New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-29
protest and indignation which had arisen, and
would satisfy the people of this country and the
Puerto Ricans Themselves

would satisfy the people of this country and the
Puerto Ricans themselves
II interpret the signs of times in this coun-
try" he said. there is intense opposition to this
bill among our people. This will be allayed by
the adoption OF the proposition in my amend
ment. And as to the Puerto Ricans they would
be quite satisfied by the levying and collecting
or internal revenue taxes on rum and tobacco
The whole project OF levying a tariff
Puerto Rican products he said was self gener-
ative of objections-objections which spring
from every possible source All sorts of argu-
ments had been urged in support of the tariff.
First, 1t was charity. but that had been swept
away by the passage of the 100000 appropri-
alton bill Then it was that beyond Puerto
Rico lie the Philippines" LAS to that" said
he. i believe that sufficient unto the day is the
evil and the good thereof The Philippines will
present their problem in time. l would not
work an injustice against the people of Puerto
Rico to meet an uncertain question to some
thing else. The next argument advanced to
support the tariff, he said, the protection
the 10 per cent would afford to American prod
ucts and labor. He ridiculed such proposition.
as no protectlonist would contend that II per
cent of the Dlngley rates would afford ade-
quate protection for anything.
PHILIPPINES A DIFFERENT PROBLEM.
Adverting again to the Philippines as a factor
in the Puerto Rcan problem, Mr.. Davis said:
When we come to deal with the Philippine
question we will take care of that Puerto Rico
is little more than seven hundred miles from
our coast; the Philippines eight thousand.
The island of Puerto Rico is naturally part of
are part of the domain of Asia: Against the
products and people of the Philippines when the
time comes the rights of American labor will be
protected by any party that may be in power"
Mr.. Davis said 1t inconsistent to extend
laws relating to the coastNSe trade to the isl
and and not extend the tariff laws As to the
feeling in the country upon the question, he
said: Il think l would be firm as anybody
under a sudden, transitOry public manifestation
or feeling. but when that sentiment speaks to
US week after week in constantly swelling vol
ume we must take heed of it. This question is
Wen understood 10y the people. Supporters of
this bill cannot lay the f1attering junction to
their souls that the editors Of the great news
papers 90 not understand it quite as well as we
do. The people understand it, too. and under
stand 1t we'll
They understand We'll too that upon dis
titled spirits and tobacco there is not an i'm
position of a mill OF taxation by this bill. The
supJects OF taXauon upon Whlch we PLACE neaVy
burdens go scot free on the island of Puerto
Rico And what do they propose as an exchange
for that kind of taxation? Why. the imposition
Of tariff. 1t is so easy to place a tax upon
these articles that ] shall be surprised If the
proposition to DO does meet the approval
of Congress and the people. What are the pco-
pie going TO say if this bill passes? They Viii
ssf Free rum and tax on the -four the people
Mr.. Davis said that no man could tell how
much the tariff would yield, and as no man
could say that the export tax constitutional
il seemed to him that there ought to he no hest
tation as to the course to be pursuH. In con-
clusion he said: What / say l say with the
unalterabla conviction that L right-right
politically and right economically. In my judg-
ment the only course for us is to abandon this
pernicious mockery of a tariff between Puerto
Rico and the United States and return TO the
pathway OF plain duty.
PROCTOR AND DEPEW TO SPEAK.
1t is expected that Senator Proctor and Sen
ator Depew will speak tomorrow. the former in
favor of free trade amendment and the latter
in support of the tariff and other provisions of
the bill.
Two more amendments were proposed to-day.
One was by Senator Davis to modify his internal
revenue amendment to provide that duties
should be levied on tobacco and rum when inn
ported into the United States from Puerto Rico
The other one, which offered by Senator
Nelson, provides for free trade between the
United States and Puerto Rico and for the i'm
position articles of Puerto Rican manufacture
imported into the United States of internal taxes
equal TO the internal revenue tax on like ar
ticles manufe in the United States.