Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-20
FOR AND AGAINST
Debating the Porto Rico Tariff
TODAY'S SPEECHES In The HOUSE
Hawaiian Bill Taken Up in the
Senate.
MANY MEASURES PASSED

Il
canal bill He asked unanimous consent
that it be taken up two weeks from today.
Mr.. Richardson asked IL there was any
| thing in the bill which recognized the exist
| ence of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty.
| There is not replied Mr. Hepburn
THE bill provides for absolute ownership"
| Mr.. Cannon md, chairman of the appro-
priations committee. said he was not pre-
| pared to agree at this time to the consid-
| Grafton of the bill.
| There is no objection on this side OBJ
| served Mr.. Richardson.
| Mr.. Hepburn offered to make the date a
| week from today, but Mr.. Cannon still dis
| sented.
| The House then went into committee of
| the whole, and Mr.. Newlands (Nev) a
| member of the ways and means committee
| took the floor in opposition to the Porto
| Rican bill.
Mr.. Ncwlands' Remarks
| Mr.. Newlands said in part:
| "As the result of Humanitarian war In
| augurated not for conquest, but to free
Cuba from Spains oppression, the United
| States finds itself in the qualified posses
| sion of Cuba, in the unqualified possession
| of Porto Rico and in the disputed posses
/ sion of the Philippines All these Islands
are today under the military power of the
| United States government. Congress is now
| called upon to act. and the questions are:
rHst, w nat uuly ana ROOQ morals require
| of US regarding these islandsT Second
| What self-interest prompts us to do? and
third, What our constitutional power is re-
garding these islands, Every phase of OBJ
| legation, duty and right which could be
presented to US by any conquest OF cession
| of territory thus. he said is presented 10
| US in the three classes of acquisitions thus
/ secured"
| AS to Porto Rico, Mr.. Newlands said that
there existed no complications unless they
We're created by the mal-administration OF
Congress. Its area was small; its people
could be easily absorbed: they were ready
willing and eager to share with us the
benefits and the burthens of our govern
| ment. Their industrial competition would
not be serious. even though they were
| taken inside of the tariff wall.
Establishing "A Precedent
Doubtless the disposition of the dominant
| power was to establish there territorial
| form of government and to extend our Con-
stitution and our laws to them. Their fear
was that a precedent would be established
controlling our action regarding the Phil
| ippines later on; such action, embracing
not simply one island near our coast easily
governed, its people friendly and peaceful.
but embracing an archipelago of LOO is
lands, 1000 miles distant, of divers races
speaking different languages having dif-
ferent customs and ranging all the way
from absolute barbariSm to semt-ciyilfza-
ton.
1t was evident therefore. so far as Porto
Rico was concerned, whatever present OBJ
Jections there might be upon the part of
the dominant party TO establishing free
dom of trade between that island and the
Union, such trade would not be long de-
ferred, as. apart from the Importance of
the constitutional questions raised by q
discriminating tariff, which doubtless
would be only temporary, it was evident
that both of the political parties Of the
country were now substantial agree
ment that Porto Rico should become part
of the Union.
Mr. Newlands said, however that the re-
publicans were losing sight of the possi-
bflity that the unrest and dissatisfaction
created by inequality of laws might make
our problem of government in Porto Rico
much more difficult than II now seemed
Whether these islands were to be regarded
as dependencies or territories, freedom of
trade, freedom of migration and equality of
right and burthen must be established.
Tor otherWise each community discriminat-
ed against would regard itself as the vic
tim of prejudice or self interest.
The dominant party was desirous of pre-
venting freedom of migration and free
trade between this country and the Philip
pine Islands. This was the sentiment of
the entire country. There was but one way
to accomplish this under the Constitution.
and that was to declare that they did not
belong to the United States and that the
sovereignty of the United States would be
exercised in these islands for their pacifica-
ton and the establishment of a stable gov
ernment and the final establishment Of in
dependent self-government in the islands
Duty to Porto Rico.
Duty, interest and constitutional obliga-
tions all pointed to this as the correct
course with reference TO the Philippines
As to Porto Rico, our duty was to immedi-
ately incorporate that island in the Union
as territory, with all its rights and privi-
leges under the Constitution and laws OF
this country. Equality of right and equal
fly of burthen would render them satisfied
with our scheme Of government and con-
tented with a condition of tutelage which
would ultimately lead to representation in
the federal Union, while discrimination. in
equality of right and inequality of burthel
would create neyer-ending irritation and
opposition that would render a peaceable
condition of tutelage impossible.
Mr.. Newlands spoke for over two hours.
He was literally appiauded when he con-
cluded. Mr. Hopkins QIl), who is also a
member of the ways and means commit
tee then took the floor in support of the
bill
An Issue of Paramount Importance.
Mr.. Hopkins QlI) followed Mr.. New
lands and said in part:
Under this bill the question is pre-
sented as to whether Porto Rico and the
Philippines under the treaty of peace with
Spain became integral parts OF the United
States or whether they can be treated as
territory and separate and distinct customs
and internal revenue laws imposed there
from what are levied, collected and paid .
in the United States. This issue is Of para
mount Importance to the people OF this
country.
1.-The peace treaty was great triumph
for American diplomacy and American .
statesmanship No self-respecting Ameri-
can. no lover Of his country, ambitious for
its future on land and sea. could for a
moment think Of the Philippines with their
future possibilities being turned over to
the grasping ambition and avarice of Eu-
ropean nations who are today attempting
to absorb the greater part of the Asiatic
and oriental trade from America Those
islands became ours. The people approve
the Presidents course and history Will vim
dicate 1T. believe the Constitution Of the
United States Is broad enough and elastic
enough to enable us to control the inhabi-
tants of those islands and give them a
larger liberty and a higher civilization than
they have heretofore enjoyed without i'm