The evening times., 1900-03-27
TUESDAY. MARCH p, 1900.
Pun,ie Opinion and Porto Rico.

Public Opinion and Porto Rico.
II we may judge from appearances. Fate
represented by American public opinion
has a chance to show itself stronger than
The trust Jove of Rockefeller, Havemeyer
Oxnard Spreckles. Duke Hanna. and Me-
Kinley' Before the Republican caucus met
yesterday, there seemed to be con-
siderable prospect that the Administration,
aided by Foraker and others, might be able
to jam the Porto Rico infamy through the
Senate. in the shape OF the Payne House
bill. without amendment, and thereby
finally accomplish the proposed outrage
upon a loyal American territory and COM
munity in violation and defiance Of the n
stitution The deliberations of the Senate
rial majority i'm caucus tend strongly 10
show that the probabilities are very muCh
The other way. The harmony committee,
having failed in its mission, was dis
charged without thanks" and the whole
situation appears 10 have undergone a
radical change.
This is illustrated in the announced in
tention OF the trust element TO abandon
the idea of forcing the House bin on the
Senate without amendment. Although Nj
Foraker pleaded earnestly for the other
course. and warned his oil. sugar. tobacco.
and rum colleagues that the least altera-
tion in the measure would lead 10 certain
defeat Of The whole infamous scheme in
me House. his associates determined not
10 heed him. and decided TO reunite the
Senate Civil Government bill with the
Payne Tariff bin and let nature take her
course.
Il is too early to form any intelligent
opinion a. to when a vote on this basis
. can be reached. There are Senators who
think that the trust change Of front may
prclong the fight in the Senate for several
weeks. and that at the end the result will
be in great doubt. Perhaps in existing cir
cumstances. the expected delay may not BE-
unwelcome to Senator Allison and others
who do the steering for Hanna and his
principals. Il would afford time to prose-
cute a campaign of education at the other
end OF the Capitol; with some chance that
a sufficient number of votes could be en-
listed from among he Representatives vino
have already forfeited all hope Of renOmi-
nation. TO ensure the passage of any kind
of measure sent over TO them. OF course,
there is nothing sure about ihis. By grasp
ing an opportunity to corral and butcher
The Payne Foraker monstrOsity many
Congressman might stiU square them
selves with their constituencies and save
their political scalps.
Be that as il may. no one need fancy
that the trusts and their agent. the Ad-
ministration. are in any way preparing to
give up the battle. There is too much cash
for the corruption barrel involved in sue
cess for that. We are aware that Mr. Han
ma has denounced as "a malicious lie ihe
statement in the Washington Evening
Star. that a deal had been clio ed by which
The enactment of the Payne-FOrakeT bill
INTO Law was made the condition precedent
TO an enormous campaign contribution by
the trusts interested in perpetuating the
and starvation of Porto Rico. On
the merits of this question of fact between
the star" and Mr.. Hanna it is not
necessary to speak now. but if
the latter will glance over the leading
newspaper exchanges Of The day he viii
probably discover that his frank and
sweeping denial has had the effect of ac-
centuating and increasing the unpleasant
impression created by publication Of the 1
story which he threatens to and, we hope. /
will investigate.
There is a far deeper purpose in this 1
trust attempt to override the Constitution /
than has yet generally occurred to the |
American people. An understanding of it |
viii perhaps explain why it is that Repub- /
lican statesmen of late have been resort |
ing TO every device known to the cult of 1
lawyers, to make it appear |
hat they believe Congress superior to and |
Of the Constitution of the |
United States. the long line of Supreme 4
Court decisions from 1920 to the present |
time to the contrary Notwithstanding. 4
There is not an individual in the lot who 4
does not know that the Constitution goes |
with the flag. and that the flag and sover- |
eighty make American territory, guaran- |
eed domestic free trade by the plain terms |
Of the Constitution. What is the reason |
that there is such an effort to obscure or |
uths thtSt ObNlOuS NTuluS, never DeIOre /
questioned?
The answer is that the trusts want the |
nsular possessions for purposes of ex-
but are determined that they /
,hall be denied their rights and the Consti- |
ution ignored or evaded. Otherwise free /
rade between the States and the Terrific
lies would obtain, and would paralyze a |
number of giant monopolies The object |
an be accomplished in but one of two
Ways. namely, either by a constitutional
amendment. which is out Of the question
BECAUSE the country would not allow it. or
" packing or watering the Supreme
Jourt 1t is true there is possibility that
he Supreme Bench as it is now constituted
lefore or soon after the Presidential cleo
ion. might get a chance to declare uncon-
titutional the imposition Of customs du
les on the trade OF our territories. but in
be event of Republican victory in Novem-
er this would not matter, at least if a
republican Congress were secured at the
anne time. Then il would suddenly de-
elop that, in the opinion OF the trusts and
heir political creatures, our Supreme Court |
adges are greatly oyerworked, and that