New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-21
A WRONG WAY AND A RIGHT WAY

Mr.. Payne the chairman of the Committee of
Ways and Means of the House of Representa-
Gives, has introduced bill in Congress extend
fng the customs and internal revenue laws of
the United States to the island of Puerto Rico
This bill follows the lines of legislation adopted
when Vermont entered the Union as a State
and followed from time TO time in dealing with
continental territory. Apparently its passage is
Favored by many leaders of both houses of Con-
gress, who seem unaccountably careless of the
principle involved in the concession they are in
nlined to make. We should be sorry to see this
bill become law, as we greatly fear 1t will, and
we desire to record our warning that the day
will come when the United States Government
will regret any precedent so established If it is
pushed through it will not be the first mistake
that has been made in dealing with our extra
continental possessions, but 1t is time that law
makers began to take long views of the prob
lens before Them and tried to solve them
statesmen with a conception of the principles in
Tolved, and gave up drafting and passing laws
merely because they copied from laws
which Congress had passed before.
The question is not what duties shall be levied
between the United States and Puerto Rico.
Any duties or no duties are matters of detail If
Congress in its wisdom really wishes absolute
free trade with Puerto Rico we'll and good. 1t
policy of absorbing into the United States of
America every West Indian, Samoan or Philip
pine island now under our authority, or which
may hereafter our worldwide commercial re-
lations grow be acquired as naval station. coal
ing harbor or trading post. Now is the time to
preserve free hand for future emergencies. In
fixing the status Of these new possessions not
part of our continental system Congress now
has liberty. The Supreme Court considers all
questions concerning the establishment, main
fenance and Limitation of our domain as political
and not judicial. If Congress holds territory to
be a dependency appertaining TO the United
States, so il is; If incorporated into the United
States, so it is But if the political authorities
go on and establish a political fact the appli-
cation TO these islands of the general laws of
the United States as such they may find judicial
authority compelling them TO accept their own
finding of fact at an inconvenient time.
II is perfectly easy TO avoid all hampering
commitments and all troublesome precedents.
II Congress is set upon having absolute free
trade between Puerto Rico and the United
States II can get exactly the same practical re-
suit by special enactment as by extending our
domestic tariff limits, and at the same time pre-
pare the way for an independent revenue sys-
TEN and the establishment of the "open door" in
the Philippines This can be done by the pas
sage by Congress- in it's capacity the Legis-
Iature of Puerto Rico, of q measure Identical
with the Dingley law, except for an amendment
putting on the free list all goods from the
United States Then Congress, as the lawmak
ing body of the United States can put upon our
free list the manufactures and products of
Puerto Rico. 1t amounts TO the same thing, IL
may be said. Yes, practically as to duties and
trade. but IL is legislation an entirely differ
ent principle and the principle of separate legs-
lation for our new possessions is one essential
to the preservation of this Nation the United
States Of America. Events have forced us, as
they have forced other great nations 10 take
hand in affairs far beyond our own borders but
that is no reason why should dilute and dis
sipate our nationality. Absorption Of Puerto
Rico itself is nothing. The principle, however,
Is everything. Great Britain Is still Great Brit