The Washington weekly post., 1900-04-03

| the Constitution had been extended could
not Be disposed Of By the Congress. ana
demanded to know how we could proceed
] 20 establish a stable government under
/ the Constitution in the Philippines. for
| instance. and then later cede the islands
/ either TO another nation or TO the Fill
plnos themselves. IL the Constitution ex-
tended over the acquired territory auto
maticzily that territory never could be
cedsd away.
Can Congress eede back the Gsdsdsn
/ purchaser inquired Mr.. Pettus
Il think So Mr.. Spooner replied, but
/ 1t cannot eede away Alabama"
NO" said Mr.. Pettus: The widest Re-
| publican would not so 50 far as that. The
/ Constitution Is In New Mexico. however.
1T is there only by statute replied
( Mr.. Spoouer But IL the Constitution had
( gone there OF its own force Congress
would have 10 power 10 Cede II back.
At some length Mr.. Spooner drew dis
| tinction between the taxes placed by Con-
gress on acquired territory and on the
States. In this instance the tariff was
I levied not for the nation, but for Porto
( Rico. TIE tax, he said, was tax on the
articles OF production and not duty paid
for entering the products into the United
States.
Mr.. Spooner declared there would be no
mercy IN extending TO Porto Rico the In
ternal revenue taxes of the United
StateS-taxes which were levied upon the
citizens of every Territory OF the United
S;ates-and nothing more brutal could
be devised by Congress than the free
trade proposition in the first draft OF the
FortO Rico bill"
An aIlusion being made further along to
the lobby which Mr.. SpOoner said was
urging free trade with Porto Rico. Mr..
R4pOn cd r1 nrs>Qr er
before the committee"
Yes" retOrted Mr. Spooner; "and did
the committee pay attention to himT'
TT looks So" replied Mr.. Bacon. THE
committee did what he demanded
Says n Free Trade Lobby Is Here.
The idea that the Congress OF the Unit
ed States can be influenced to do injustice
10 the people of Porto Rico declared Mr..
Spooner vehemently. by Mr. Oxnard or
by any protected interest Is libel on our
institutions that ought not 10 be uttered
here and ought not TO find lodgment any
where. 1 want to repeat that large and
Industrious lobby-and say what know
is here endeavoring to induce Congress
to pass free trade bill"
Il don't think" interjected Mr.. Bacon.
tartly. that any one OF that lobby has
deemed 1t to his interest to speak to any
ScldlOT Oh THIS Slue VI the
Mr.. Foraker in charge of the bill, said
Mr.. Oxnard had appeared before the COM
mfttee. but since the day OF his appear
ance he Foraker) had not seen him.
In answer to a question by Mr.. Turley
as to the source whence the revenue would
be derived under the pending bill, Mr..
Spooner said:
II say il comes from the sugar trust and
its importers or from the rich sugar pro-
ducers on the island. In either event 1t is
right. 1t comes from the right spot and it
will go TO the right spot"
Did l understand the Senator from
Wisconsin to say" said Mr.. Turley, that
free trade with Porto Rico would be of
benefit only TO the trusts"
That Is what / said" replied Senator
Spooner. ''and I stated the fact"
Then, why is it proposed to give Porto
Rico free trade in two years.? queried the
Tennesseean.
Mr.. Spooner concluded with an earnest
appeal for the passage OF the measure
holding that the enactment of the bill into
law would be the wise, just, and gener-
Gus thing to do
MIR. Perkins for the Bill.
Mr. Perkins. Of California, one Of the
members of the committee which framed
and reported the pending bill, next ad-
dressed the Senate in support OF the
measure. He said that Porto Rico had
been thrust upon the United States by the
war with Spain. The customs and be-
iiefs of the people were not those of An
glo-Saxons. They were not Americans.
and could not become such until they had
passed through the stages OF develop
ment which had elevated the type OF cltl-
Zenship of the United States. The United
States was dealing with questions entire
ly different from those ever heretofore
presented. Congress was called upon 10
legislate for people entirely foreign to
our institutions, and a union with us
could come only after they had become
Americanized-
Self government and self-support. Mr..
Perkins said, in conclusion, were INSOFAR
able. They never would be qualified for
the one without ability for the other. The
proposed tariff would tend to make them
self supporting, and he believed the prom
osition was as fair as any that had ever
been suggested.
MIR. simon's Opposition.
In a brief speech, Mr.. Simon, of Ore
gon, declared that he should vote against
the pending measure. He did not regard
1t as party measure, and while he dis
liked to separate from the majority on
the Republican side of the chamber, he
felt fully justified in his course. He was
assured. he said. that the people of Ore
gon were entirely in accord with him in
opposing the measure. They were he
said. earnestly in favor of free trade be-
tween Porto Rico and the United States
as a matter OF good faith He did not
think the enactment OF the bill into law
would cause the loss Of the State to the |
republican party. but If there is any I
one act passed by this Congress that will 4
render it doubtful, this is the one"
Mr.. Simon was proceeding 10 elaborate
what he said had been promised TO tho
people of Porto Rico when he was inter
rupted by Mr.. Foraker:
What single pledge or promise mas be,sp
made TO the people OF Porto Rico which il |
not kept in this bill"'
Mr.. Simon was about TO read yhat Cen
Miles had announced to the islanders in
bis prociamation, when Mr.. Foraker took
the words out OF his mouth, so to saw r..
marking that the pending measure wa.
perfectly in line with the proclamation.
Mr.. SpOOner called attention 70 the f,ct
that in any event even II Gen. Niles
promises had not been kept, his pro.lanIa-
ton was in no sense binding upon Con-
gTeSs.
Mr.. Simon took the ground that the nro-
posed act was serious party bIunfer. as
well as wrong in itself He maintained
that the people Of the island were under
our flag and therefore II should not be !
held for colonial exploitation. The asser-
ton OF our power to levy the PROMISED |
tariff was in violation OF a tacit, but well
N44Nt ~ ~ g. -4A1'1-t win ti4ri, dtL ne
could not, therefore, give II his support
After a brief executive session, the Sen
ate. at 6:Z5. adjourned until Il O'CLOCK 10.
day.
senator Davis Amendment.
Senator Davis yesterday formally intro.
duced several amendments to the Porto
Rican bill. One Of them extends 10 Porto
Rico the provisions Of the Constitution |
relative 20 tariff and taxation and pro-
hiD4ts any duty on commerce between the
United States and Porto Rico.
Giittering Dream.
FTon TIE ChieaEo Tri,Lae
In my visions Of the future" exclaimed
the enthusiast. Il see the Philippine Is
lands inhabited by a civilized and enlixht-
ened people. a bright star in our flag. and !
rspresarra1 IN our Co-orags -. - |