Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-09
Defends Constitutionality Of a Porto
Rioan Tariff,
TRADE With PHILIPPINES INVOLVED
ExtolIs the Course of President
Mckinley.
CHANGING POINT OF VIEW

The latter part of the session of the Sem
ate yesterday afternoon was occupied by
Mr.. Foraker, who spoke on the Porto Rican
bill. In the course of his remarks he said:
Porto Rico and the Philippines stand on
the same basis. Is it true that we can levy
tariff on products from Porto Rico? I
say yes. Others say no. Now, then, let's
have decision upon the question from the
Supreme Court
Continuing, Mr.. Foraker said: "If we
cannot levy duty the products of Porto
Rico We can't levy duty on the products
of the Philippines. If the Philippines are
now part of the United States, and If we
cannot levy tariff on their products, we
might just as well dsmantle our custom
houses and so out of the protection bust
ness. There can be no intelligent legisla-
ton on this question until We get COM
mandins view Of the situation that will be
afforded us by decision of the Supreme
Court"
Why a Tariff Was Determined Upon.
He explained the measure in detail and
gave the reasons why the committee had
determined upon the levying of a tariff
upon Porto Rican products. In his opinion
1t was impossible for direct tax to be
levied upon the people of the island to sup
port local government because of their
present destitute condition. The commit
tee, he said, had conceived the idea of plac-
ing small tariff on Porto Rican products
in order to raise a sum sufficient, with the
sum otherwise raised. to give the people of
the island not only good government, but
also to build school houses and to make
necessary public improvements. Then. too
1t was necessary that the question of the
extension of the Constitution over our in
sular possessions should be determined by
Slnrpna Court nv he
visions of the bill. it would be Inevitable
that the Supreme Court should pass upon
that question. Porto Rico and the Philip
pines, he said were on the same basis so
that the courts decision would determine
our right to levy tariff on products of the
eastern archipelago.
Referring to quotation of Scripture by
Mr.. Pettus in the opening of his speech
Mr.. Foraker said that many persons knew
now to quote Scripture, but they did not
always know how to make proper appli-
cation of the quotation. He expressed the
belief that the good was not only proposed
by the measure. but that great good would
actually come out of 1t.
A Liberal Measure
Advertfng to the criticism aroused by the
bill. both in the newspapers and among the
people, Mr.. Foraker said it seemed that
the idea was abroad that the act proposed
TO deal illiberally with the people of Porto
Rico He was of opinion that a misun-
NSi StuIlt4iIS bI lIe measure prevailed, both
In the Senate and IN the country Instead
of being illiberal, said Mr. Foraker '.ths
measure is the most liberal and generous
LEGISLATION ever proposed for territory of
the United States"
He pointed out that down to 1850 the
who'll power of the government of the ter
ritorieS of the United States was placed in
the officials appointed by the President. and
that. too, without any reference to the de-
sires or consent of the people governed So
far as he had been informed, no intelligent
and appreclatlve man in Porto Rico had
dlSsented from the propositions of the meas
ure- There may hav- been some criticism
on the part of the Porto Ricans but gem
orally II was accepted as an excellent bill
Mr.. Foraker then discussed at length the
testimony of Governor General Davis of
Porto Rico before the committee on Pa
cifc Islands and Porto Rico
Mr. Lindsay ky interrupted Mr. For
aker 10 inquire If General Davis himself had
not recommended free trade with Porto
Rico.
Yes replied Mr. Foraker. ''he did make
such recommendation. Blu the commit
tee. after fun consideration, decided against
his proposition W. are here to Iegislate for
the whole United States. and we were
forced TO consider the question from all
points of view The tariff provision was
conceived in mercy to the Porto Ricans and
in its generosity it is without precedent in
the territorial legislation of the United
las | said a while ago" said Mr.. For
ahtr' the mortgage Indebtedness of the
isidhd Is S-p."boVpl The United States
government extended the time for the cav
ment of that debt for one year and subse-
quentIy extended it again for six mon his
II II mad not been for the United States the
NhOie OF this vast property would have
been sOld.to satisfy creditors If necessary
the time Will be extended again. and per
haps again. until Congress gets done dis
cussinS constitutional questions and goes
TO The relief of a suffering people"
Mr. Foraker explained the provisions of
the BILL showing that ali the Internal rev
enue taxes and the customs duties instead
Of being paid into the United States treas
ury. as had been the case in every other
territory. would % into the treasury of the
island. and be solely for the benefit of the.
Porto RicaHs. In round figures these reye-
nreS would aggregate 50 OOu Ulp. about 81 =
4on.t"r3 from customs and 10000 from in
tCrEal revenues.
Cost Of Spanish Rule.
Mr. Lindsay asked how much the las,