The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-23

sirous of preventing freedom of migra-
ton and free trade between this coun-
try and the Philippine islands. This
was the sentiment of the entire coun-
try There was but n way to ac-
complish this under the constitution
and that was to declare that they did
not belong to the United States and
that the sovereignty of the United
States would be exercised in these is
lands only for their pacification and the
establishment OF a stable
and the final establishment of indepen-
dent self government in the islands.
Everything pointed 10 this as the cor
rect course.
Our duty was, he said, to immedi-
ately incorporate Porto Rico in the
union as a territory with all its rights
and privileges, under the constitution
and laws of this country. Equality
of right and equality of burthen would
render them satisfied with our scheme
of government and contented with a
condition Of tutelage which would ul-
timately lead 10 representation in the
federal union.
Mr.. Hopkins, OF Illinois, another
member OF the ways and means COM
m1ttee, then spoke in support of the
bill. The issue presented in the meas
ure, he said, was whether Porto Rico
and the Philippines under the treaty
NA 14oAAA al q
parts of h United States or whether
they can be treated as territory and
separate and distinct customs and in
ternal revenue laws imposed there
from what are levied, collected and
paid in the United States.
Il believe the constitution Of the
United States is," he said, broad
enough n elastic enough to enable
us to control the inhabitants of those
Islands and give them a larger liber-
ty and a higher civilization han they
have heretofore enjoyed without in
pairing in the least the integrity Of
our domestic institutions or entailing
upon our people additional taxation.
AS to what our relations are with the
islands, men honestly differ. I have
given very careful thought to the sub
ject and speaking for myself alone 1
am entirely clear that those islands
and Porto Rico under the treaty have
become the property Of the United
States and not a part of it, and that
congress has the power to make such
disposition of them as it may deem
for the best interests of the people of
this country and the inhabitants of
the islands. This being true, we can
have separate customs, revenue n
navigation laws for those islands,"
Mr.. Hopkins then proceeded to dis
cuss the constitutional question invOlv-
ed, quoting literally from the decisions
of the supreme court, the speeches Of
Webster, Benton and III
Mr.. Swanson, of Virginia, another
member of the ways and means COM
mittee, was h last speaker today.
In opposing the bill he aid that the
president, in his message, had an
nounced that it was "our plain duty"
to abolish all customs tariffs between
the United States and Porto Rico. The
conditions in Porto Rico had not
changed, yet the republican party a
since entirely changed its policy in
dealing with this matter and he said
it was solely on account of political
eXigencies. He discussed the injustice
of legislating for the people of
Porto Rico on account Of political con-
ditions here, and the doctrine upon
which the bill was founded.
He said that the republican party
was sponsor for government by in
junction in the United States n that
they now proposed a new doctrine
government without the constitution.
He said that If congress should govern
the territories and new possessions
without the constitutional limitations
it would create a congressional despo-
tism precisely similar to that claimed
by Great Britain at the time of the
revolutionary war, that the power
claimed to enact this bill is precisely
power that was claimed by the Brit
ish parliament for the enactment OF
the stamp act. He said: Every per-
son who votes for this bill announces
himself a folliwer of George I'LL" He
then argued the injustice of permitting
the 300, 900 tons of g in Hawaii to
be admitted free of duty while at the
same time the bill imposes a heavy
custom duty upon the 60,00O tons of SUI
gar from Porto Rico; that the differ
ence in this treatment resulted from
the fact that the sugar interest OF
Hawaii vas owned by a few million
aires, while that of Porto Rico was
owned by several thousand small
farmers. He argued from decisions
of the supreme court that the consti-
tuition extended 20 all territory and
that there must be everywhere uni
formity in customs duties and taxes.
| In closing he said: " The passage
of the pending bill will end the story
| of the republic nj open the history
| Of the empire. It destroys consIitu-
| tional government and creates a con
| gressional despotism."
The house at 5 o'slock adjourned.