The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-16
SCHURMAN ON PUERTO RICO.
BELIEVES IN FREE TRADE Foft
THE ISLAND.
Thinks Good Faith Is invoiNed IN
the Matter of Extending the
American Tariff system Over the
New Possessions-shouId BE Done.

NEW YORK March 15.-The following
letter from President J. @. Schurman. o.
Cornell university. president OF the Old
Philippine commission, TO a personal friend
is published here today:
Il agree with you that the United states
is under obligation to extend It's tarlH
laws to the ISLAND Of Puerto Rico. Bat
/ cannot aScept Your contention tnat TINS
obligation Is derived from the consutu.
ton. which, in my judgment, uoes not o.
it's own force apply TO annexed territory.
The obligation Is moral, not CONSTITUTIONAL.
las the president said with equal truth
and felicity, Il IS our pain duty.
we are bound to this course by solemn
promises. The supreme and irresistible
reason for removing all customs barriers
between the United states and Puerto REQ
IL the promise made by Gen. Miles when
the first landing was made by American
officers in the island that the Puerto H
cans should enjoy the same rights, prlvl-
leges and immunities as the people OF the
United States. on this understanding the
Puerto Ricans accepted American sover-
eighty, not only without opposition, but
with joyful trust and confidence. The
present issue is simply this: Shall We re
pudlats or shall we tnlhn the national
engagements? Shall this great republic
break faith with the little island of Puerto
Rico? Having secured the fruits Of Gen.
Miles promises. shall we now renounce
the promise? The American people will
obligations. Recognizing the national good
fsith as the nations chlefest good, they
viii condemn any Nl0iatlen OF IL as tue
blacklist crime. All over the country this
Puerto Rican question has stirred to the
deepest the national heart and conscience.
Legislation inspired bv a breach Of good
faith viii bring a terrible Nemises. II
IS said a tariff is needed between Puerto
Rico and the United states to provide a
case for the courts TO determine the OK
tent ~ our jurisdiction over the dcpen-
denotes, especially the Philippines. / an
ver that no convenience, no expedtents, no
other obligation ever justified a breach
Of the national good faith.
Let me add. too, that this Puerto RI
can legislation Is testing uS before the
eyes OF the F~ilipinos. who keep vel in
formed Of all our doings. They win Judge
hy this legislation Of the value Of Amer
lean promises. When the Rblest and most
s~tatosmanlike Of Agldnaldo's emissaries
to the Philippine commission once express
"a the fear that the American government
might not keep the promises II was max
ing. for Spain, said he, made promises and
broke them. ! silenced him with the re-
ply. 'Signor. the United states Is not
Spain H. he now To learn, are all the
Filipinos now to learn that in the first
legislation for our dependencies We prove
faithless to our Pledges and recreant to
ourselves will strengthen the hands OF
A%gulnaldo and the insurgents because. I'M
happily. IL can be used to support their
persistent statement that the Americans
are no more trustworthy than the Span
iRrds.
AT the very moment when we need to
inspire confidence In the minds Of the
act which win confirm their distrust Of
us, quicken their suspicious and breed new
and perhaps inersdicablo antlpathy? God
forbid"