lift her
up and to give her a new market This was
the presidents plea, and what need of such
plea If the constitution OF itself carried
free trade to Porto Rico? In that case free
trade goes to her whether right or not.
What the president proposed was that
the United States should offer the largest
and most generous measure of help to the
distressed and suffering island. and he has
never wavered single instant in the OBJ
ject he sought. Had his suggestion been
accepted and followed by all In his spirit
and as he meant It. with the limitations he
intended. all would have been well. There
would have been no harm In any direc-
ton.
"But when the time came for action In
congress two tendencies were SEEN On
the one hand there were good men and
some business and agricultural interests
that, while not objecting. or little objecting.
to free trade with Porto Rico alone, feared
that free trade with Porto Rico would be
made a precedent for free trade with the
Philippines. They felt that there should
be distinct assertion and exercise of the
power to impose duties however small, as
an assurance that this power was reserved
for other cases D..
ION the other hand, what the president
proposed as "A worthy act of national gem
crosby and liberal policy was seized by po-
litical opponents and claimed as n neces-
sary and inevitable measure OF inherent
constitutional right. They insisted that
the constitution by It's own force extends
to Porto Rico and all the new island pos
"a md do oil ytst.s,
them including uniform taxation They
were eager to commit republican con-
gress to the adoption of free trade with
Porto Rico, not as a measure of generous
expediency, but because they could then
claim that 1t had riveted a hard and fast
principle which would tie the hands of the
government everywhere. in the Philippines
as well as In Porto Rico. without regard to
varying conditions, and which would ex-
pose the administration and it's party to
oil the criticisms and attacks that would
be made on such a position.
1T was a cunning game. but II did not
succeed. The apprehension of the homes.
DIRECTORS who feared that the concession
Of full free trade to Porto Rico would lead
to misconstruction, and the designs of the
crafty partisans who meant that 1t should
were both met and frustrated by the bill
which passed the house and which levies
ID per cent, or less than one-sixth of the
Dingley rates. That low rate involves no
possible hardships. 1t has the advantage
OF producing needed revenue which, until
civil government and law are fully organ
lied in Porto Rico cannot be raised as well
from any other source.
There was another point which was not
generally understood. The bill provides
that the whole amount of duties on goods
coming from Porto Rico shall be paid back
to Porto Rico for the benefit of the island
Thus II fully harmonizes with the object at
which the president aimed. of relieving the
trade of Porto Rico from burdensome re-
strictions and OF extending the largest de.
gree of help; and when 1t was crowned by
the presidents special message promptly
carried out by the house, providing no.
only that the duties hereafter collected,
but that those heretofore collected to the
amount of 81. 0O0. 600, should be appropriated
to be expended wholly In Porto Rico for her
development and Improvement absolutely
no ground was left for any pretense that
the policy of the president and congress
was In the slightest degree harsh and
oppressive.
Nobody can understandingly object to
the Is per cent. duty all paid back to Porto
Rico on the ground that 1t Is unfair and
hard towards Porto Rico He can under
standingly object, only on the claim that
there Is no power to levy any duty
at all, and such claim would leave
the president and congress- powerless
anu htipicSS III TIC PINES as well
as In Porto Rico Between a Is per
cent duty as provided by the oongression-
al bill, every cent of which Is to be returned
to Porto Rico. that island also getting all
collected at the other end. and the removal
of customs duties as suggested by the
president for humanity's sake, there is abb
solutely no difference whatever in prac-
teal results. In both everything is for HUI
manity. Congress was aiming at the same
result as the president, and the president
rightfully accepts the act of congress The
representation that either was not In ac-
cord with the other disregards every essen
tial element In the case.
But between u 10 per cent. duty and free
trade as a constitutional right going neces-
sarily and instantly wherever new land
may be acquired, there Is the world wide
difference between reserving full dis
cretionary power to deal with the new pos
sessions as their varying interests and
ours may require. and leaving no dis
cretionary power In congress whatever.
And this Is the real Issue which has been
congress. The country Is starting out on
a new departure and on a new experiment,
and II Is of the highest Importance. for our
own safety as well as for the welfare o.
the new peoples who have come under the
flag, that we should leave ourselves free to
deal with each case as its own merits de-
mand The claim which insists that free
trade goes by legal right to Porto Rico
would bind us hand and foot"
wheeler to Claim His Seat.
Washington, March 9.-Gen. Joseph
Wheeler, now in San Francisco, tele-