The Washington weekly post., 1900-04-03

etstsS 70 maintain them " they had. -.
people who welcomed our army wss, 4.
landed on their island as their friends -
had come 20 free them from the r..
of spain. and who have condurfeF - .
selves In the most peaceable manre-. ~ ~
people 10 whom We had proruIsss'
bring the immunities and blessings os - =
liberal institutions OF our Eovsrrr-,.-
ana nae SAID oy the mouths % our h..t.
est officials that TO establish free --1
was our plain duty dema ndsS b., ...
highest considerations Of justice and -
faith S''I
Lesytns Tribute on the Poverty-sfrIrL.
we levy this tribute on a pNorfs -.
are in the direst poverty and 5is,-...
resulting in a large part from our y--.
action n taking possession OF their -sr.-s
and destroying the existing markets =.
their products and opening no other 49,,
10 this !. added. by the hand or ,ra A.
mighty. the terrible destruction OF +bs o..
nado. so that they are now In the e,,-s--.
OF poverty and deStitution, borderiry RI
starvation. They can make no reSIsrs-.
u they would. and have no d!spo>ir.1- .
II they could, and must accept and S5s.~..
10 whatever we may do. Does this ba,,..
our position compared with that OF Kin.
George? Let US rewritc his biography n,
see to It that We do not make ourssrv.. d.
subjects for a similar one We clam, .l..
our mission in Porto ElCo was % @a-.r.
that people from the thraidom nf SIM.
wal not they in their hearts prav 4, ;.
delivered from their delivererST
But to consider this question a rr0-A-.
from the lower plane OF mere poll 4,
the first place. honesty is the beS- r-.s-,.'
as we shall find n we try the other ~
Again, II this Eill becomes a Law % a.,
stand greatly in the way of the fay-,s-.
Of has g-n3
future IN uncertainty. for IL We levy a .r,
OF 10 per cent, the next Congress -r4,
levy tax OF ~ per cent. II We 1Ior., -.
trade. IL will be accepted BY eVe-yhos, s
definite policy toward Porto Rico. Rv.
ness interests will know what n F.Ds--
upon. and capital and enterpr.s. viii o.
there and soon change tho deplorsh'a ro~.
GltionS now existing. Uncertainty ~
paralyze industry.
Views of Military Governor Dnyi.
Il viii ask the Secretary to read an ~.
tract from the report OF Gen. DAVIS. M,
ficer Of the very highest standing ami
ability, noted for his good sense. i.5,.
nent. and discretion.
American sovereignty Tor Porto nc, ~, e., o..
teen disastrous 20 its commerce fo- it sss ss,-..
;he island Of markets ~her. were sid rs,-.r ,,,.
half OF Its total output
II the trade conditions hs.v.en sAls f.rs-, 90.
the United States remain as al present, 1r'v .-4-,
trial paralysis can be expected Uat % m -.
other hand. the productions o, Porto Ps-, can \.
admitted free into the Union there viii te 49,,
about condition iustifyiuE the prslf.iI,- IA. -.
island can carry and finally disrharea che .-,.-.
burden OF an exchange Of the r-sseu, rrr-s--. o..
the American on the basis Of the bullion y.las a,
the peso.
de
"il! be a very great revival o., rrs.r.s, and .-
enormous Increase In productions After ,., -,
for development on those lines &c viii r7- h. ., -
difficult 10 increase nterua fa.s.IoD hv =. s5-..,
o. 100000 annually. In TIA, case hal, a rfrrt,r
year could be applied TO rssmtg-,tnr n. ,,,,.-,r
Treasury for the benefit conferred on Por,, Rt, :.
giving II currency having parity svervubsr. uIts
gold.
Present Feeling In Porte Rico.
And I will also ask the Ssr-a,,r,. -
read a dispatch published In rrc -.
York Herald March ., 1901. from Mr.
Charles NJ. Pepper. a very intelligent
ana reliable correspondent, well known
Ponce. Porto Rico Thursday
The fast that the tariu imposition is 20 10 arfy
10 per cent Of the Dngley rates zlu not sUay ir-i
tatton in Porto Rico. On the contrary. u promise,
70 increase. The residents Of the island had t..-
expecting free trade for all sdyicss ENCOURAGED This
belief The disappointment in II. business con-
munity is intense
visited several towns this week. .rd .y,rrphsr,
found the merchants protesting but conservative
men we're calming them by telling them o. n.
prospects OF free trade. Even the American ors,r,
held that free trade would he acoorts4
The prospects for a business revival are no, rro4
now because Of the tariff imposition aEd me g,-
certainty as TO What will happen Is far from over
The commercial class and planters declare they VII
continue to send protests. Yesterday they nsrs ..
joicing in the hope OF free trade Tonight they ar,
gloomy.
The demonstration OF Pcnc. merchants last rfvs,
threatened disorder and troops vsre held IN rs,4r.
ness IN me barracks Free trade hopes we're freely
presented, and the gathering dispersed In order
The authorities do not really fear atsordo- t,,
realize that the Incident Of last night cIssrl, lima.
trates the intensity Of feeling Il Is eert.i, f,,
mueh impetus will be given the political ss,,tf77
ana that the anti-American issue will len,
strong one
rVn'e Is more temperate than msnv ofbsr fourE
"here the resentment is steadily incr.ssi-s oaIrr
!" 1ne oeplo'soe condition Of affairs srd The urs-
Issshess Of hoping for early tral. revival
Inc tZ'ooooo9 appropriation will not pIsrsts he
Iorto Hlcans II they are subjected 10 ,srr 6,srin
'"'0H CHARLES ". PEPPER
SH"sWtnt ~ American pe0plr
But. Mr.. President. il is no, the effect
OF this measure upon the peuple or PORT,
hlco which constitutes the greatest OBJ
lection to this bill II IS its effect mo,
ourselves. 1t is the Injustice and unfair
ness OF our treatment Of this h.Ipls.. de-
pendent people, for which rctT1butiou will
surely come upon US in some form our
action must be such as to appeal 10 the
good sense, 10 the highest sentiment and
the honest judgment Of the American
people rather than respond 10 the de
n.ands Of protected interests or susrlaI
classes.
These plain people. II [ mistake not.
while they may and will differ az to ubs,
measure Of political rights and privilege
If any. We shall give to the people ~
Porto Rico. will hold that they shouId
have the same rights and opportunities
and be subject TO no other restrictions
than we are-to raise and market their
products; TO buy the food they eat, which
they must largely take from US. 70 buy
the cotton for their clothing and that 81
their wives and children. and the too.s
10 cultivate their land. and 10 sell their
crops In any market on the same terms
that we do.
These are matters that affect every
HOLstNolu- IHty are the simplest rights
Of the people. To deprive them o. his
is a degradation OF their manhood There
is 10 way TO successfully govern or d-si
a." - ole "-i4- b. E. ..'- over. OF ar
---'s-- 10 US In intelEs.f-..- ai-. capacity
except TO be just and 10 keeI, ,,-~tect yuut
faith with them. The stronger must dd-
minister absolute Justice % the Weakrr.
Returning 70 them In the name Of charity
money We have taken and prOpose 10 take
from them cannot be called justice
The plea Of harmony IN the parry A.
psals 10 me strongly. But this is ii qgcs-
ticn higher than party or policy. 20 IS q
qbestion OF principle. nnd II Is better hat
even small minority Of the party should
be right than that we should all b. WrDGg
IL seems 70 me Of vital cDnscguenGe MT
President, that this. our first important
step in leg1E alton for our new possessions.
should be such as 70 commend Itself .
the judgment and conscience Of the Amer
lean people"
The POst-Of1oe app, ,.ria:'On b'l has
been finally sCrecG .'gon by tho H0.ss
Committee on PDs l'iCes and Post Roads
u carries a total O. about sll50D.00 Tie
largest lem ls. as usual. that for carrying
q go m