The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-13
PORTO RICO AND OUR TARIFF LAWS

PORTO RICO AND OUR TARIFF LAWS
The question whether the tariff and reve-
nue. laws of the United States apply to
Porto Rico is not merely an academic or
constitutional one. 1t involves commercial
consequences of great Importance to the
people of the whole United States and espe-
cially to those Of Porto Rico. 1t is the
commercial considerations, and to some ex-
tent the political considerations involved,
If it were merely a constitutional question,
the provision of the Constitution that "All
duties, imposts and excuses shall be uni
form throughout the United States would
come near settling it, for 1t cannot be
maintained with much show of logic that
any part of the territory of the United
States is not a part of the United States.
The whole trouble in this case grows out
of the fact that Porto Rico produces sugar
and tobacco under conditions that will en-
able them to be sold in the United States
cheaper than the same articles imported
from other countries or produced in other
parts of the United States The present
duty on sugar and tobacco is intended to
protect American industries, and the repre-
sentatives of these industries claim that
the free admission of Porto Rican products
would injure them. It is also feared by
some of the friends of protection that it
would weaken the position of the Repub-
lican party on that question. The editor of
-
says:
If the free importation of Porto Rican
products would have been al, economic in
jury to American industries last year. IL
will be so now. Nothing has occurred to
change that fact. If IL be said that this is
made necessary by the annexation of Porto
Rico to the United States, then that is
frank confession that the annexation of
Porto Rico is an economic and industrial
mistake. The truth is that Porto
Rico is no more a real part of the United
States now than when it belonged to Spain.
and agricultural industries in this country
need just much protection as they ever
did from her lOw-wage conditions. If we
must adhere to the mistake of having semi
barborous colonies, ought not to make
the double mistake of also opening the door
TO their depressing influence upon our do
nestle industries.
This position is illogical and untenable.
Labor is cheaper and the conditions of pro-
duction more favorable in some parts of
the United States than in others, but no
body thinks of protecting one part of the
country against another. A sufficient
answer to these objections seems to be
that as an integral part of the United
unrestricted trade with the rest of the
country. If protection cannot stand free
trade and equal rights in every part of the
United States, then protection must go.
President Mckinley spoke plainly this
subject in his last annual message. After
urging the adoption of form of local gov
eminent for Porto Rico, he said:
1t must be borne in mind that since the
cession Porto Rico has been denied the
principal markets she had long enjoyed.
and our tariffs have been continued against
her products when she was under Span
ish sovereignty. The markets of Spain are
closed to her products except upon terms to
which the commerce of all nations is SUBJ
jected Tie island of Cuba, which used TO
buy her cattle and tobacco without customs
duties now imposes the same duties upon
these products as from any other country
entering her ports. She has, therefore. lost
her free intercourse with Spain and Cuba
without any compromising benefits in this
market Her coffee was little known and
not in use by our people and therefore
there was no demand here for this, one of
her chief products. The markets Of the
United States should be opened to her
products. Our plain duty is to abolish all
customs tariffs between the United States
and Porto Rico and give her products free
access TO our markets.
If the ways and means committee or the
Congress take different view they will
place themselves in opposition to the Presi-
dent. This they have a right to do. but
the question is which is right and which
view must finally prevail. The Journal be-
lieves the President is right. and that. both
as matter of constitutional construction
and justice TO all interests and all classes,
our tariff laws should extend to Porto Rico
at once, as eventually they must.
Those who recall the fact that President