The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-03

help Puerto Rico, enable her to rise
triumphant from her ruins and give
remunerative use for caDital and EN-
ployment and wages to her people, are
on the free list. The luXuries consumed
by the prosperous are, as they ought
to be, taxed for the support of the
government.
The People to Decide.
But this is not all. The whole ques-
ton Of taxation Is RENTED by this
bill to the people and government of
Puerto Rico. Here Is the charter Of
Puerto Rican elf-government. 1t is
the spear which punctures the huge
and swaying balloon of tyranny, OPP
preston and violations of the Corsti-
tuition and Declaration of Independ-
ence so laboriously blown out and cX-
panded in the past few weeks. While
standing on the collapsed canvas, and
viewing it's tragic notices, listen to
the plain and passionless words of
this bill:
Section 9.-And whenever the legis-
lative assembly of Puerto Rico shall
have enacted and put into operation
a system of local taxation to meet the
necessities of the government of Puer-
to Rico by this act established, and
shall by resolution duly passed so no
tify the president, he shall make pro-
clamation thereof, and thereupon all
tariff duties on merchandise and arti-
cles going into Puerto Rico from the
United States or coming into the United
States from Puerto Rico shall cease,
and from and after such date all such
merchandise and articles shall he en-
tered at the several ports of entry free
of duty; and in no event shall any
such duties be collected after the 1st
day of March 1902
In a word, what Is all this conten-
ton about? What is the apple Of dis
cord which is lashing some friends TO
fury? The president proposed free
trade and this bill gives free trade in
all the necessaries of life, in all imple-
ments and manufactures required for
the resuscitation, development, and
working of industries, and a tariff
amounting, on the average, to per
cent upon their market value on lux
uries.
This tariff comes off by operation OF
law in two wears, and as much sooner
as the people Of the island. through
their own legislature, decide to abolish
it, because they can raise the revenues
government. their roads. and their
schools. and for their general welfare,
by direct taxation.
flaylnB foltlcS.
The opposition to this bill is the re-
suit of the usual tactical operations for
advantageous positions in a presdcn-
tial year. The Calhoun theory of the
Constitution, and the century old fight
of free trade to destroy protection have
made n united and desperate charge
upon the policy and provisions OF this
measure. The Democratic position in
regard to our island territories is clear
ly defined. They will claim that the
moment any territory becomes the prop
erty of the United States by conquest
purchase, cesslon, or discovery. 1t is
under our Constitution and laws; that
it's people and products have the same
rights and are entitled to the same
freedom of movement all over the Uni
ted States as the people and products
OF anv state in the union; that state
hood must speedily come and can not
be denied: that this would break down
every protective barrier against pau
per labor and admit free into our ports
the things produced by people working
in our tropical possessions for a few
cents a day and would degrade our cit
izenship, and. therefore If they get in
power they will at once abandon these
islands.
The Republican Position.
The Republican party stands upon
the action of Jefferson. Monroe. Jack
son, Polk, Pierce and Seward, that