The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-06
Mr.. Brick Tells His People Why He
Voted for the Porto Rican Bill
and why He Was Correct.
DEFENSE OF MAJOR STEELE
PRESENTS HIS REASONS In PERSON
TO MARION REPUBLICANS.
Mr. watson Defines His Position
Feeling Still Intense I'm the State
The District Conventions.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
ELKHART, Ind, March 5.-Elkhart Re-
publicans have all arrangements made for
the congressional convention of Thirteenth
district Republicans, to be held at this
place tomorrow. 1t will, in all probability,
be simply ratification meeting, as there is
no opposition to the denomination of Rep
resentative a. l.. Brick, of South Bend.
who is serving his first term and has been
eminently Satisfactory to his constituents,
with the single exception of his vote on
the Porto Rican bill. in which matter he
comes in for share of the criticism
heaped on all representatives who favored
the bill. The feeling here, however, is not
nearly so vehement ii is reported TO be
ir other parts of the State, and the public
is inclined to hope that the representa-
tives and others who advocate the bill have
better reasons for their support than has
been understood The Elkhart Review to-
day publishes long letter from Mr.. Brick,
giving his reasons for supporting the bill.
The letter follows:
at have been earnestly and carefully con-
sdering this question for the last ten days.
and at last see clearly what at first was
enveloped in fog and doubt. My first inn
pulse was to give free trade TO Porto Rico,
just as l contended for in my committee
(Territories) for Hawaii, and which will
be given to Hawaii.
1.-THE President formed his opinion in the
same way upon these lines, as have done
the people, 1 apprehend. over all of the
United States, and as far as Porto Rico is
concerned. as well as Hawaii, l still be-
lieve that the principle, broadly stated,
when 1t can be applied properly, Is and
should be free trade had a talk with the
-4cf6 Lent h. loot hot &c hD
ultimate object-the broad rule-the princi-
pie upon which we stand. But when We
come to present conditions, temporary ex-
pedients. the condition of Porto Rico. their
citizenship, ignorance, tonly Il per cent.
can read or write), the details of practical
legislation in their behalf in the recon
Structive period of our new possessions,
what we do now with Porto Rico and the
Philippines is only tentative, provisional,
temporary, until American genius and time
and events can make them capable of self
government locally, and divine for us what
is the best and most practicable way TO
make them happy.
ITO be practicable is the only way to be
just-a failure in that respect must make
them unhappy and defeat the only party
which shall treat them intelligently. For
us to divide now or make mistake or
act so as TO jar upon the people will defeat
us, just now and In the future, and take
away from Mckinley and our party its ex-
pansion glory and the main issue next fall.
DEMOCRA1S WANT A BREAK.
1.-The Democrats want us to break upon
this rock; they want us to divide upon it:
they want to obstruct they way to ex-
pansion; they want to put up bogie men TO
scare the people next fall. they are for
free trade. So they say that every native
OF every island possession shall have
every right, liberty and law that we have
in Indiana, and should we say and agree
with them that we can not hold and govern
them according to their condition, their
civilization and barbarity, their intelli-
gence and honesty, but must give them
exactly the same law as a State-then ex-
pansion is gone-we must give them up with
that and that means in humiliation, fail
ure In policy, weakness and despair. That
is what they would drive us to and then
oppose us and defeat us.
I'VE can't govern the Sulus as we would
Indianians. That would be impractical But
we can govern them with kindness and
business until they come up to the point
with them when liberty will be freedom,
not anarchy. We are in a state of evolu-
ton as to them now. No one but God
could at the present time pen the act that
would be perfect. So all we do is to
make provisional and temporary legisla-
ton, relieve them. take care of them and
then in the future, when time and events
have clarified our vision then shall we
permanently act for their happiness and
our glory and contentment; and now / get
down to this bill
when Mr.. Mckinley and the others be-
gan to arrange details for the present
emergency there came up the thing that
no one had known of or contemplated
The Porto Ricans were in a deplorable
condition, their country devastated by war
and hurricanes, their coffee plantations
some, their schools destroyed and no funds
Something must be done Immediately roads
must be built. schools rebuilt, coffee plan
tations rejuvenated. involving within the
next two years an expenditure of money OF
from $2.000.O00 to 5000. 900. How should We
do this? We might take this money out
of the treasury of the United States and
out of our pocket. If you please, and make
them a present OF IL and lead them to ex-
pect that sort of thing here and hereafter
Think of it! Take your money to build w
private plantations. roads and schools In
Porto Rico, and make spirit of beg
gary in the already lazy and more or less
shiftlesS population of that island.
Then another eXpedient was thought OF
mortgage the island for s10O00.000 If we
could. and lend them the money. That did
not seem 10 he wise, nor expedient; ii
would certainly not be the best way to
provide for them; the burden would be
too heavy for them and the expedien,
awkward and hard to defend. Then the
thought occurred let us make them dc
something for themselves. make the rich
pay for IL. make the men who were profit
ing pay for IL. do IL by indirect taxation
which mas Deen so sanitary IN the United
States.
well cut off three-fourths of the Ding
ley tariff and let one-fourth remain. The
persons who were doing business with them
would then pay out of their profits, the
poor people would pay nothing the money
would be raised and every dollar of the
tariff be given TO the Porto Rican people
The United States gets nothing and pays
all expenses of the collection. The Porto
Ricans get all of the benefits.
A LIMITED PERIOD.
1.-THE provision is limited to two years
and ii Is estimated that within the two
years there will be enough revenues paiC
in that way TO make Porto Rico a veri
table garden, with roads. schools, revived
industries. prosperity. Before or by thai
time we may have arrived at scheme
OF permanent government.
1.-The real fact Is that the sugar and
tobacco owners would have TO pay a vas
part of their incomes. and 1 am informed
that the trusts control them. and they
would therefore have to pay their DIT,
rata share. large part of 1t. The tariff
IS so small that IL would be infinitesima
as TO raising or lowering the price-in fac
its practical effect is not to raise the pric,
at all in this country, and yet ii will in
some measure allay the fears OF the to