The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-06

What mysterious force and what vaiu-
able considerations operated to change Mr..
Serene Z. Payne's views of humanity, the
Constitution. and the fiscal policy between
the oath Of January and the 18th of Feb
ruary last past? He came off the fence a
little earlier than the President did Was
it the same power which brought both
around 10 stand by the OIL sugar, tobacco.
and rum trusts. and incidentally to violate
their obligation TO support and defend The
fundamental law of the land? But these
are questions that possibly Mr.. Rockefeller,
Mr.. Havemeyer. and Mr.. Duke, not to men,
ton the Republican campaign bank book
could answer more certainly than we.
On the Gath day of January Mr. Payne
was still CT the Presidents opinion, that
Justice and good faith made 1t manda-
tory upon us in law and morals to give
free trade to Porto Rco-that is. not to
stand in the way of constitutional right
which the Island derived ipso facto from
its annexation TO the United States. Argu-
ing with protectionist constituent who
feared that obedience to the Constitution
might be injury to protected monopoly.
,fionaSle means declared that the little su-
gar and tobacco to be expected from Porto
Rico could not affect the American market;
that last year we imported $40. coo tons
of sugar" compared with which the posi-
BILE Porto Rican product of one hundred
thousand tons would not be a drop in the
bucket. Porto Rico" urged Mr. Payne,
has go markets. being deprived of them
by annexation TO the United States.
A free admission of her products-which Is
now accorded to every other State and Ter
ritory, and to Alaska, not organized into
Territory, would give her relief"
1t will be observed that, in the last week
In January, tie Administration attitude
as represented by Mr.. Payne contemplated
consideration OF Porto Rico as part of the
national domain equally entitled to basic
constitutional rights with every other
State and Territory and Alaska, not organ
lied into a Territory" AS none of these
was, is, or could be subjected to customs
duties on their commerce with other por-
tions of the United States, so neither could
Porto Rico be Disseminated against. This
position was impregnsble, and it is a pity
for their own sakes that Mr. Mckinley
md his advisers did not stick to it.
The somersault effected by them was not
pleasant to witness. Mr.. Payne, who, at
the end OF January, was firm for justice
and the Constitution, by February 10,
had decided that the beet sugar
industry-the annexed district of the
Havemeyer concern-needed protection,
and he faced squarely about, declaring
that when We legislate for this island.
when we propose a tariff, we have the
duty and the power and the privilege
under the Constitution, of imposing a
tariff on all articles going to the territory
belonging to the United States from the
United States, or coming to the United
States from the territory belonging TO the
United States" Said he: Il want to make
a precedent that all men can read" Well.
he has. 1t is one that all men can and
Will read with shame for the maker The
representative who can claim for Porto
Rico all the constitutional rights accorded
TO every other State and Territory, and
Alaska. not organized into territory"
on the oath Of January, and On the
18th of February following rise N
g. his place in Congress and assert that
those rights ought to and must be sup
pressed for the benefit of protected monop-
olies, is himself a precedent which should
never be repeated in the history of civili-