The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-13
M'cLEARY's THIN EXCUSE.
One of HIS Constituents Who VIII
Not Be Fooled by Him.

One of HIS Constituents Who VIII
Not Be Fooled by Him.
To the Editor of the Globe:
inclose copy of Hon. J. T. McCleary' s
speech, which came to me through the
mail, postage paid by Uncle Sam. All my
neighbors claim they have received one,
so conclude the distribution is general
through the Second district. I wish to
call atterftion to one portion of this great
effort of our pedagogue-orator and con-
gressman. namely, "A Temporary Meas
ure," which says:
''As is shown by the preamble and by
section of the bill, 1t is merely tempo
rary expedient to meet a present emer-
gency. 1t Is not to remain in force after
March 1, 1902, at the latest. Before that
time shall have come 1t Is expected that a
plan of civil government for Puerto Rico
will have been devised, generous In its
aims and suitable in. its provisions. I
see no reason to doubt that among those
provisions will be one for free trade with
the United States. 1t is hoped and ex-
pected that by that time the condition Of
Puerto Rico will be so much improved as
to make that the kind and safe policy to
be pursued.
'The question, then, is not in any sense
whether Puerto Rico shall have free trade
with the United States, but whether, un-
der the circumstances, 1t is best for her
to have 1t Immediately The committee
especially charged with framing this leg
islation believes the proposed temporary
arrangement to be both kinder and safer
than immediate free trade, and in that
opinion concur
GAS Is per cent of the average Dingley
rate is only about s per cent ad valorem,
and as all the money collected under this
bill is to be used for the benefit of Puerto
Rico, it will be-seen that the rate Is not
for protection, but for revenue, and that
in spirit the bill is in entire harmony with
the humane recommendation made by the
president in his last annual message"
Do not these words of McCleary' 9
amount to confession that free trade
is Puerto Rico's, right, and that by taxing
her Is per cent we do her wrong?
If free trade1wflI be right March 1, 1902.
why is 1t not right now?
If 1t Is constitutional and right to tax
her now, why give her free trade In
1902?
To tax money away from her wrong
fully and them paysit back Is only to re-
turn stolen goods. 1t may be blessing
to Puerto Rico, but does not justify the
theft.
This promise of our Republican friends
to do right by and by sounds like their
promises to secure international bimetai-
liSm. lower the tariff after the Rebellion
was over, enforce antitrust laws and a
host of similar promises made by the Re-
publican party to the dear people-made
for to catch their votes and for no other
purpose.
How long can our people be fooled by
such promises? Also, how long can they
be fooled by McCleary? Partisans are
usually blind. 1t would seem that at least
some of them should get their eyes open
after WHILE Taxation without repre-
sentation, our grandpas said, was wrong
no matter how small the tax. We're they
right or is the Hon. McCleary right?
I think all honest citizens will say our
grandfathers were right.
Correspondent.
Montevideo. Mimi, April 6. 1900.