The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1900-03-24
Washington, ID. G., News.
From our Regular Correspondent
Washington, March 19, 1900.

The nightmare labeled "Porte
Rico Tariff still hevers over the
pillows of prominent Republicans
and destroys their rest. Confer
ences are held every day with Mr..
Mckinley by Senators who favor
free trade, and the odd thing is
that both classes of Senator'S talk
as though they believe Mr.. Nc
Kinley to be en- their side. All
sorts of propositions are being
advanced by Republican Senators
to avoid anything like an open
rupture in their party ON this
question, one of them being to
continue the debate until the
close of the session without al
lowing the bill to come to a vote,
and another to load it up with all
sorts of amendments and then
defeat it by an overwhelming
vote. The dodge in either of
these expedients would be so pal
pable that it is hardly conceivable
that the Republican leaders will
be foolish enough to allow either
to be adopted. The Republican
party is in contrel of all branches
Of the government, and for it to
fail to place itself on record b5
positive legislation on this ques-
tion, would be an acknowledge
ment of weakness that would be
absolutely certain to drive the
party from power. That is why
they will have to patch up some
sort Of legislation.
It was by strict party vote.
excepting Senator Lindsay, of
Kentucky who voted with the Re
publicans, that the Senate tabled
Aliens amendment to the Porte
Rico bill, declaring that by fierce
of the Paris Treaty of Peace the
Constitution of the United States
was extended over Porto Rico
and its inhabitants, and the pre-
vious talk of some of the Re
publican Senators made their
votes somewhat surprising, as a
vete to table the amendment was
equivalent to a vote in favor of
the contention that Congress can
legislate for our new possessions,
regardless of the Constitution.
By a coincidence the vote was
taken just after. Senator Chiffon
had made speech, in which he
said Z: sour Constitution goes to
Porto Rico. It goes everywhere
that the American power goes,
and it is a shame to our preten-
sions that the first act of an Amer
ican Congress in dealing with our
new acquisitions from Spain
should be an effort to deny to
that people the highest right OF
freemen-the protection of a
written Constitution. Il seems
like travestry to hold that Con-
gress, which is the creature of
the Constitution, can legislate
for anybody or anything in disre-
gard of the terms of that Censti-
tion.
That alleged offer of the good
Offices of this government to fa-
cilitate negotiations for peace be-
tween Great Britain and the
Dutch Republics in South Africa,
was confrmatory rather than
otherwise of the belief that an un-
derstanding exists between the
Mckinley administration and the
present British government. It
enabled Mr.. Mckinley to make
an attempt to sooth the numerous
Republican sympathizers with the
two struggling republics, by pre-
tending to do something, and at
the same time give Lord Sails
bury just what he wanted-an ex-
cuse to serve notice on the pow
ers Of Europe, through his an
swer to the alleged offer of eur
geod Offices that no mediation
would be tolerated by Great Brit
ain, and that the conquest of the
fNsenepublics would be pushed to
a concfspion as originally planned.
If that was not the result of an
understanding between the British
Government and the Mckinley
administration, it was one of the
eldest condolences that ever &C
Cured.
Foreign policies are not the
only things that this administra-
ton is copying from European
| nations. Secretary Long has
| created Board to be known as
the Naval Pelicy Beard, ceres
ponding to general staff of Euro
pean navies, which viii contrel
| our navy both in peace and war.
Admiral Dewey is head of the
] new board. Inasmueh as oul
Navy has got along for mere than
4 century, during which it has
won some of the greatest victo-
1 ries ever fought on water, the
reason for such a radical depar-
ture is not apparent. Less rec
i tape, not more, would seem to be
what is needed. AS long al
/ Dewey is at the head of tht
Board, ne fear need be felt about