Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-29
SPEAKER HENDERsoN.s LETTER.
He Defends Action of the House on
Porto Rico Bill.

Porto Rico Bill.
Speaker Henderson recently wrote at
| length to Edward Knott U. S. marshal for
| the northern district Of Iowa, the following
| letter explaining the position of the republic
cans in the House who voted for a tariff on
Porto Rican products:
MY Dear Mr.. Knott: Yours of the oath
| about Porto Rico is received. 1 cannot
| gather from your letter what you person
| ally think of our action in the House. or
| what you think of the President, who thor
oughly agreed with us and worked with
might and main to get the House bill
| passed, and has been working in the
Senate. The question for me to settle as an
| individual representative is, What is my
| duty? That question I asked and answered
when l worked with my associates to pass
the Porto Rican bill.
Now, let me get this matter clearly in
| your mind, Mr. Knott, for sooner or later
| the country will understand our position.
''First-There are large quantities of to-
bacco and sugar in Porto Rico, bought up
| by trusts and syndicates. They want to
get that into the United States free of any
| duty, and when once in, of course 1t will
| sell in the markets at the same rates as
the tobacco and sugar which have to pay
| the full tariff rates, thus giving hundreds
Of thousands of dollars profit to the syndi-
| Gates, &c.
The trusts and syndicates are fighting
| the bill, and l have given you the reason
why. Inare mas been nor is there
to my knowledge a lobby here working for
| the Porto Rican bill, but these syndicates
and the Goldfish interests of New England
and other interests, including the -four in
terssts, are all trying to get into Porto
Rico without paying the 10 per cent duty
on their products as proposed in the bill
While under the Dingley law tax of 81, to
Illustrate, Is imposed upon a certain article,
under the House bill 1t would only nav TX
cents.
''Second-Now, why have we imposed this
per cent OF the Dingley tariff. Let me
answer this, and fix it in your mind: Porto
Rico is poor. and has been swept by de-
vastadng and destructive floods. Her peo-
pie are not at this time and in their pres
emit condition able to pay the expenses of
their government
mo one wants the United States to nav
the expenses of running the governments of
any of our several new possessions The
people themselves in each of the islands or
groups, should pay their own expenses
How is Porto Rico to do this, now that
she has no local government? We must
hrst give her local government, and both
houses OF Congress are at work upon that
problem, and In my opinion that problem
Will be wisely solved when 1t Is done
But 1t will take year and a half or
two years to formulate government for
those people. with their own government
machinery, may raise money to run their
own government. In the meantime what
should be done? Follow the advice Of the
synd1cates and trusts and tax this desolate
ls1and-or their lands, or their limited pro-
ducttons-or do as we propose and put this
trlhfng duty upon their exports and i'm
ports and give every dollar of it back to
them to run their government? This will
be felt by none except the syndicates and
trusts and rich interests that will do the
buying there and the shipping to Porto
Rico.
Indirectly, Of course. some of this will
be PAID by the consumers. but 1t will fall
lightly upon them, and the burden will be
imperceptible, while direct tax would be
simply brutal and inhuman. The bill also
provides that this tax shall expire in two
years. which is time enough to allow the
government machinery of Porto Rico to
stion to put a permanent burden upon
Porto Rico. but 1t is merely a temporary
expedient for her own interest.
represented and misunderstood as onr o porto
Rican bill, and the time will come, in the
near future, when those who propose a
direct tax, which would result from abso-
Lutte free trade, will suffer in every possible
way for their misguided conduct, for their
selfish acts.
What the Senate is going to do is prob
leTnatica1. 1t has its share OF towards.
| The Senate is always the body upon which
| the great interests concentrate their efforts
| to defeat proper legislation. But this fact
remains. that have the knowledge that I
! have done my simple duty. and have done
| 1t in consultation and in cooperation with
| the President of the United States, whose
| heart is quick to feel the affiiction of this
little island: I have done 1T In conference
with such men as Allison, Foraker and the
earnest patriots of the Senate, who, defy
| ing special interests and combinations are
| trying to map out a plan for the present
| needs of Porto Rico and to keep our coun-
! try so that 1t will be unfettered and fitted
| for the wise treatment needed for all of
these new possessions"
|
| CeJ.c Ecc.--ct, Net CvsItv.
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