The Portland daily press., 1900-03-30
necessity Cor funds for the Island. And
that Recommendation we have adopted.
FREE TRADE WITH PORTO RHO
HARML Ess BUT CONCLUSIVE

that Recommendation We have Adopted.
FREE TRADE WITH PORTO RHO
A HARMLESS BUT CONCLUSIVE
EXPERIMENT..
And the reciprocity recommended By
ths President In his first mssraEs gives
rs an expsrims Mt IN colonial administra-
ton, right 1t the outset, that IL absolute
ly invsluabls and that will not occur
again; an expsrims mt that oan NOT M
iurs us, hna yst reveals all the results Of
reciprocal exchange of products between
ne and orr own posssssions as completely
as n that course had been pursued rs TO
all, Just as n drop Of some new compound
In the ohemist's st tube marvelously
reVeals all its qualities as completely rs
II n gallon of It hnd been examined,
which, n dangerous would have de-
stroyed the experiment, and the expert
mentsr, too. IL may be- that reciprocity
with Porto Rico will reveal Consequences
so damaging. II experlenosd In larger
measure, that it viii be abolished even
there. nnd never again proposed In the
Developments Of our policy ms an admins
traitor OF governments In our islnnd pos
aessious It may be that It will show the
fears OF many to bs groundlsss. and dis
cover bsnents ami blessings undreamed Of
even by Its ad vccAtea. and thus furnish .
light for onr nov unillumined path way
as an admi uistrator OF insulnr posse ssions
But to continue tariff between the re-
public and "terrftosy belonging to shs
United States. Is to leave unsolved all
the problems before Us, and unanswered
all the speculation In which It Is our
duty TO indulge In thinking out the best
why, as statesmen should, to administer
our ooeAn empire And We win mot re-
. ~. a. In nm
glorious. our tremendous task, Afforded US
By tie saine favoring providence that
plaosd the task itsslf bsfore us. We have
before MS a new career, nsw dutiss, new
re possibilities, new rewards, and the
csnsure or applause Of the world and
history; aud We have an object lesson
which cannot iu5urs rs and cannot tall
TO instruct and snlighten MS. And the
highs st authority In tie Nation tells us
that this God-given opportunity is also
cur plain duty.
EFFECT OF OUR ACTION ON
LATIN-AMERICA.
Great and fAteful RS { his reason is,
there 10 another charged with yet more
MISUNDERSTANDING consequences. 1t Is
the effect of our action on the Latin
American-the Spanish -Amerioan-mind.
uNcE NuIOu uuE Anhusuoe hWb bOSa eAOW
ing for quarter of century, and which
the welfare Of the Republic req aires shall
become dominant aud controlling. 1t has
been the dream of American statesmen
for three GU arters of q century 90 make
tie great republic the friend and protec-
tor OF the weaker south American Hspub-
lios. until finally ire oolors OF our ia g
might tntsrtwlue with thelrs the symbol
OF mutual trust, mutual affection. mu-
tual trade, mutual prosperity, snd mu-
tual defense. Into deeds this great
thought has gradually grown, rs all
vital thoughts do grow. and Tnust, until
Pan american Congresses actually con-
vene beneath the stars and Stripes, and
the Bureau OF American Republics Is a
part Of the machinery CT our progressive
government. Senators, our growing in
huence in South America IL frnught with
blessings to the Republic, sscoDd only to
the trade Of the goldsn Orient. This
great advantage, this long-fosiersd tntiu-
enoe In South America, we propose DO
foster still. We have appropriated the
s., 600, COO ready moreY sugR ested by the
President. We viii adopt civil govern
met and reciprocal trade. And thus, by
u generosity without preoe isat, we es-
tablish forever our friendship with all
Latin A merioa. which Republican STATS.
men have SO long, SO patiently and so
painfully been erecting. We heed the
past; we Oman our eyes to the future; we
accept the lamp for our feet, which God 8
great goodness has given us.
Why will Latin Americans be pleased
by this coursef Why, Senators. think
of the oiTo instances The island OF beau
ty and natural wealth came to US like
bride to the arms of hsr beloved. Where
Luzon resisted Porto Rico submittsd-
No, she did not submit: she welcomed
us. Where Cuba was and Is quarrslsome
and turbulent, Porto Rico was and lie
TRANQUIL and meek, and u5ters no protest
sven in her hunger. We do not remind
Porto Rico OF her unfitneHs for self-gov
ernmsnt; she asserts Il herself and asks
our Instruction. With q sweet humility
that merits the hearts of the American
people, she asks our protection. and
even kisses our Christening hand. Sir,
where our flag Is fired on, my voice Is
tor war, overwhelming, RELENTLESS, de-
oisiye war, till resistance Is utterly exter-
minated; but where our flag Ia welcomed
my voice Is for mercy and loving kind
ness for the very same reason that It Is
for war when that flag is opposed Bul.
lets for bullets, hut bread for blessings.
Porto Rico came to us like Ruth, saying (;
"Entreat mo not to leave thee, or to re-
turn from following sfter thee; for
whittier thou gosst l will go, and where
shall be my people, and thy God my
God: where thou dies6 / will die, anu
thers will be buried; tho Lord do SO to
me, and more, also, II augAt but death
part thee and me-" Thus comes this
little land, asking, like Ruth, only that
she may CLEAN In the harvest after the
respsrs, acknowledging her short COM
ings and asking not 20 be exalted, neither
Wanting her exosilsnoe nor speaking OF
her rights. And Senators, she Is hun
cry; we win fssd her. ShS asks only for
the liberty to live; we will free the hands
of her industry. She 10 bruised and
wounded and weak; we will soothe her
bruises, heal her wounds, atrena then her
weakness. The American people will
have 1t so. Call 1t sentiment. II you will,
but sentiment, thank God, In the str ong-
est quality OF the American character.
1t Is this sentiment that has inspired all
the heroism of our heroic history. and
written on the statute books 0f the Re-
public every law that will, In the worlds
great future, be the justification for our
existence. And when the noblest senti-
ment of the soul and the most practical
wisdom Of the mind write out the same
conclusion, we must accept 10 as the
highest revelation, known to man of