Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-04-03
SAYS BILL OUGHT TO PASS

Senator Fairbanks, of Indiana,
Makes a Speech in Favor of
Porto Rican Bill.
SAYS FREE TRADE FAYORS THE TRUSTS.
An Amendment Providing That Porto
Rican Legislature Should Have No
hict with United States Constitu-
ton Defeated, IL to 81.
Washington, April AT the be-
ginning of Saturdays session of the
senate Senator Foster (Wash.) offered
and had passed resolution directing
the secretary of the navy to report
what surveys have been made in the
islands recently acquired by the Unit
ed States.
Consideration of the Porto Rico bill
being resumed, Senator Bacon (Ga.)
made statement concerning the sub
stitute he offered Friday for the pend
ing unfinished business. He desired,
he said, to arrogate to himself no
credit for the substitute, as it was
the measure originally prepared by
Senator Foraker amended slightly.
He could not speak for all members
OF his side of the chamber, but he
knew that, as he had introduced the
measure in the utmost good faith,
SOM democrats, at least, would sup
port 1t. 1t presented, he thought, the
best proposition yet made as to Porto
Rico inasmuch as it provided free,
territorial government of the United
States
Senator Foraker said he was not in
sensible to the compliment paid him
by Senator Bacon in adopting his
original draft" of the Porto Rican
measure and was inclined to congrat-
ulate him upon having reached the
point where he (Foraker) was two
months ago. The bill as he now re-
garded it was entirely inadequate, al
though at that time he drafted it he
:.
1t did not, however, provide for
many particulars covered by the
pending bill and he declared it was
utterly inadequate for the purposes
intended.
The pending question was on the
amendment offered by Senator Allen
(Neb.) providing that the bill should
~,
the United States.
Senator Allen read a brief prepared
by Harmon F. Randolph, member of
the New York bar, on the constitu-
tional status of our island possessions.
"A few minutes earlier Senator Allen
had, been refused permission TO have
the brief printed as a public docu-
ment Senator McComas Directing.
After Senator Allen had read about
one of the 81 pages of the brief he
was given permission to print it as
part of his remarks. Senator Nc
Comas then had read recent state
ment of Mr.. Havemeyer, president of
the American Sugar Refining COM
pany, in which he argued in favor of
the free admission to the United
States of sugar from Porto Rico and
expressed belief that the time would
come soon when it would be admitted
free.
Senator McComas adverted sar-
castically to the agreement upon the
Porto Rican question which, he said,
Mr.. Havemeyer and Senator Allen
were in.
When that section of the bill relat-
ing to the legislative assembly of
Porto Rico was reached Senator Pet
tus (Ala.) offered this amendment:
"That the legislative assembly of Porto
Rico shall have no power or authority to
enact any law in conflict with the consti-
tuition of the United States"
The amendment was lost, Is to 81.
Senator Fairbanks Speaks.
Senator Fairbanks Qnd) then adj
dressed the senate in support of the
pending measure. He said in part:
"Mr. President, there are two principal
questions which lie at the very founda-
ton of the pending bill One is a question
of congressional power and the other a
question of national policy. So much at
tention has been devoted to the constitu-
tional question that scant consideration
has been given to the question of policy:
and the urgency of the situation as respects
relief for the Porto Ricans has been very
largely overlooked"
Senator Fairbanks presented some gener-
alizations with respect to the power of con-
gress over Porto Rico based upon wha.
he regarded as "the Overwhelming weight
Of authority and sound reason"
Danger In Haste.
1.-THE greatest danger in deaiir.g with the
new problems which engage our attention
Is undue haste, inconsiderate action There
will be no difficulty in solving them If we
will be content to act only upon ample
Information and be willing to retrace our
steps If we go wrong.
Another danger which besets us is that
our course with respect to the people for
whom we must provide government may
be controlled by purely partisan considera-
tons. The questions are of such high
moment that they should be settled free
from craftsmanship"
Not in Interests of Trusts.
Adyerting to the provisions of the pend
ing BILL Senator Fairbanks said:
1.-THE statement has been frequently
made that the duties We're modified and
imposed at the dictation of the sugar and
tobacco trusts. Those on the opposite
side of the chamber have frequently re-
fererd to the action of the committee as
having been inspired by some mysterious,
occult influence for an obvious purpose
LET us briefly analyze the situation.
The interests of the trusts-if interest they
have-is limited to the two articles-sugar
and tobacco-which are exported to the
United States.
1.-THE sugar trust, as we are advised, is
interested chiefly, If not exclusively, in the
refining of sugar
us 1t, therefore, interested in the ques-
ton as to whether raw sugar purchased