Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-22
OUR FAITH INVOLVED
Mr.. Mcclellan Opposes Duty on
Porto Rican Products.
WOULD BREAK down THE BARRIERS
Representatives BrantIey and Gros-
venor Speak
THE QUAY CASE GOES OVER

The House began holding early sessions
today, meeting at IL am, owing to the
pressure for time in the Porto Rico debate.
Washington's birthday was referred to by
the chaplain in his invocation and the char
acter of Washington held up as a model
for emulation today.
Mr.. Mcclellan IN. " opened the debate,
speaking in opposition to the bill.
Mr.. Mcclellan said. in part:
ION it's face the bill is simple enough. 1t
provides for a reduction of 10 per cent in
the Dingley tariff rates on all goods i'm
ported to and from Porto Rico, and yet it is
the most outrageous opportunism that has
been submitted to Legislative body, at
least since the days of that prophet of OPP
portunism. Leon Gambetta.
1.-The bill must be considered from two
aspects. the legal and the moral.
THE position of the majority in refer
ence to the status of Porto Rico is this:
That Porto Rico belongs to the United
States, but is not Il part of the United
States, and that the Constitution does not
extend over it proprio vigore. Having
enunciated this proposition the majority de-
murs and insists that, even If the Consti-
tuition does extend over Porto Rico propr1o
vigore, the treaty of Paris is the supreme
law of the land, and. If in conflict with the
Constitution. then that treaty is paramount.
I'm the case of Porto Rico there has been
no violation of the great principle that
governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the consent
of the governed Porto Rico belongs to us
and il is necessary for us to consider, first,
what is the status of its Inhabitants, and,
second, what is the status of its territory
Mr. Mcclellan then argued at some length,
quoting great many decisions, to prove
that the position of the majority was I'M
tenable and that the inhabitants of Porto
Rico are citizens of the United States, with
all the constitutional rights of citizens,
and that the Constitution extends proprio
vigore over the Island of Porto Rico. the
United States only holding 1t in trust, for.
the state eventually to be erected out of its
territory.
Our Good Faith Involved.
Continuing. Mr.. Mcclellan said:
THE moral aspect of the case is quite as
important as is the legal. 1t involves the
good faith. the credit and the honor of the
United States. Some gentlemen distinguish
between individual honor and national
honor; some insist that there is one stand
ard of honesty for tie individual and no
standard whatever for the nation. Porto
Rico came to us freely of her own accord,
believing that she would become part of
the United States and enjoy the blessings
OF our Constitution and of free intercourse
with US. l find myself taking my stand
with the minority in support of the Presi-
dent of the United States against the party
that elected him to office
In closing Mr.. MCCLELLAN SAID:
There are those of US who are fond of
saving that the white mans burden lies far
beyond the summer seas. and that the
white mans duty requires that he bear his
burden, no matter how much it may OPP
press him. There are those of who in all
sincerity maintain that it is the duty of
this country to extend the blessings of Its
civilization to the people of the east. They
tell US that an open door in China would
increase our commerce. and that the addi-
| ton of millions of pauper savages to our
BODY polite would improve the condition of
American labor. 1 may be conservative be-
yond reason but l think l am an humble
member of the great majority of the people
of this country when l believe that the
greatest glory of a free people is in its
honor, and in its righteousness as nation;
that there is only one rule of conduct for
the individual and for government: that the
same standard of honor should govern this
Congress as governs its most inconSpicuous
member; that our ultimate destiny must be
worked out in the factories of New York.
and on the fishing smacks of New England,
| in the wheat fields of the west and in the
| plantations of the south; that We must
| strive for happiness not in Asia, but in
| America; that the radiance of our flag con-
| sists not in the triumphs of unnecessary
foreign wars, but in the tTiumphS OF neceS-
sary domestic peace: that the wealth of this
nation should not be expended in behalf of
| the selfish ambitions of the few, but in the
| cause Of the many; that the duty Of the
United States does not lie in the conquest
| of oriental people, but in the conquest of
the happiness Of our own.
| Mr.. Mcclellan was frequently and gen.
| erously applauded by his democratic asso-
| ciates.
MIR. Brantley In Opposition.
| Mr. Brantley (Ga.) spoke against the bill,
| and particularly oil the future of the Philip
pines. He pointed out that a year had
| elapsed since the treaty of peace, and yet
Congress had failed thus far to lay down
a policy for the Philippines. 1t was this in
| action by Congress- he said, which spread
| uncertainty among the Filipinos and nerved
| them to further opposition. He declared
| that the new Philippine commission could
| accomplish nothing, and that if 1t went to
| the Philippines at all II should go with the
| authority and power which Congress alone
| could grant.
Mr.. GrosyenOr Speaks.
The holiday crowds began to swarm the
| galleries as the debate advanced, and when
| Mr. Grosvenor of Ohio began speaking in
| support of the bill he had a well-filled
| house. on the floor and in the galleries.
He said that any political party or indi-
| vidual who took part In ratifying and sup
| porting the treaty with Spain was estopped
| from opposing any of the legitimate effects
| of that treaty. When that treaty hung in
| the balance certain Nebraska colonel left
| his regiment and came to Washington to
| aid in securing ratification, and he did In
| fiuence votes at a critical juncture. So
| that. Mr.. Grosvenor said. if there one
| man in the country who should shoulder re-
| spOnsibility for the treaty and its succeed
| ing responsibilities that man was William
| ]. Bryan of Nebraska.
| Mr.. Grosvenor said there appeared to be
| great ssnstiveness lest the wishes of the
| President should not be carried out, and
| this constituencies was most apparent on the
| democratic side among those not partic
| ularly active in supporting the President
| The President had performed his constitu
| tional duty in presenting his views to Con.
gress. Since then much official Information
had been submitted. showing conclusively
that it was imperatively necessary TO raise