The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-16
NICARAGUA CANAL MEASURE.
MORGAN'S BILL MAY WAIT UPON
THE NEW TREATY.

LOT fOFtO Rico.
Porto Rican Question VIII BE n
Matter for the Supreme Court-said
the Case of Senator Quay VIII BE
Taken Up ut Once.
| Washington. Feb. 15.-It Is possible the
friends of the Nicaragua canal bill may
determine to withhold action on the Nor
gan draft of the measure until the House
has had fair opportunity to pass upon
the Hepburn bill, or such measure as the
latter body may agree upon.
Senator MorgaH said to-day that In spite
of the vigorous efforts of the opponents
of the canal, there has been no wavering
or faltering on the part of the friends of
the canal in either the House or the Sem
ate. He says nothing is 70 be gained by
assuming pugnacious attitude and trying
to force the bill through the Senate in
| advance of assured friendly action by the
House or by antagonizing such other meas
ures as may require immediate action. In
view of the overwhelming sentiment in the
House favorable TO the canal, a reason
able time will be afforded its friends to
| pass the bill In that branch. Final action
will thus be expedited and such a course
would probably render necessary discus
| sion, which might not otherwise occur in
| the Senate This programme appears to
| be entirely satisfactory to all the friends
of the bill, and it will probably be carried
| out
Senator Plat of New York says there
is no doubt in his mind that the treaty
will be ratified and the bill will probably
hn fattc ca1 xtrI1.a
lions are taken up for consideration. H.
| iaVors prompt ratification of the treaty
| and also the passage of the bill on the
| general lines laid down in the treaty. lie
| says it is not essential, however. that
| the treaty shall be ratified in advance
OF mai action on canal bill. The latter
| he says. Will, in all probability, be passed
even II action on the treaty shall be de.
layed or indefinitely postponed. He con
tehds that the general welfare of the
United States government demands early
actlon upon the bill and public sentiment
Will insist that Congress shall pass upnn
that measure during the present session
of Congress.
Free Trade in Porto Rico,
senator Stewart is an earnest advocate
of the Presidents recommendation for.
free trade in Porto Rico. He has an
iiCuhCSN MS intention OF delivering n
speech next Friday on the Philippine cues
ton, and it is also his intention to refer
TO the subject of free trade in Porto Rico
Not only does he favor free trade with
Porto Rico but he favors a similar course
In the Philippines, Hawaii and also in
Cuba. He declares there is no force in
the claim made by some of the advocates
of the tariff duty upon Porto Rica pro-
ducts, that such a duty is necessary in
order to prevent dissatisfaction in Cuba
lie asserts that as soon as free trade i'm
Porto Rico is give a fair trial the people
of that island will become so prosperous
that Cuba will be only too glad to be placed
In the same category and those persons
| who are now opposing annexation of the
latter island Will be clamoring to be taxi
| en- under the protecting wing Of the United
| States. He added that it is a simple dis
play of hypocrisy to claim that the United
| States government does not want 10 annex
cuba, notwithstanding the commercial res-
olution declaring that the United States
had no intention of annexing the Island of
| Cuba to the United States
1T may be true" he said that we had
no intention of annexing Cuba at the time
we drew that resolution, but we did not
| go so far as to say that we did not W sh
to annex it, We have on various occasions
stretched the truth to the extreme limit In
| some of our legislative discussions bur IN
| this question we were not big enough liars
to say that we did not want to annex
Cuba and never would do so if a favorable
| opportunity presented itself | am in IA
vor of taking in all of the territory we
can get hold of We will need IL TO give
| employment to the millions of people who
| will be deprived of a field for labor. when
we pass the pending financial bill which.
| in my judgment, is the most damnable
| piece of legislation placed upon our statute
| book since the foundation of our govern
| ment."
| Questions for Supreme Court.
Senator Spooner and those who favor
the early consideration of the bill provid-
| ing for stable government for Porto
Rico, claim that there is no serious con-
tention between the President and the
members of his party in Congress on this
subject. The proposition to impose a %
| per cent. duty on the products of Porto
| Rico, Notwithstanding the Presidents
recommendation for free trade with that
| Island, is for the purpose of determining
the official status of Porto Rico. The ques-
ton of whether the United States may
! lawfully levy tariff ON Porto Rican pro-
ducts Will have to be determined by the
Supreme Court of the United States This
whole subject has been gone over infornf-
ally, and there is an honest division of
opinion among Republicans as to the le-
gality of the proposed duty. In order to
get decision by the ST preme Court, it
IS necessary Tor the DUTY 10 be imposed
so that objection can be made against its
collection This will bring up the whole
question of whether the duty may be lev
led on the products of oil of our new pos
sessions. For this reason 1t Is important
that the Porto Rican bill shall be taken
up as early possible to expedite legal
action in the courts
As to the Vice Presidency.
Senator Platt of New York says he is
not disposed to credit the stories in cir
culation to the effect that the Republican
party will go to the Northwest or the Pa
cific coast for a vice presidential candi-
date. He says the formal announcement
by Gov. Roosevelt that he will not allow
his name to be used in connection with
the vice presidency does not eliminate
New York from the vice presidential con-
test. He says IT is too early to indulge in
speculations as to who New York will
present to the convention but at the prop
er time tho name OF the gentleman will