The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-03-12


,.ligcnt and appreciative man in Porte
Rico had dissCnted from the propositions
81 the measure -
Mr.. Lindsey. If Kentucky. inquired II
Governor General Davis himself hai hol
recommended free trade with EOflo iito.
Yes" replied Mir. Foraker, he G:d make
such a rscommo ndation. But the commit
tee after fun consideration decided 49, iltSb
ms proposition. The tariff provision was
conceived in mercy 10 the Porto lHtah9
aud in its ucItsity u Is M4th1dt J. Gee
dent in the territorial legislation OF the
United States.
Air Foraker explained the provisions of
th. ill., showing that all the Internal D. y
euue taxes and the customs duties 1hlu
90 into the treasury ot The island ana be
solely for the beueht of the Porto iHtali~
Ia round figures these revenues would
aggregate S.v1.eo. After all means oi
raising revenues had been considered it
was found necessary u provide al hasl
Sl.whoto more per annum. Then u was Pro-
posed go levy a. duty ui . per ccE- 81 me
Du-ley law on products of ihc island i'm
ported into this country ana 10 .H.h lHt
amount 80 raised back ia Porto Rico.
Davis Makes Strong Point.
..Tla s.u1to- admits said Mr.. Davis.
interruptiug. that this handing back Of
revenues a. political subdivision Of the
T-nit.d States IS unprecedented. Then why
not raise The revenue as usual and. IL ucc-
,sSary to relieve distress bon Porto laea.
provide the ~elief hy direct approprid-
ton from the United States treasury
The United States has never undertake
en- % support local government Do a'y
territory" replied Ar. Foraker. 'th' ST.
nation iu Porto Rico IS analogous. III the
island is 10 have schools. good roads and
nrblic improvements. it must get them
through taxation and such 'aNdtoh as =
proposed in his bill 800. ,....
What effect Is a gratulty ot inns KIM
inquired Mr. Davis. "a "ratulty WING y
~. 1854 "a .nF.. San N.a al
Tu.rdieaats .suiuE leo have upon tht people
of Porto Eica2 IL seems to me dlft,l dp-
negotiations Tor their needs would De
much % De- preferred. ,.,,,.
Foraker. I'VE cannot depend upon suth
anurn.riati1uS as the senator Susi'S'5-
Tho people would ~ he dead 81 Si"rs1-
tfau before the relief could rtach thtih-
Az Foraker said II was generally un-
Ger-tood that an the sugar ana t''Aecl
now on ths island was owned 10y the sugar
and tobacco trusts. ~ MS W. Z, az, IN
imposition N tine tariff proposed would
f.Ii upan those well able 10 bear li anu
4. contribute nj least that much 70 the
suffering Porto Rlcahs-
Foraker in a Tight Place.
Nv Foraker became involved in coll
lanuv with Mr.. IIoar as Ca the constitu-
f5oual r-sht N congress to levy duty
On products from territory of the United
States. in which the ohio senator de-
slarod that the provisions Of the consutu-
.io,, referred 10 had no application IN the
A. Uoar continued To- press the point
and AIr Foraker finally declared thhl thc
question in % nj had pa,S5ed oey "i li M
lauv book stage. ANA hau ptN"l-ie "iiS "a
Justice and humanity. .-...
Nr Hoar-''That is th. he senator an
swer2'' ...,.,t-,-
,,-arrni,- II answered the senator ques-
ton ana the presidency WIN Wnl'h tie
s.s1rnr prsSSeS ID shows thhl ne No'S h"t
,--aut 10 accept the answer. / m-Eht S'diu
f.arn aud quote decisions of the supreme
r,Ilr-. tuti the last Porto Itleau had
starved and IL would have no eject upon
Senators who differed from me. II we
cannot levy duty ON the Itou"'l - - -
Porto Rico We cannot levy "A duty on the
produc.s of the Philippines ana u We
can't levy Il tariff ON their products W
might just as wei disinantlt our .u i,,,.i
houses and go out of tie protection DUST
ness There can he no luteilgeni leSi3-
latlon IN this qus stipn untn We Set a 'o ON
mamding view II the SITUATION An1t WI
be afforded ms by deei7.'h OF 'iie So
lie thought the Philippines could not
be dealt with as IL was proposed 10 u0'i
air TilIman-'The contention is that We
can take Porto Rico under our wing ana
protect her to the utmost. 3ut We 'ai ~.
do the same thing for the fhli-Pi''i''S'
Question Hanna Could Answer.
Continuing Mr.. Tillman asked WHY nc
president had originally recommended
free trade with Porto Rico and the house
had brought in "A bin 90 that end. ony
changing its course Of policy after near
ing from Mr.. ONuard. the sugar king
Replying. Mr.. Foraker referred
MI Tillman to his colleague (Hanna).
II am not the keeper of the presi-
dents confidence. have no doubt,
however. that the president would
prefer free trade with Porto Rico as
I should. but he probably knows
more now than he knew when he
promulgated that message, and
knowing more, it is his duty as
man and as an official to change his
recommendation"
Mr. Bacon pointed out what he believed
to bc the Inconsistency of providing for
delegate I'm congress from Porto Rico who
IS not q citizen of the United States and
who is Ia be elected by persons who are
not citizens Of the United States. but who
nust take an oath To obey the consttu-
tinn Of the United States.
AIR Fora. kcr commended that this was
what had becn done i'm the ease of Louis