Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-08

lands, the silver member of that commit
tee. 1t says In part:
1.-THE undersigned members Of the COM
mittee are unable to agree with the con-
illusions of the committee in respect to the
bill reported to regulate the trade of Porto
Rico and for other purposes. and respect
fully submit our views as follows:
THE bill raises two questions which
| must be considered and determined.
list. The right or power under our writ
ten Constitution to enact the measure.
I'D. Whether IL we have the power
should Congress exercise it in the manner
provided in the bill.
1.-THE bill is framed upon the idea and the
| assumption that Congress enters upon the
the provisions of the Constitution
The report then takes up the constitu-
tional provision that all duties, etc. shall
be uniform throughout the United
States and presents the law decisions that
the term United States has universal ap-
plication to territory held, This branch of
the subject has previously been covered in
a special report. Proceeding. the report
says:
IF the position taken by the majority of
the committee in recommending the pas
sage of the bill be the Correct one. and Con
gress has the power to govern territory Of
the United States Independent of the lin
itatons Of the Constitution it must fol-
low that Congress is not restrained by that
instrument from passing laws imposing
customs duties on the minerals and ores of
the territories of Arizona and New Mexico,
the furs and fish of Alaska, the lumber of
Oklahoma, and Of all other products of
these territories when imported into any
of the states of the Union, and also rpon
all importations Of products of every kind
| into the territories from TIE states or any
one Of them. Ahe power to pass such laws
was never before claimed u our land.
1T Is wholly inconsistent with the theory
and form of our government. The exercise
of such power is pure and simple imperial
ism. and against it we enter our most SOL
ennn protest. We never have held and can
not hold territory as political dependency
and subject to unequal taxation. Our
Union is one of states with a common in
terest and a common destiny. The bless
ings of free government rest alike upon
all of our people, whether in the thirteen
original states or in the youngest member
of the Union. or in the newest acquired
territory. 1t does not matter In which form
territory Is acquired 1t is to be held under
our Constitution with the object Of finally
being admitted into the Union as state.
In support Of this doctrine the decisions of
the Supreme Court are uniform and in har-
mony with the doctrine herein enunciated.
Why Porto Rico Welcomed Miles.
why was 1t the people Of that island so
gladly welcomed Gen. Miles and the
armies Of the United States in July, 1898,
when they invaded their territory, and
struck down the power of Spain? Was 1t
not because they believed that as the
SioShiCS ia opdlu were SLI1ChSn from Inem
they were to be admitted to the immuni-
ties and blessings of our liberal instttu-
lions as we'll as our enlightened civiliza-
ton. We were told our soldiers were
hailed redeemers."
After calling attention to the Presidents
recent recommendation for the abolition
OF all customs duties between Porto Rico
and the United States and the report of
the Secretary Of War to the same effect,
the report concludes follows:
we do not know why these sudden
changes have occurred We cannot believe
that the President has been converted from
the opinion he SO lately expressed or that
he now admits the unwisdom of the SOL
emn advice he so recently gave to Con-
gress. We are not advised that his opinion
was hastily formed and that he had not
maturely considered the subject upon
which he was advising
I'VE do not believe the people Of this
land, ardently attached as they are to our
free institutions, can be brought to favor
policy which Expresses the Inhabitants
of territory owned by the United States
anywhere and over which the flag of the
republic floats, even IL such policy should
serve in degree to enrich some citizens of
the Union. We protest earnestly against
the adoption of robber policy, which
makes this republic take the place of the
ruthless monarchy, Spain, in despoiling
Porto Rico, now portion Of the United
States.
I'VE recommend that the pending bill do
not pass. James D. Richardson, s. M.
Robinson, Claud A. Swanson, George B.
Mcclellan, Francis G. Newlands, s. B.
Cooper"