The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-04
PUERTO RICO LEGISLATION.
SENATE COMMITTEES AGREES 10 IRIS
BILL ny a PARTY VOTE.

-
BILL nv a PARTY VOTE.
II Provides q Government for the Island
The Committed favors Free Trade
but to Raise Needed Revenue Fixes n
Tariff mt 26 Per Cent. Of Present Rates.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 3.-The Senate Commit
tee on Pacific I.lands aud Puerto Rico to-day.
by a party vote. agreed to report 'a,orably the
bill providing a civil government Tor the island
OF Puerto Rico. which has been I. mod by the
Republican members OF the committee. The
| Democratic members ~ the committee opposed
the placing Of any tariff on trade between the
United States and Puerto Rico and the failure
OF the bill 70 extend the Constitution over the
island. and served notice on the majority that
efforts would be- continued in the Senate when
the bill wa taken up there to incorporate those
ideas In II. Mr.. Pettigrew announced his pur-
pose 10 oppose tho entire measure. Mr.. Platt
OF Come cticut has served notice on the COM
mIttse Of his intention TO offer an amendment
70 the bill increasing the duty from rs to 80
per cent. OF the Dingley rates.
The report OF the committee will say that
the measure Is Intended To provide only a tenn
p0rary civil government for the island, to con-
tinue until the avs and ordinances now In
force there can be revised aud cod fed and a
more permanent: system is framed by tho
commission provided by the bill. The neces-
slty for such q commission is recognized by
the ittee because the existing laws,
the judicial system. tho codes Of procedure and
the general political conditions in Puerto Eico
dlffer 70 widely IRON those OF the United
states.
tend the provision OF the Constitution to
Puerto Rico, the committee cite a long list OF
precsdents. besinning N lI@ with the %organi.
that until 1850 Congress had never toy express
enactment extended IL TO the people " any
territory. The committee therefore ho!ds that
1t Is within the conStitutioual power 81 Con-
gress either to extend or withhold the Consti-
tuition IN all such cases as 1t may deem adrist-
bic, and that c9n,eluently It has the " 70
levy customs duties on trade between the
United States and Puerto Rico.
The commit re declares. On the authority OF
numerous weil-esta bli'hed preIedents that
the Constitution and laws OF the United States
do not OK proprio yiQore extend to territory
acquired by the United States. but only by
Congressional action. Neithsr did it follow
snms manner AS Puerto Rico, it being tho
opinion Of the committee that each stood on
its own merits. The POWER Of Congress was
plenary. and 1t light do as II liked, IN other
words. the provisions OF the Constitution did
not operate beyond tho States unless Congress
should 40 enact. There was no guaranty In
have q republican. form ~ government. or that
the civil and political status Of inhabitants u a
territory should be OF any particuj n rcharGcter.
The Committee to-day made one change Of
i'm p~ortauce IN the bill by striking out the pro-
vision which permitted the appointment OF an
Army officer IA Governor Of Puerto. Rico. This
WAS doua on the recommendation OF he Puerto
Rioan Commissioners here. who represented
that tho island had ALWAYS been under a Mili-
tary Governor and they thought II time Tor a
change. They Ters not. however. opposed TO
Gen Davis, but wished to guard against the
appointment Of an Army oficer as his sue
ce-sor.
a.. -. ..z.y ,,n,,t.. Al. ..,art ~ A. ,ann
mlttec says that the bill a. introduced provided
for free trade between the United States aud
Puerto Rico. This proposition was objected TO
on various grounds. II was urged that 1t was
In violation OF the policy Of protection, was
jnimical to the i~ntsrests OF the United States.
with which Puerto, Il can products wouldcome
In competition. and would be a precedent that
would have to be followed In other caAcs that
mtSht hereafter arise, where the com PETITION
resulting might he stall more Injurious to
American interests.
The committee carefully considered all OF
them with he result that they DO not regard
the objections as wcll taken. They do not
sltion any departure from the policy OF protec-
ton. because that POLICY has always been
maintained onl a. between the United States
and the rest Of the world. while within our own
jurisdiction. among all our States and Terri
tories. there has always been free tra'le.. Now
that Puerto Rico has become a possession Of
the United States. It would ha an application
OF the same policy to establish free tra'e be-
tween the two countries. II would BE- but
treating this territory as no longer foreign.
but American.
AS to the second % those objections, the COM
mittee ara or the opinion thar there would not
result any material Injury. II there would BE-
any injury at all to any industry OF the United
States IRON the Introduction into this country.
free ot duty. OF all the prod ucts OF Puerto Rico.
and that II there should be. there would hs
large compensating advantages secured In the
corresponding extension OF our markets and
otherwise.
50 far az the objection IA concerned that what
is done with respect to Puerto Rico will he a
precedent that must. he followed in deal
ing with the Philippines and other Islands
we may acquire, the com mittee think II enough
to say that such a result does not necessarily
follow. In the opinion ~ the committee each
stands on It's own merits and Congress = not
bound IN one by what IL may sac 1T To do in
Goother. Its power is plenary and IL may do
as 1t likes.
Nevertheless. the committee. although dis
regarding these objections. have thought Il
best. in view o the urgent necessity for a rove-
nue. for Puerto Rico. to impose on all dutiGble
articles i'm ported into Puerto Rico from the
United States. % per cent. OF the tariff duties
provided by the law o. July -, 1897. and also
TO mposs a similar duty on all articles dutiable
under the articles which NAV be imported
from there into the United States. which. to-
gethar with all Internal revenue taxes that
may be levied. shall be collected Tor the use
and benefit OF the treasury OF Puerto Rico for
the support OF the local government.