The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-10
1T is AN AMERICAN ISLAND.
WHY PORTO RICO SHOULD BE CIV
EN- FREE TRADE.

Senator Lindsay Points Out the Diff
ference Between Porto Rico and
the Phiiippincs-PortOR Rico Is Cut
on From Free Trade with Spain
and Cuba, and Ii Is Unjust to Inn
pose the Tariff-Case of the Philip
pines.
Washington, March 9.-The feature of
the open session of the Senate to-day was
a speech by Mr. Lindsay of Kentucky, on
the Porto Rican tariff and government
measure.
Mr.. Lindsay opposed the tariff provs-
ion of the bill and some parts of the prop
osition for the Porto Rican government.
He ma ntained that under the treaty of
Paris which provided that the civil rights
and political status of the native inhabi-
tants of the islands acquired by the
United States from Spain shall be fixed
by Congress, the Congress had authority
to deal with Porto Rico and the Philip
pines as it saw it-giving free trade to
the one and levying a tariff on the pro-
ducts of the other. He held that action by
the United States as to Porto Rico did
not bind it to act similarly as to the
Philippines. He opposed, too, the dogma
that the constitution extended, ex-proprio
vigore, over the territory acquired by this
government.
MIR Allison of Iowa reported from the
Committee on Appropriations the House
bill making available for use in the island
the customs duties exacted from the ist-
and of Porto Rico from Oct. IS, 1888, 10
Jan. l, 1900, amounting to $2,O95, 49, and
gave notice that he would can up the
measure tomorrow. He said as the meas
ure was we'll understood he hoped and
believed ii would lead to no extended de-
bate
In his speech, Mr. Lindsay of Kentucky
stamped as singuiariy unfortunate tne Sc
lection of Porto RICO as the subject for
establishing the principle that our recent
Spanish territorial acquisitions are not
per Sc integral portions OF the United
States. Porto Rico he pointed out es-
sentaJly an American country of which
there IS no reason 10 preclude The aGmis-
sion as a stale at some future tine This
was not true with regard TO the Philip
pines or Hawaii. This, he declared, is a
union of American states and must so re
main 10 the end. He condemned both the
Senate and House BINS.
They Are Citizens.
Taking issue with Senator Foraker's
contention that citizen In the Paris
treaty merely meant a person owing ale
glance to the government, the Senator said
that in that sense the adoption of the Thir-
tenth amendent to the federal constitu-
ton made every freedman a citizen. With
500 900 American citizens inhabiting an
American island less than 1000 square
miles in extent, he said it seemed prepos-
ferrous to say that their country is not an
integral part of the United States, and be-
ing so, we must tax and govern them in
with the federal constitution.
Mr. Lindsay considered decisions of the
Supreme Court, which were relied on to
gore follows the flag, but said the ques-
ton raised by the treaty of Paris never
had been before that court.
He suggested that IL was not the bust
ness of Congress to make cases for the
Supreme Court, and as an Independent
and coequal department Congress should
decide primarily what its constitutional
powers are.
The dcctr,ne that the constitution of the
United States follows the flag and that
no country to which title may be acquir-
ed. whether by treaty or conquest. could
be held and governed Otherwise than as
an integral portion Of the United States,
did not commend itself to him.
He said the Asiatic countries ceded by
Spain cannot be incorporated into our
union. nor their people admitted TO citi-
zenship.
wants Absolute Free Trade.
Closing with the announcement that he
would vote to amend the bill so as to pro-
vide for absolute free trade, he said:
II insist that we may legislate for Porto
Rico and its people In the broadcast spirit
OF Justice and generosity without endan-