The age-herald., 1900-04-04
THE PORTO RICO BILL
 PASSED THE SENATE
Advocates of Free Trade With the Island Fought
 Hard But to No Avail.

ought to treat the people of Porto Rico as it was proposed to treat those of Cuba. He said a great deal had been said about what we owe the Porto Ricaps. We owe them nothing" he declared. This con- gress may fix the status of the inha bitants of the island and it's control over them in that respect Is absolute, I am not opposed to tariff on Porto Riean products. If we had e colony we could give its people either a tariff or free trade"
 MT. Bacon, of Georgia, adverted to what he termed the "evolution of the pending bill," showing how 1t had developed from a free trade to a tariff measure. The pro- vision relating to the citizenship of the people had likewise been changed, and upon the enactment of the pending bill they were to be disappointed in not becoming citizens of the United States. When this bill should pass it would be the first law declaring that people for whom congress had legislated were not citizens of the United States. It was indeed a historic occasion.
 Wellington Opposed the Hill
 MT. Wellington, of Maryland opposed the pending measure, but said he had stood ready to support the bill first presented to the senate upon the subject.
 That bil had been regarded as just and constitutional. But" he said "the legis- lative monstrosity now before us trans gresses every principle of national honor, BOOu 1dll0 dHu JuSllC6 | dili compelled, therefore, to part from my col leagues of the republican majority and vote against this bill. The principles of the government demand my opposition to the bill, the observation of national honor re- quires it, the constitution demands it, and justice and equity points the way to it.'
 MT Foraker said the speech of MT. Well lington made 1t appropriate for him ito say at the close of the debate that far as the pending bill was concerned there had been nothing unusual or different from legislation generally. He said that the changes in the bill had been explained again and again.
 Mr. Proctor of Vermont, inquired why the secretary of war and General Davis, the governor of Porto Rico, had not seen and noted the necessity for tariff on Porto Rican products.
 ''I do not know" retorted MT. Foraker, "why it did not occur to them. Perhaps it did, What do know is that the subject was thoroughly and impartially investi- gated and the necessity for the legisla ton proposed now was established beyond quib- ble by our committee"
 Inquiry from Tillman
 "Did that necessity" inquired MT. Till man, "change the political status of the people of Porto Rico from citizens of the United States to citizens of Porto Rico?"'
 "No," answered MT. Foraker, that was
 
 was the opposition of democratic senators. They maintained that the conferring of cit- izenship of tine United States upon the peo- pie of the island was a practical extension of the constitution over the people of the island.
 'Tt was not for General Miles, continued MT. Foraker, Ito speak for the government as to political polcy-that was for con gress. His duty was to carry the flag there as he gallantly did,"
 The secretary of war had made no pledge. As for the president, it was his enemies who were assuming to represent him. He had recommended that we give the Porto Rtcan's free trade. That was just what the bill does. True, for time, duty is imposed-for less than twenty-five months to meet an emergency. There would be ab- solute free trade sooner if the Porto Ricans should ask it out of the proper way.
 When the hour of o'clock was reached the chairman announced that votes upon the pending amendments and upon the bill should be taken.
 At the suggestion of MT Foraker the committee amendments which had been passed over were reverted to and adopted without discussion.
 MT. Davis, of Minnesota, then offered his amendment providing that no duties of im- S-~~-~~~--~-~-~------> --------------~---~---~~~