The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-17
HOT SHOT FOR A BIG FINE
CONGRESSMAN MCLEARY, TAW-
NEY, STEVENS, MORRIS AND
EDDY ALL UNDER FIRE
STATE EDITORS AFTER THEM
The More They Try to Explain
Their Attitude ON the Puerto
Ricnn Bill the Worse
1t Gets.


Minnesotas five congressman, McCleary.
Tawney. Stevens, Morris and Eddy, for
their votes on the Puerto Rico measure.
Stevens hasn't had much to say about
his vote but the other four have been
explaining nearly every day for two
weeks. Their explanations do not seem
to help much. as will be seen from the
sentiment OF the editors of the state as
reflected In the following from their pa
pers of recent issue:
Moorhead News: Congressman Frank
M Eddy, of the Seventh district of Min
nesota, has felt himself called upon to
explain his vote for the Puerto Rican
tariff bill. The News does not feel called
at this time to attack him for voting
with his party, inaSmuch as he has given
sufficient ground for criticism in his Eek
PLANTATION" We Will devote our effort
toward the task of showing the incon-
sistencies in his reasons and argument
This the News proceeds to do, conclud-
ing as follows:
Mr.. Eddy deals in little vain glory
and essays to eXaggerate his 1ndepend-
ence as q representative of the people by
saying that he voted for the bill because
the president and other executive officers
had recommended free trade; and yet in
another place he says that the president
assured him that he was in favor of the
bill, and therefore he eddy voted for it.
Eddy expect the misguided and ignorant
Populists and Democrats of the Seventh
district to consider viii reflect the most
credit upon him?
Mr. Eddy also alleges that the Repub-
licans in congress who opposed the bill
did so purely for the sake of notoriety
and to gain favor with their constituents
in standing by the president, such conSttt-
uents having the impression that the
president was opposed to it. If this Is q
correct Interpretation of the position OF
I iftJ OH nd fhn thnr u nYlfYlOl ife1f1
who voted against the bill, 1t puts them
in a far better light than Mr. Eddy puts
himself, as he voted for the bin because
the president was opposed to it, and ne
voted for the bill because the president
assured him personally that he was In
favor of 1t.
Brainerd Arena: One day sending a
message to congress saying that to grant
free trade with Puerto Rico was the high
est duty of congress, and the next day
personally impOrtuntng members or con-
gress to vote for a tariff bill, is the lat
est act of William Mckinley, at once the
weakest sp1ned president and the great
est trimmer in the history OF American
politics.
Albert Lea Tribune: Mr.. Tawney's at
titude does not represent the sentiment
of the majority of his constituents, and
loses to him much of the prestige which
he has had in the past. He IS freely and
openly censured for his position on the
We have always had occasion to sup
port Mr.. Tawney in his public attitude,
but in the present political crisis into
which he and other mistaken members
have forced the Republican party, he
has sacrificed the wishes OF the people
of the First congressional district Of Min
nesota.
Long Prairie Leader: Word comes
from Washington that Page Morris Is
discouraged over the feeling that has
been stirred up against him from home
since his vote on the Puerto Rican bill
and that he Is strongly tempted not to
knew the sentiments Of his constituents
before he voted and has nobody to blame
but himself.
Sleepy Eye Herald: Congressman Eddy,
of the Seventh district, says President
Mckinley is in favor of the Puerto Rican
bill and has told him so. There you have
It. Someone lies.
Waverly Tribune: Our misrepresenta-
tive, Page Morris. also voted with the
majority on the Puerto Rican tariff blll,-
and partly on this account he will vote
with the minority next fall, that is al
ways providing he is nominated. Jadam
Bede ought to take things easy from now
on.
Long Prairie Leader: Senators Nelson
and Davis are both in favor of free trade
between this country and Puerto Rico,
but Page Morris being a greater states
man than either of these gentlemen Is
probably better able to judge than they.
Window Reporter: There is some pecu-
liar reasoning going on in Washington
among the people bull-whipped into line
for Tawney's Puerto Rican bill, and even
Tawney is himself trying to deceive Taw-
ney as to the ,forgetful qualities of the
people. There has not been a bill before
congress in which there has been such
FEELING In many years Congress-
man McCleary and Congressman Tawney
have for years been teaching the people
that the foreigner paid the tax and that
the Republican party believed in free
trade among Americans. McCleary has
talked it in Cottonwood county school
houses and villages, and now he stands
Tor a different policy, and says the people
are mot informed" Tawney saws thew
will forget the question in a couple OF
weeks. No doubt McCleary shares the
same opinion. But these gentlemen are
mistaken. The people know that a prin-
ciple OF protection has been violated
That the men who have taught this min
cfple are the first to deceive the MASSES
or try to. The sentiment against the
Puerto Rican tariff is universal Not
ni1he Denocracg , opposes it. but the Re-
pubilcans as well, almost to a man. All
over this state the Republican press de-
nounces 1t as a high-handed outrage not
only upon upon the party but upon helpless
Cieary cannot say that the newspapers
are not informed" on the question while
they nave been studying it since the pres
1dent requested free trade bill =
No this question will not be forgotten In
couple of weeks If ReDubIica nc can't
remember it. the Democracy will appIv a
IeInedy ior forgetfulness, and the Repub-
heans viii be confronted by the most per
picking question, buraened down to the
gunwales with the overload Of the sugar
and tobacco monopoly.
Granite Falls Journal: If the CONGRESS-
men in the Republican ranks who voted
for the Puerto Rican tariff bill could
have wandered about among their CON
sttuehts since that event unknown to
them, ana thus have heard the remarks
that have been made they would con~ida1
their chances for reelection rather slim.
Window Citizen: The Puerto RIcan far
III bill kicked up such a great ffus+ MI
over the country that the RepnfljranS vi e =
passed the bill have found themselves in
the same unenYiaoie position as -tha 49,
with q tin can tied to its tail. There
have been few bills of late ware ~
nave stirred up a bigger cnnmotion and
those who voted for the rnisera HE 1os e
ure now find themselves with BOILING con-
t' bo1d sta1d nnesotn to its credit, took
stang congressman McCleary. Eddy. Mo-
RS, stevens and Tawney have def1ed Now
let them whistle for denominations.
Brainerd Arena: The bill is q disgrace
to the United States, and RepubIIca M
oaSht TO De ashamed of their work Judge
motifs, our representative. attempts to
JUSTIFY his vote in favor of the bill. bur
his argument is very weak, and he viii
find that a majority of his oousfituentc
cannot swallow it. A great nation ought
70 De able to assist not despol people
CA s TORIA
Tor Tn fonts ond Nh;lI-1-