The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-27
Expediency, Principle and Bosh.

Expectancy PTlnC1pic ana DOSH.
The Spokane Spokesman Review is
shocked because the Post -Intellgencer
says that It is a matter Of expediency
whether we impose a duty on Puerto
Rican products or let them come in free.
That, however, is exactly what 1t is.
Revenue from the island must be raised
In some way. What is the best way.
the least burdensome to its people. the
best for us? This is the practical ques-
ton before congress; and 1t is exactly
as much question of expedIency as the
particular amount of duty to be inn
posed on any given article in framing
tariff bill for the whole country, SO
long as the protective principle is main
tanned.
But there Ia principle involved, as
the Spokane paper says. though it does
not dare to confess what 1t is.
principle does not relate to the amount
OF duty. but to the power of congress
to collect any duty whatever This
power the nulifiers reject. They deny
It's existence They claim that the con-
stitution at once applies over all
new territory acquired, and that con-
gress cannot discriminate by legisla-
ton. Neither the friends nor the enc
mics of the Puerto Rico bill regard the
size of the duty as of the slightest con-
sequence Have we the power and the
right to levy such a tax? The assump-
ton that we have is what the Bryanites
and the Spokesman Review with them
call "a violent departure from the his
toric principles of this government"
Is it2 The issue is not a new one. 1t
relates to the doctrine that the hands
OF the people are bound in dealing with
new territory by those sections of the
constitution that were intended to apply
only to the states We heard precisely
the same claim made in the interest of
slavery. That was the familiar cry;
that slavery extended to the territories.
by virtue of recognition in the constiti-
ton. and congress- could not NEEDLE
with Il. The rate Of duty, IL any, is truly
a question OF expedency: the claim of
oludes a principle of tremendous i'm
portance. but one that we supposed had
died with the war OF rebellion which II
inaugurated That principle was de-
scribed eloquently by Congressman Nc
Cleary In the strongest speech made I'm
the house upon this bill:
why. Mr. Chairman. that is the doctrine
invented by John G. Calhoun when in
lHf1-i9 he WAS ondeavorlng 10 extend siav-
cry into the territory acquired from
Mexico, the doctrine which Daniel Web
ster antagonized. the doctrine which was
IN 1856 the basis OF the Dred Scott decis-
ion. the doctrine To oppose which the Re
publican party was born. tho doctrine
which Lincoln comhated and which the
soldiers OF the Union shot to pieces on "A
hundred battleneids, the doctrine which
was one OF the things surrendered at
Appomattox
The Democratic party carries still in
its veins the faint Of blood that made
| Il the enemy " the Union. So far. the
] principle 81 nationality, mightest OF all.
opposes f. All the rest Of It's talk Is mere
| rhetoric aud hosh. as when the Spokes-
man-Review says: III the tlag cannot
mean the same Ia tropic skies that IL
/ means In the skies OF Washington or
! Ohio. then draw II DOWN. 1t does not
mean the same In the skies Of Wash
luSton tina, IL does In the skies Of Ari-
Eona. not the same IN Wyoming as in
Alaska; not the same IN Pennsylvania
as In Mississippi Examine the election
laws and see the patent fact, over which
no one comforts himself In mortal agony.
The hubbub over the Puerto Rlcan bin
10 one-half partisan olsm0v. onc-fourth
ignorance or inherited CaIhounlsm. and
ouc-fourth sentimental nonsense like
this about the nag.