The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-04-18
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WEDNESDAY. APRIL 18, 1900.
PROBLEMS SOLVED.
NEW POLICIES TO MEET PRESENT
EMERGENCIES.


The Proposed Porto RIcan Tariff Ad-
tustment IL Dictated Alike by In
teIIIEence and sound, Farseeing
StntesmaHshIp.
The new problem requires n new
policy Empty territory such as the
United States has hitherto annexed re-
quired prompt Incorporation and the
pledge and promise of full political
rights and privileges that this new
territory might rapidly attract and abb
sorb population from the states and be
In its turn admitted to the Union. This
was the problem of the past. 1t is over.
A new task Is here. 1t will be followed
by others of like character. Porto
Rico is now full Of population. Its
area Is densely settled. 1t cannot alb
sorb n population from the states so
rs to be in time, as II equals their pop
ulntion and Is assmilated to them,
admitted among them. The present
population is not ready for share In
It's political rights and privileges 1t
must be trained and developed. 1t is
long before 1t will be. Its illiteracy
must disappear. Political experience
must create a capacity for political
action. \ long tutelage is before this
and other Islands.
Many perils and problems must be
guarded against In this period. There
are differences of labor, of production,
of industry. of wages, Of habits and
the general standards of life and Of
morals which must be wisely and care
fully considered step by step. The long
task will not be done In a day. Until
1t is completed congress must keep In
its hands the same entire control which
parliament retains over the dependen
ccs of the British empire.
For all concerned this is the best
course The risk and danger In this
country have always been a too rapid
extension of political rights. States
have been admitted before they were
ready. The Montana senatorial inYes-
tIgatlon Is a speaking proof. The coun-
try ut large has too many ignorant yot
ers. II the work were to be done over
again, an educational qualification
would undoubtedly be imposed Less
haste would be shown In filling the
Union with states not ready for state
hood and In bringing to the polls voters
unable TO read and write, as are nine
out Of ten men In Porto Rico.
The party, the papers and the public
men opposed TO our new acquisitions
and the annexation of dependencies
have seized on the Porto RIcan tariff to
try to lead the house into premature
incorporation. They have failed. The
tariff was only pretext. The needs
of Porto Rico were mere sham. The
one opportunity which the opponents
of our present policy of expansion saw
was to discredit this policy by leading
the house to course and action which
would incorporate Porto Rico in the
Union before either the territory or the
population was ready for this step.
Every paper which opposed expan-
Sion nas loudly urgeo free trade. The
papers like The Ledger, which were u
year ago protesting against annexation,
have now been loudly urging that an
nexation should be succeeded by lncor-
PoAoe'Nh+ hiAihk " GiNNNhi hbutAu-
tion, they urged incorporation In order
to discredlt the earlier step which they
had opposed. Every supporter of eX-
pansion has supported the Porto Rican
tariff. There never was clearer at
tempt of the enemies of a given policy
10 ruin Its execution by supporting an
unwlse course certain to end in disas-
ter.
This attempt has failed. The house
has acted SO as to retain In congress
full control of the future government
and administration of dependencies.
Narrow as the Republican majority Is,
1t was held. The Republican opposl-
ton proved small. A clear majority OF
the house has determined that n low
tariff shall mark the division between
Porto Rico and the United States.
This maintains the principle at stake.
The revenue goes altogether to Porto
Rico. All the yield passes into the is
land treasury and aids In developing
the island. improving the education and
extending its public works until the
island and its population are ready for
full incorporation In the Union, first as
territory and then rs a state
When that time comes, It win be rec
ognlzed. There Is no danger Of over
delay. The risk In this country has
been of too much haste In the admis-
sion TO political rights and privileges
The real issue the house decided yes
terday was not one OF mere tariff The
decision establishes the principle and
practice that the new annexed popula.
tions shall not be clothed with political
rights and powers in the Union until
by training and development they are
ready for Philadelphia Press.