The Portland daily press., 1900-04-14
PORTO RICO NO DELEGATE.
- ~ -
A Deprivation Even svorse Than Tar
IN Eeafares Of Bin.


ESPECIAL TO THE FREsa1
Washington. April is.-Ihs enaotmens
OF the Porto Rico bill Into law will result
very soon, probably. In public forgstfui-
ness Of the measure. In contains. how
ever, some very important features which
were very littis discussed. and which did
not receive due consideration because Of
the stress under which the ball was
passed In both houssa
10 the simple tariff bill Of the House
the Senate added a. an amendment an
entire scheme Of civil government. This
was bad lsgislation, inasmuoh 40 IL DOM.
piioatsa.instead Of simplyned considsra-
ton. The result IL that there have gone
into law several proylsions which the
House would probably have cisagreed to
had the question been presented under
d. fl aren't circumstances.
One Of the most important Of these pro-
visions is that which denies to Porto Rico
. delegate In Congress and gives instead
resident commits Toner. 1t 10 under
stood that the object Of this Was to dis
countsnanoe anything that might In
future be ASSUMED to- b. . taeit receg-
nition Of right to statehood. IL was
thought that representation by . delegate
In the House Of Representatives would DO
the beginning Of . system that would
make Porto Rioo stats. The Hawaiian
bill gives to Hawaii . delegate. and there
seems to be no reason Tor =. telieving the
Sandwich islands more desirable for .
stats than 10 Porto Rico.
A resident commissioner will probably
bs little more than . legal agent. before
the departments, aud lobbyist before
Congress. He viii not have much more
standing than ether Lobbyists. perhaps
mos 20 muoh,7 because, he will not have 90
great resources for entertaining and max
Ing himself agreeable In Washington So
ciety. he will not have the privileges OF
the floors of the House or Senate, and
therefore must rely upon waylaying
members or Senators In corridors or 1t
their homes. In order 70 place tsfoss them
the needs Of his people. -
1t 10 often assumed that dslsgats does
net amount to much tecauss he cannot
| vote. In reality -this adds TO htstnhuence.
Al ms cOolu Voto ME- Voto Wouk0 onAy "
one out Of three hundred and sixty. The
chances where II wcuid be decisive on
any question are to, few to consider. On
the other hand, by having no vote, the
delegate 10 relieved from many antago-
nisms, because . member 10 as liable TO
offend as 20 please BY his vote. The dele
gate may debate As freely as other menu
bers, he Is on equal terms Of association
with other mem ers, both in business
snd social matters. He has the privileges
II the floor Of the Ssnhts and the ear Of
Senators. An able man may exercise for
his people an even greater influence than
he could were he full aedsed member
wi tn . vote.
This advantage Porto Rico Is not to
have; and practically 1t 10 Q greater de-
privation than is involved In the tariff
feature. supposipg the worst things said
about the tariff to b. true.
When the Hawaiian bill passed, MIR.
Hit spoke very favorably On this point,
and the House leaders generally seem to
have felt much reluctance in acquiescing
In the Senate plan. They were by the
conditions prevailing oosrosd into 40.
quiesoenos. 4ssy--