Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-04-02
Revenue inr Puerto Rico.

Congress Tor years, the puDli' tiSNh'
sion of which has been characterized
| by more jumping at conclusions. than
the one which involves the question Of
| how the revenue necessary to conduct
the government Of Puerto Rico is TO
be raised. We hope before any man
| forms Il definite conclusion upon this
subject-or before he permits himself
| to imagine that those who clamor for
| free trade with Puerto Rico, are the
Of that island, he will read carefully
| Speaker Henderson's ringing letter to
Hon. Edward Knott, which appeared
in our issue Of Saturday morning, and
the interview with Governor General
| Davis published elsewhere in this is
sue. Already the country is experience
ing a decided change of heart upon this
subject as new light has exhibited it
| in its true character. In fact some of
| those gentlemen who have been so Vo-
| ciferous in denouncing President Nc
| Kinley are beginning to look a triflc
foolish. 1t is becoming more and more
| evident that their hastily formed
opinions would have worn better had
they taken the trouble to preface them
with a little careful investigation and
an honest effort to get at the real facts
| in the case. Every one who has fol-
Ilowcd the career of President Mckinley
| in q spirit of fairness, should at least
Iappreciate the fact that any move he
might sanction touching Puerto Rico
would have for its aim the true wei
fare of that island. If he or the Re
publican leaders Of Congress have not
been able to carry out at once their
ultimate purposes regarding Puerto
| Rico let us rest assured that it comes
solely from a desire to serve the real
and the Immediate interests of the UNI
fortunate and suffering people Of that
island. Theory can soar above condi-
extent, be governed by them.
The conditions existing, today. i'll
| Puerto Rico are abnormal They are
| the result of disastrous winds and
| floods which devastated a large por-
ton of the island and left thousands
Of its people homeless and destitute.
This country has responded generous
~ to the relief Of the distress thus oc-
c1sioned; but a thickly populated
country does not recover Immediately
from 4 calamity Of this magnitude.
obviously. therefore. theories which
might be applicable to normal condi-
tions in dealing with Puerto Eican in
| terests might work incredible hard
| ship If applied to those existing at the
present time.
Let rs i'll our consideration Of this
question, dream no dreams OF see 10
visions, but contine ourselves to the
hard, practical facts as they actually
| exist Let US believe that the strong
men who have this matter in hand,
| and who have devoted TO it weeks Of
anxious thought ana patient investi-
cation are not all actuated by I'M
worthy motives. Now the affairs Of
| Puerto Rico are not to be carried on
without money. No one advocates the
taking of this from the United States
treasury. Comparatively few are il
favor of starting the Puerto Rican peo-
PIE under American rule mortGaged to
the future. Two ways. therefore, re
main to secure this necessary revenue,
by direct taxation.
2.-By indirect taxation in the form
Of small duty on imports and ex-
ports.
When the people Of Puerto Rico have
recovered from the ravages OF the
great hurricane. when civil government
is fully established, and business is
once more furnishing employment and
means of livelihood to the masses, it
might, perhaps, be possible. or even
advisable, to extend our internal rcye-
nue. system to this island. At the pres
ent time under existing conditions,
such a course would. as Speaker Hen
derson we'll says, he simply brutal
and inhuman"
There is 4 world Of truth. too, in the
Speakers declaration that never was
a bill so miSreprcSented and msunder-
stood as is our Puerto Rican bill" He
| also gives us one of the reasons for
this when he points out that the sugar
and tobacco syndicatcs which have
bought quantities of these products in
Puerto Rico. and desire to bring them
into the states free Of duty and with
consequently large profits to them
! selves, have maintained an active lob
by at Washington and have assidu-
ously worked" public opinion on the
pnnlln10nia