The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-29
To Produce Revenue For Island Of
Porto Rico.
Convincing Arg ument
For Free Trade.
Senate Agrees to Vote on Meas
ure Next Tuesday.

Washington, March SS.-Ths Senate TO-
day agreed to vote on the Porto Rioan
government and tariff bill Tuesday after
noon at o'clock.
The Morgan free silver amendment was
defeated, Is to 80.
An Important utterauoe was made on
the bill By Mr.. Davis Of Minnesota, who
advocated free trade between the United
States and Porto Rico. Mr.. Davis's
speech Was comparatively brief. but his
reasoning was 20 Gloss and eogent that
he crowded into small space an I'm
msncss amount of weii-digested informa-
ton and careful thought.
After the elaborate argument or Mr..
Lindsay, Mr.. Davis said he did not think
1t was necessary for him to enter upon
q constitutional discussion. While he
deemed the question very important, he
regarded It as entirely non-partisan. His
remarks, he said, would be directed TO
the House bill, which had become part
of the Senate measure. He said that II
could not be denied that from the time
the measure was reported to until today
there had been rising tide Of protest
against 1t and that protest had oulminat-
ed In righteous Indignation. 1t had come
from every part Of the country and from
people in every walk Of life. and was
passed upon the principle that Porto
Rico. under all the circumstances should
have free trade with the United States
After explaining an amendment he had
offered early In the day, Mr.. Davis
maintained that o tariff could not be
levied rs between Porto Rico and the
United States, although 10 was perfectly
the collection OF Internal revenue taxes
on the island.
Mr.. Davis commended that the amend
ment that he had proposed would 60 far
to appease the storm OF protest and in
dignation which had arisen and would
satisfy the People of this country and the
Porto Ricans themselves. All sorts Of
arguments, MIR. Davis said. had teen
urged In support Of tariff on Porto
Rican products. First, It was charity,
bot that had been swept away by TIE
passage of the two million dollar appro-
priation bill. Then It was that beyond
Porto Kico lie the Philippines"
"As to that" said he ~ believe that
sufficient unto the day is the evil and
the good thereof. The Philippines will
present their problem in time
The next argument advanced to sup
port the tariff, he said, was the protsc-
tion the IS per cent would afford to our
product and labor.
DE ridiouled such Q proposition as no
protsctionist would contend that 10 per
cent of the Dingley ratss would afford
adequate protection for anything.
DIR. Davis said 1t was inconsistent to
extend our laws relating to the coastwiss
trade to the island and not extend our
tariff laws. As to tine feeling In the coun-
try upon the question, he said;
~ think would be rs firm as any
body under a sudden, traDsitory public
manifestation of feeling, but when that
sentiment speaks to uH week after week,
In constantly swelling volume, we must
take heed Of it. This question Is well
understood by the people.
They understand well. too, that upon
distilled spirits and tobacco there Is not
IN i10pC SltlOu Oh U MIL u thAatiOu W
this bill. The subjects Of taxation upon
which we place heavy burdens go scot
free on the island Of Porto Rico. And
what do they propose as an exchange
tor that kind OF taIationf Why, the Inn
position OF q tariff. Mr.. Davis said that
no man could tell how much the tariff
would yield and as no man could say
that the export tax was constitutional,
1t seemed to him that there ought to be
no hesitation as to the oourss to be pur-
sued"
In conclusion, he said;
"In my Judgment the only course for
as IL to abandon this pernioious mookery
Of tariff between Porto Rico and the
United States and return to ths''path way
Of plain duty"
The amendment offered by Mr.. Garter
TO the Alaskan civil code bill relating 10
ths mining for gold under the waters of
Cape Nome. was agreed to, but further
than this no progress was made with
the measure.