The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1900-03-23
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OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

TX.
Porto Rico tariff still hovers over the
pillows of prominent republicans and de-
stroys their rest. Conferences are held
every day with Mr.. Mckinley by Senators
who favor the tariff and by Senators who
favor free trade, and the odd thing is that
both classes of Senators talk as though
they believe Mr. Mckinley to be on their
side. All sorts of propositions are being
advanced by republican Senators to avoid
anything like an open rupture in their
party on this question, one of them being
to continue the debate until the close of
the session without allowing the bill to
come to vote, and another to load it up
with all sorts of amendments and then de-
feat it by an overwhelming vote. The
dodge in either of these expedients would
be so palpable that it is hardly conceivable
that the republican leaders will be foolish
enough to allow either to be adopted.
The republican party is in control of all
branches of the government, and for Ii to
fail to place itself on record by post c
legislation on this question would he an
acknowledgment of weakness that would
be absolutely certain to drive the party
from power. That is why they will have
to patch up some sort of legislation.
1t was by strict party vote, excepting
Senator Lindsay, of Kentucky, who voted
with the republicans, that the Senate Ia
bled Senator Aliens amendment to the
Porto Rico bill, declaring that by force of
the Paris Treaty of Peace the Constitution
of the United States was extended over
Porto Rico and its inhabitants, and the
previous talk of some of the republican
Senators made their votes somewhat sur
prising, as a vote to table the amendment
was equivalent to a vote in favor of the
contention that Congress can legislate for
our new possessions regardless OF the Con-
stitution. By coincidence the vote was
taken Just after Senator Chiffon had made
a speech, in which he said: "Our Consti-
tution goes to Porto Rico. 1t goes every
where that the American power goes, and
it is shame to our pretentions that the
first act of an American Congress in deal
ing with our new acquisitions from Spain
should be an effort to deny to that peoll"
the highest right of free men-the prottc-
ton of a written Constitution. 1t seems
like a travesty to hold that Congress,
which is the creature of the Constitution,
can legislate for anybody or anything in
disregard of the terms of that Constitu
ton"
The Senate amended the House bill,
placing at Mr. Mckinley's disposal all
money collected on Porto Rican products,
under the Dingley tariff, and all to be col
lected Hereunder to be spent at his dis
cretion for the benefit of the Porto Ricans,
by limiting the money to the amount col
lected before the beginning of this year
slightly more than 100000 0,000-and pro-
viding that it should only be used for pub
lie education, public works or for other
governmental purposes on the island, and
then passed it without Il division.
That alleged offer of the good offices of
this government to facilitate negotiations
for peace between Great Britain and the
Dutch Republics in South Africa was con-
firmatory rather than otherwise of the be-
lief that an understanding exists between
the Mckinley administrative and the pres
ent British government l. enabled Mr..
Mckinley to make an attempt to soothe
the numerous republican sympathizers
with the two struggling republics by pre-
tending to do something, and at the same
time gave Lord Salisbury just what he
wanted-an excuse to serve notice on the
powers of Europe, through his answer to
the alleged offer of our good offices, that
no mediation would be tolerated by Great
Britain. and that the conquest of the two
republics would be pushed to conclusion
as originally planned. If that was not
the result of an understanding between
the British government and the Mckinley
administration it was one of the oldest
condolences that ever occurred. Senator
Mason to day called up his Boer resolution
in the Senate, and something may be said
on this phase of the question The repub-
licans have compelled the resolution to be
debated in secret session, but the talk in
secret session has Il habit of getting out