The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-23

over an area comprising territories, then
the rule 4pf uniforeaity applies to that
same area. This is in accordance with
the primary rules of construction. But
the decisions of the Supreme Court put
the matter above ques ton. Citing long
line of decisions he said if Congress is
not bound by these limitations against
taxing unequally, it is not bound by any
limitation upon its power in the consti-
tuition. The case is conclusive so far as
judicial authority is concerned, and when
we regard the circums tances out of which
our government and the cons titution
sprang, the words of the taxing power
the direct adjudication of their meaning,
the long line of authorities which deny
the existence of absolute power in Con-
gress, II is clear that the theory of des-
pottc power is absolutely repugnant to
our institutions.
Calling attention to the fact that in
Porto Rico's case it was a blcodless vic
tory for us, a case of a territory. a part
of this continent and admitted to be with
in the natural radius of our political
action and of great Importance to our de-
Tense he asked if they should becoms
victims of extortion.
How was Spain treating them; selfish
heartless. cruel Spain? At The time of
their deliverance they had twelve repre-
sentatives and four senator's in the
Spanish Cortes and helped to make the
laws for the whole Spanish empire. They
had ten per cent duty on goods passing
between the two countries and at the
end of the year 1898 that duty was to dis
appear They had almost complete auto
nomy for their own local affairs and a
million and a half in the treasury. Look
at the teal application of our pro-
posed tariff Upon a territory but little
larger than Rhode Isla nd there are crowd
ed a million people. The great question
fe
many articles of food our duties are high,
but as we are large exporters the price
is not increased to our people, but fer
every bag of -four, and every barrel Of
pork that goes 10 Porto Rico Is per cent.
of these high duties must be paid. Upon
the importation of rice alone. 1 am told
the duties will amount to nearly $4,000 a
year. Is this the feast of liberty to which
we have invited those trusting peop,e =?
There is no safety in departing from the
constitutional rule.
1t Would BE Tyranny.
81 do not care to see. our flag emblazon
the principle of liberty at home and tyrau-
nv abroad. 1 brand with all my energy
this hateful notion, bred somewhere in
| the heathenish recesses of Asia, that one
man may exercise absolute dominion over
| another man, or one nation over another
nation. That notion was resisted to the
| last extremity by the heroes who fought al
| Bunker Hill and starved at Valley Forge
! 1t fell before the cleaning sabres of oul
| troopers at Winchester and ApQoTnaitoX
! A half-million men gave UP their lives
| that their country might stand clothed in
| the Respondent robes of constitutional
| liberty and that we might have a govern
ment of laws and not of men, for every
man, beneath the Shining, folds of the
| flag" I'D
Mr.. Moody following, pointed out tha'
| the bin, in taking off 70 per cent. of the
regular duty on Porto Rico goods con
| ferred privilege and advantage on the
! people of that island and their industry
which would he a boon TO any nation. Mr.
| Moody declared that the majority proposed
| to abide by the spirit of the constitution
! rather than its letter.
AZ 5 O'Clock the House recessed until
| o'clock.
| AT the night session speeches were made
| bv Wilson of South Carolina, Lewis OF
| Georgia, and Spight of Mississippi, in oP-
position to the bill. The session was en-
| tirely without noteworthy incident, and al
9 D. m. the House adjourned.