The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-03
VIGOROUS WAR WAS WAGED.
PORTO RICAN BILL WAS DEBATED
ON 10Th SIDES.

senator Bates Strong Speech in OPP
position Followed by senator De-
pew's support of the Tariff S2ea-
sure Senator SpOOner FOLLOWED
and Had COIIoquies With TiIIman
and Baccn-Final Vote the
Measure VIII BE Taken This After
noon.
Washington, April 2-Advocates and OPP
ponents of the Porto Rican tariff and
government bill waged vigorous war in
the Senate to-day for more than seven
hours. The galleries were crowded. The
speeches were good and the running de-
bate unusually bright and lively.
Mr. Spooner Of Wisconsin crossed argu-
mentative swords with some of the best
debat rs on. the Democratic side. HIS main
discussion was of constitutional ques-
lions.
Mr. Bate of Tennessee opened the de-
bate with a carefully prepared speech in
opposition to the bill.
Mr. Cullom, Republican of Illinois, Wig
orously supported the measure. Then
came Mr.. Depew, Republican of New
York, member of the committee which
framed the bill, who made an eloquent
and forceful defense of the measure.
Other speakers were Mr.. Perkins, Re
publican Of California, also a member of
the COMMITTEE on Porto Rico, who pre-
scented a strong argument for the bill, and
Mr. Simon, Republican of Oregon.
The final vote on the bill viii be taken
late tomorrow afternoon 1t is arranged
for o o'clock, but an effort will be made
to extend the time for debate beyond that
hour
The Senate convened at II a. m. to al
low ON hour longer for debate on the
bill.
Mr. Bate in Opposition.
Mr. Bate first addressed the Senate. His
speech embraced The whole question of eX-
pansion and the treatment by the govern
ment and by Congress of our insular pos
sessions He took strong grounds against
the acquisition of Spanish territory. under
the treaty of Paris-against which he vot
ed-and inquired:
"Can the American people acquire from
another nation, by purchase, the moral
right to govern 100000 of people against
their consent, whea attested by forcible
resistance-that rightful rebellion which
our revolution consecrated for all people?
There is not a page, not paragraph in
our history, which sustains the rightful-
ness of purchasing people-100 100000 in one
batch, like cattle in box cars.
at is true thar the language of the
treaty of Paris provides that the political
and civil rights of the people in the coded
islands shall be determined by Congress;
but by Congress as Congress is controlled
by the constitution which created Con-
gress and not by Congress acting with
the absolutism of an English Parliament.
Congress can do nothing not authorized
by the constitution. In no section, either
by grant or implication, is there any au-
thority for two classes of peOple-citizens
of the states and subjects of the Con-
gress
Lessons From Reconsideration.
"The experience of the Republican par
ty in the art of reconstruction between
1865 and 1S70-betWeen the acquisition OF
Alaska and the Philippines taught les
sons which Were not forgotten when the
treaty of Paris secured the islands from
Spain. The exploitation of the Southern
States by carpetbag governments was an
experience for which the acquisition of
Porto Rico and the Philippines offered OPP
portunities which were provided for in
the treaty itself. A tariff for Porto Rico,
that subject of Congress- which protec,s
certain interests of the United States aud
denies to all other people in the states the
benefit of competition, creates a virtual
trust on cigars, cigarettes and tobacco,
and helps the actual trust in sugar, for
the benefit of manufacturers at the cost of
consumers in the states and producers in
Porto Rico. While 100000 tons Of sugar
in Hawaii. the property of the trust king
of the United States, enters free of all
duty, the $1,000 tons of sugar produced
by the impoverished planters of Porto
Rico, are taxed under the power by which
the treaty OF Paris was manipulated so
as to give 20 Congress the power which
has been thus abused.
THE omnpotence of Congress over the
civil rights and political status of 10000 Coz
of people is grated on the treaty and rhe
treaty is now alleged 10 supersede even the
constitution and to have become the GU
preme law of the land. Against claim
so monstrous and shocking to every sens
of constitutional law the people of the
states in the Union will enter their solemn
and efficient protest They will never
sent to the new Republican dogma that the
executive through his diplomatic agents
can negotiate q treaty which SHALL be
paramount to the constitution; and that
the state department through and by
means of the hocus pocus of diplomacy
can convert this republic of republics into
an imperialism more despotic than the
absoluteism of Parliament"
He maintained that the Democratic par
tv was the original party of Expansion
along lines which added strength to ma
tional resources.
Trusts Took Alarm.
Adverting TO the proposed tariff on Porto
Rican products. Mr.. Bate declared that
the original bill provided for free trade,
but the trusts took alarm and the long
and Shiny tenldGleS Oh lilH OclupuS soon
reached into the committee room and all
was lost.
"The debate on this bill have unveiled
The fact that the treaty of Paris has given
Spain the same trade privileges that the
United States may use-free trade II there
is free trade-but not the island and the
states; while the favored clause in our
treaties with foreign nations stands ready
TO open wide the Philippine door into the
United States Into that dilemma this
bungling treaty. mean no dlsrespect 10
its framers-has placed the Republican
party. II was the discovery which hasten
ed the sugar and tobacco interests as ad-
vanced couriers to the committee room
with the ultimatum of no more money for
political campaigns unless barbed wire
fence OF duties was placed around the
Industries which heretofore have put so
much money where 1t would do the most
good"
Mr.. Cullom pointed out that the
amount collected on imports from Porto
R{co would 60 hack 10 helm build nm that