The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-03-07
FROM THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
From Our Orn Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 5, 1900.
Now that the vote on the Porto Rican
tariff bill has been taken and the ques-
ton has been settled for the time be-
ing at least. it seems advisable to re-
new some of the circumstances leading
up to it and resulting from it. First,
and most important from a political
standpoint, is the fact that President
Mckinley is on the winning side.
However the matter had been decided,
ne would still have been on the win
ming side. There are few more astute
politicians than William Mckinley.
When questioned as to his desires in
regard to the bill, he merely replied
that he wished for Republican harmony,
leaving to be understood, recording to
the wishes of his questioner, that he
stood by his message declaring it our
"plain duty" to give free trade to Por-
to Rico, or that he favored harmony by
the minority Republicans yielding to
the majority. At the caucus the other
night, when Representative Shattuc,
OF Ohio, declared that he was willing
to defer his judgment to that of the
President, but that he wanted some
assurance as to what the Presidents
judgment really was, all that Mr..
Payne could say in answer was: 81 saw
che President this afternoon and he
told me that he had no doubt of the
constitutiOnality of the Porto Rican
tariff bill. He told me also that if the
bill was passed by Congress he will
sign it," just before the vote was
taken, an anonymous member of the
cabinet" was interviewed and said that
the President regarded the Is per cent.
duty and the limitation of two years as
making the bill practically free
trade" Such evasions were eminently
characteristic of the President, and
show that he was determined to be
able to jump down on either side of the
fence when the vote was taken.
A long time has elapsed since so de-
termined an effort has been made to
pass bill in the face of so much oppo-
sitiOn in and opposition out Of the par
ty. No sacrifices have been regarded
as too great, no pledges rs too high to
give in return for votes. Threats and
cajolery alike have been utilized in the
effort to secure. its passage. Members
of little Importance have suddenly dis
covered they were very necessary to
the leaders of their party, and some of
them have exacted heavy conditions rs
the price Of their work. Similarly, the
various amendments accepted by the
Ways and Means Committee, limiting
the life of the bill to comparatively
short period and reducing the rates of
duty imposed by it, show how desper-
ateiy tile Republicans strove to pass it.
Unquestionably they were moved by
terror as to their future action in re-
gard to the Philippines if the bill
should fail. Without it, it would be
impossible for the Supreme Court to
decide on questions bearing on the
Philippines as we'll as Porto Rico, and
the Republicans would be apt to enact
legislation that would absolutely de-
strOy them when it's consequences be- !
came known to the country.
Democrats here are drawing compar-
isons between the actions of our gov
ernment and those of Great Britain
somewhat to our disadvantage. Ever
since the President precipitated the
Philippine war, it has been worse than
drawing eyeteoth to get any informa-,
tion from him as to his policy iu tho
Philippines, and even as to actual oc-
currences in that country. Senator
Pettigrew and others have asked for
the facts, but have been set upon and
denounced as all sorts of traitors who
to aid Aguinaldo for asking for
information to which the country is
plainly entitled. The President in
speech and in writing has again and
again declared that it was for Congress
to prescribe the method Of conducting
the war and the policy to be purs1ed.
Yet he went on managing everything
and taking progressive and
radical steps with contemptuous disre-
public opinion. Every effort to obtain |
intelligence throwing light on the ac-
ton of the Administration has been
met with determined opposition by its |
in the two Houses. Resolu-
tiohs of inquiry which were finally
pushed through were answered partial |
ly or completely ignored.
In Great Britain the case is far diff
feyent. With q war on is hands in |
which, until recently, it suffered hu- |
initiating defeats, the government has
been almost verbose in declaring it's |
position. London papers which have |
reached here contain columns of re-
plies by Cabinet Ministers to all sorts |
Of inquiries as to the causes which led |
to the war, the conduct OF it and the !
plans and purposes of the eGovernment. |
Asked why they did not do this or |
that, they have replied they were fear !
full OF trenchiDg upon the British Con-
stitution and were In d.::5.ss 81, ~ Gneir
snWIuf actnority. We have heard no |
such talk' as this from the executive |
branch of our Government, So free
and unrestrained have been the state |
nfents OF Lord Salisbury and his asso-