The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-09
REPUBLICANS EXPLAINING 1T.
PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS HAVE
NOT DISAGREED.


A Member of the Cabinet SAYS the
Whole Porto Rican Tariff Question
Has Been Observation-Disclosures
That the President and Congress
Have Sought the Same End-De-
clares the Idea Is to Relieve the
Island of Burden.
Washington, March S.-A member of the
cabinet tonight gave out the following
authoritative statement:
There has been wide misappreheu-
sion of the Porto Rican tariff bill, Nof the
attitude OF the President, of the action of
Congress and of their relations to each
other. The criticism and the concern
which have come from some well-meaning
quarters, are due almost entirely 10 a mis-
understanding of the real facts.
The attempt TO represent that there
has been a disagreement between the
President and Congress is wholly unfound-
ed. There has been no essential differ
ences between them. Both have sought
the same object. The Recommendation of
the President and the House bill, in their
purpose and their effect, come TO the same
sustains the other.
The President, in his annual message, of
December, urged that the customs duties
on trade between Porto Rico and Tho
United States be removed. Imports from
Porto Rico into the United States have
been and are now paying the Dingley
rates They have no preference over
goods from any foreign country. The
President felt that Porto Rico should he
relieved of this burden. He urged that it
should be removed, not as a matter Of
legal right, but of liberal and humane
public policy.
What the President proposed was that
the United States should offer the larg
est and most generous measure of helm
70 the distressed and suffering island and
he has never wavered a single instant
IN the object he sought. Had his sugges-
ton been accepted and followed by all
IN his spirit, and as he meant it. with
the limitations he intended, all would have
been we'll There would have been no
harm in any direction.
There Were Two Tendencies.
But when the time came for action in
Congress two tendencies were seen. On
the ore hand, there were good men and
that while not objecting or little object
ing to free trade with Porto Rico alone,
feared that free trade with Porto Rico
would be made precedent for free trade
with the Philippines. They felt that there
should be a distinct assertion and exercise
or the power TO impose duties. however
small, as an assurance that this power
was reserved for other cases
ON the other hand what the President
proposed as worthy act of national gem
erosity and liberal policy was seized by
political opponents and claimed as a nee
essary and inevitable measure of inherent
constitutional right They insisted that
the constitution by it's own force extends
70 Porto Rico and all the new island pos
sessions and spreads all its provisions
over them, including uniform taxation
They were eager to commit a Republican
Congress to the adoption of free trade with
Porto Rico not as a measure of generous
eXpedency, but because they could then
claim that il had riveted a hard and fast
principle which would tie the hands of
the government everywhere, in the Phil
ippines, as well as in Porto Rico. 1t was
a cunning game but it did not succeed.
The apprehension of the honest objectors
who feared that the concession of full free
trade to Porto Rico would lead to mis-
construction and the designs of the crafty
partisans who meant that it should, were
both met and frustrated by the bill which
passed the House ana Wnlcn leNleS 10 per
cent or less than one-sixth of the Dingley
rates.
To BE Spent in Porto Rico.
There was another point which was not
generally understood. The bill provides
that the whole amount of duties on goods |
coming from Porto Rico shall be paid
back to Porto Rico for the benefit of the
island. Thus 1t fully harmonizes with the
object at which the President aimed of
relieving the trade of Porto Rico from
burdensome restrictions and of extending |
the largest degree of help; and when it
was crowned by the Presidents special |
message, promptly carried out by the |
House, providing not only that the duties
hereafter collected, but that thosa heretoy
fore collected to the amount of $2000.0O
should be aDDropr ated to be expended |
wholly in Porto Rico for her development |
and Improvement, absolutely no ground |
was left for any Dretense that the policy |
OF the President ard Congress was in the |
~ ghtest degree harsh and oppressive"