Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-03
DEBATE NEARLY OVER
Senators Mason and Culberson Oppose
Porto Riean Tariff.
The MAIDEN SPEECH OF TIE LATTER
Chairman Knox Explains the Ha-
waiian Bill.
THE PROPOSED GOVERNMENT

AT II o'clock today the Senate convened
To begin the final days discussion of the
Porto Rican bill. Comparatively few per-
sons were in the galleries at the opening of
the session. although the crowds increased
rapidly afterward.
After some minor business had been
transacted Mr. Mason Ol1) addressed the
Senate. His speech was not confined to the
Porto Rican measure. but included in its
scope ali the problems attendant upon the
control and government of our insular pos
sessions.
He spoke in favor of the resolution of
MIR. Wellington, which offers independence
10 the Filipinos and against the bill pro-
posed by Mr.. Spooner CWis) comforting au-
thority upon the President to govern the
Philippines until Congress should otherwise
direct. Incidentally he opposed the tariff
proposed to be placed on Porto Rican prod
ucts.
Opposed to COnquering q People.
He was opposed to holding the Philip
pines because under the law of nations we
have not title and never can have complete
title except by conquest of the inhabitants.
do not wish the 9.OOO,OOO Filipinos for citi-
zens. 1 do not wish them for slaves. If we
govern them they must either be citizen
or serf. Whether they labor as our citizens
and equal before the law or whether
they labor as our political slaves.
their labor completes with the labor
of our country, and 1 am opposed to
that. l am for expansion l voted for the
annexation Of Hawaii, but would never
have sent 5000 men there to compel them
to accept our flag. In other words, / am
against taking any territory by conquest
against a friendly people. and against TAX
AZ. nIr
of labor in free and open competition with
the class of men and women who do the
labor In this country"
Mr. Mason resented as cowardly and I'M
just any reflection upon his patriotism and
his love for the flag because of his opin-
Ions regarding the Philippines. He de-
clared that If it YVES treason to oppose a
war of conquest. to lift unjust taxation,
to confer upon a struggling people the
blessings of liberty. to protect the laboring
men and women of this country. then he
guilty.
Adverting at this point to Porto Rico,
Paris ratified the island became q
part of the United States, and Congress
had no more right to put duty her
products than it had to put tariff duty
on products passing between New York
and Washington
i Mess you can get the Supreme Court
to stuitiiy and reverse itself" said Mr.
Mason, there is but one way to levy a
tariff upon the people of the United States
I" prevent their trading with the rest of
the United States. You must amend the
Constitution to do it. You must strike out
that clause Of the Constitution which saws
all duties must be uniform. | beg you to
count III" cost of such an amendment"
i cannot say to Europe, that is wholly for
tisn and alien. You may deliver the nro-
quot of your labor here upon the payment
81 PE' per cent OF the present duty and
then say 10 the Porto Rtcan, You are s.
Ter cent American and 10 per cent alien
EId You must ha of
impo>t duty
Either American ForeiSners
Th~re is no such thing as an So per cent
annexation. The people of Porto Rico are
tiih~r our people 100 per cent or they are
IL" per cent not our people"
Mr. Mason presented what he maintained
>.aS The good faith of the government of
The nited States. The people of P1rTn
Rico had been promised by Cen Miles and
a least in implied way BY Others thar
tEey should enjoy all the immunities and
blessings VI our free government These
promises. he held, the people would demand
should be kept
Speaking Of the fever of war which he
said was upon the adminstra ton Mr. Ma
=nh said: But as We approach the nour
"hFn We must again appeal to the judg-
ntHt ot IO,'r1.UD people and the fires under
IN" pots of patronage are burning low and
the dangers of disappearing post offices an
par L" us like a hideous nightmare the
muir Ol COLNaleScence approaches and -
STOUT to the labOring people of the country:
No. no. Il is a mistake We have sacrt-
need the money and the lives of the people:
W. have abandoned the faith of the fathers
Tor land but We Will abandon 1t all rather
than fnrsalke the political partisan doctrine:
and We are saying on both sides of this
cha mbpr-those who have believed in the
permanent government of the Philippine
lsldndS-that if our permanent sovereignty
there means the taking into this country
in competition with our labor. products IF
the people there, we will abandon this kind
Of expansion
Discussing the powers of Congress under
the Constitution as interpreted in the light
o. the provisions of the pending bill, Mr.
Mason said:
The Constitution says you cannot make
a title of nobility. but We apply that only
1" the states. you understand. The distin-
guished senator from New York Depew)
can be the Duke Of Ponce, and not violate
the Constitution. the distinguished senator
from Indiana (BeveridgeJ the Prince of
PORTO Rico. and the distinguished LAWYER
who has sought to define this bill upon an
unconstitutional ground (Spooner) can at
least demand the title of the lord chief high
duke of the check board somewhere in the
Philippines that may sit in Judgment upon
The laws and upon the people. Q.aughterJ
Does the Constitution say you cannot make
title Of nobility? Yes. Does 1t go into
the outside territory? No. Then you can
max" titles of nobility there.
God help the man in November who
plays that game
Mr. CulbersOn's First Speech
Al the conclusion of Mr.. Mason's speech
Sir CuiberSOn CTex) addressed the Senate
IN opposition TO the pending bill. 1t was his
first speech in the Senate. and ne was given
attentive hearing, particularly by his demo-
c-aJic colleagues. He declared that the
prnGin@ measure. far. at least as The
tariff provision was concerned. was 'inle-
frnNibIe ON moral. economic and constitu-
tIunAI grounds"
Mr. Culberson said it had been maintained
by TN senator from Ohio (ForakerD that
the dogma that the Constitution extended
81 it, own force over acquired territory
originated with Mr.. Calhoun, 'in the inter-
est Of slavery. This, he contended, was
the fact
AS II Is a great mistake OF history"
said Mr.. CuibersOn, lit must not go unchaI-
lensed here The Constitution itself is the
true origin OF the doctrine. 1t was an
nounced first in 1905 by Thomas jefferson
not in the interest of human slavery but in
the interest VI religious freedom
Mr. Culberson quoted extensive authori-
ties in support of his contention.
Mr. CulbersOn contended that there had
been a great change in the republican marty
In recent years. That party was now de,ii-
Gated to commercial greed and the attemDt
under Mr. Foraker's leadership was 10