The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-03-14
SUFFERS UNDER
HEAVY BURDEN.
Puerto Rican Bill a Target for
Hot Shot From Both Sides.

Washington. March 8 "A member
Of the cabinet tonight gave out the
following authoritative statement /:
"There has been a wide missppre
hension of the Puerto Rican tariff
bill. of the attitude of the president,
OF the action of congrass and Of their
relations to each other. The criii.
cism aud the concern which have
come from some well meaning quar-.
ters are due almost entirely to o
Misunderstanding If the real facts.
''The attempt to represent that
there has been disagreement be
tween the president aud congress is
wholly unfounded There has been
no essential differences between
them Both have sought the same
object The recommendation of the
president and the house bill. in their
purpose and their effects, come to the
same thing. As consequence, each
rightly sustains the other
"The pres,dent in his annual NEE
sage of December urged that the
custom duties on trade between
Puerto Rico and the United States be
removed. Imports from Puerto Rico
to the United States have been and
ere now paying the Dingley rates.
They have no preference over goods
from any foreign country The
president felt that Pueto Rico should
be relieved of this burden. He
urged that il should be removed, not
as q matter Of legal right, but of
liberal and humane public policy.
"What he proposed was that the
United States should offer the largest
and most generous measure of help
to the distressed and suffering island,
and he has never wavered q single
instant 10 the object be sought. Had
his suggestion been accepted and
followed by ell in his spirit and as be
meant IL, with the limitationo he
intended, ell would have been we'll
There would have been no harm in
any direction But when the time
came for action 10 congress two
tendencies we're seen. On the one
hand. there we're good men and some
business and agricultural interests
that, while not objeoting or little
to free trade with Puerto
Rico alone. feared that free trade
with Puerto Rico would be made
precedent for free trade with the
Philippines They felt that there
should be q distinct assertion and
exercise Of the power 70 impose
duties. however small. as an assur.
ance that this power was reserved for
other cases.
"On the other hand what the
president proposed az q worthy act
Of national generosity and liberal
policy was seized by political oppon
ents and claimed as q necessity and
inevitable measures oi inherent con
stitutionsl right of it's own
force extends to Puerto Rioo
and all the new island pos
sessions and spreads ali it's pro.
visions over them. including uniform
taxation. They were eager to com
NIT q Republican congress to the
adoption of free trade with Puerto
Rico. not as a measure of generous
expediency. but because they could
then claim that il had riveted q hard
and fast principal which would tie
the hands Of the government every
where, in the Philippines as well as
in Puerto Rico
"lt was a cunning game but It did
not succeed The apprehension of
the honest objectors VINO feared that
the concession of ful free trade to
Puerto Rico would lead to miscon,
s.ruction and the desieps Of the
crafty partisans who meant that it
should. were both met aad frustrated
by the bill which passed the house
aud which Ievies Is per cent or less
than one sixth of the Dingley rates