The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-19

any votes in the coming election be-
cause Of its action on the Porto Rican
bill. We are not holding back by the
coattails of the world and following
whoa We have got something to show
for our opinions. Witness the splendid
organization of the government of the
Hawaiian territory. Look at the lib
eral, generous, Christian laws we have
bestowed upon the people of Porto Rico.
Look at the fact that but for the inter
vention of a few men on this side of
the water we should have extended the
same benefits of the constitution, the
same liberty of American citizenship in
embryo, at least, to the people Of the
Philippine islands.
Protect Labor Markets.
But we would not consent that you
sould drive US to admit that the people
of Porto Rico and the people of the
Philippine islands were upon an equal
footing with the people in the United
States. We would not consent that mil
lions Of Malays and all those people
might come over here and march into
our labor markets, and we will make
it warm for you before the campaign
is over. daughter and applause on the
Republican side.) You voted that the
constitution carried equal citizenship to
the MalayS and the Chinese of the Phil
ippines, and that is your position today
1t is your complaint that ave would not
let you do it, but in due time under
the wisdom of the Republican party and
under the blessings of God, we will
send liberty and equal rights, as rap
idly as they can comprehend them, to
the people of Porto Rico and to the
people Of the Philippine islands.
MY- HI
Mr.. Williams demanded an opportunity
to reply, and time was accorded him.
Mr.. Chairman" said he, speaking
with deliberation, 'aS a man grows old
he learns something. l have learned
something today. I will never again,
while a member of the American con-
gresfS, underta- to ask a question of
any member on this floor who is not
sufficiently we'll versed in the ordinary
cOurteSieS of human intercourse as to
be capable of returning at least a pO-
lite reply to a polite inquiry Further
than that, it would be almost impoS-
Sible for me, without a breach of par
liamentary rule, to express myself upon
that particular subject
A Political Trick.
Il asked the gentleman from Ohio
question which he either could not an
swer or would not answer, or, in his
usual lawyerlike. politician style, de-
sired to evade. That question has not
been answered yet. The gentleman
said on this floor that the president of
the United States had not changed his
mind upon the Porto Rican question.
Remember, did not make the charge
that he had What 1 charged was that
he had permitted others to change his
mind for him. which, in my opinion,
was not thing of what any man
could at any time be proud.
But in charity to the president, and
in charity to many of the members of
this house, asked the gentleman when
he denied that the president had chang
ed his mind that he permit me TO ask
a question, and he yielded. 1 asked
him whether the president had not, in
a public message, announced that he
was in favor of free trade between
Porto Rico and the balance of the Unit
ed States, and also whether various
members of this house had not risen
one after another to say the president
had told him in private conversations
that he was at the time of the CONVEX
SatiOns in favor of the bill which passed
the house.
There was nothing rude in that in
quiry; there was nothing personal in
it; there was nothing diScourteOus in
it; there was nothing unprecedented in
1T; there was nothing in it that could
have stirred up wrath in the breast Of
any man except one who felt as if he
had to break up the convention in a
row in order to keep from arriving at
an election. That is ALL Democratic
applause.)
Mr.. GrosvenOr disclaimed any inten-
ton of affronting Mr. Williams, and
there the matter ended.