The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11
The Porto Rican Spectacle,

Readers of The Times will not fail 10 re-
member our respectful prediction that the
explanation of the anonymous Cabinet
officer would not be the last one offered
by the Administration in connection with
the Porto Rican infamy. The duty Of
squaring the President and his immediate
associates on that matter seems now to
have been loaded upon the Senate Repub-
licans, and they propose TO amend the
Payne bill by allowing free entry TO Ameri
can products exported ~ the island. but to
levy duty upon all commodities entered
at mainland ports from Porto Rico. The
Republican managers are painfully desir-
Gus of meeting and nsutrilizng the tide of
American Indignation their contemplated
crime against humanity and the Constitu-
ton is raising, but at the same time they
evince the most hopeless inability TO meet
it with any sort of scheme or method that
will be acceptable TO their masters, the oil,
sugar. tobacco, and rum trusts.
Now these combinations in restraint of
trade, which fatten at the cost of the peo-
pie, do not care a rap how freely their pro-
auctions may go into Porto Rico-the freer
the better for them. But they view with
alarm" the idea that goods from the island
should be allowed free ingress to the
American mainland. Like every other sub
terfuge which has been suggested before,
that of The Republican steering committee
TO free Porto Rican imports, but to tax
Porto Rican exports, is conceived In panic
and born in iniquity. The Stiffness. and,
we may say, the criminality Of the project
is obvious. The island of Porto Rico is as
much American territory as Massachusetts
the District Of Columbia, or the Territory
of Arizona. The Constitution of the
United States declares that nc duties shall
be levied on the exports of the United
States What is the United States? Chief
Justice Marshall said: Does this term
designate the whole or any particular part
Of the American empire? To this question
there can be but one answer"
We have frequently quoted the same au-
thority, REINFORCED by an unbroken sue
cession OF Supreme Court decisions for
eighty years, in support of the recognized
principle OF constitutional law that the
Constitution extends wherever the Gov
eminent extends. The question may well
be said to be res adjuticata, however
much the adherents OF Messrs Rockefel-
lar Havemeyer, Spreckles. Duke, and Ok
nard in the Administration or Congress
may declare 10 the contrary. Porto Rico.
shen, is definitely an integral part of the
United States. The Constitution prohibits
the levying of an export duty upon its
productions. 1t is inherently entitled TO
inward and outward free trade with every
other part Of the common country by viz
tue of its cession TO this country by Spain.
But to the point. On Friday Mr.. Nc
Kinley was represented by his Secretary
Of State for Anonymous Affairs as being
on both sides Of the Porto Rican question.
That is, he was said TO be still convinced
that Justice and good faith demand that
We should give free trade to Porto Rico
but that the imposition of pingleyism on
the island would be tantsmount to free
trade, considering the vacancy existing 10
Mr.. Hannas campaign chest. Yesterday
the Presidents Senatorial Steering Com
mittee gave us a new view of his posi-
tion. Then he was in favor OF according
unlimited free trade in the direction that
the trusts could not object to and of put
ting On the screws in the direction OF