The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-03-06

r"'sts ihe W i>e and cur. .raH.
Action OF the House-Question In,o,,sa
The House has had the ror-,~, .,
/ wisdom 10 legislate for Porto RI. .-
staiesmanlike manner. AMI rr.- -...
correctly decided the cousti;ut.nr.r .....
ZION have no doubt a de-:sl.. .r ....v
OF the Senate Will agree w.th -a.--.
Win these emphatic wor-s S.....-
Lodge, IN speaking 20 a reprsSrr.....- 20
The Post yesterday. went upon ~....r ..
favor % tariff between The I-..F
states and Porto Rico His u.,ar....
! al the more Interesting b-,..-. -.-.-
ne came 10 Washington AZ The r.-....-
, 81 the session he believed, w.tal-. -..-
Ing examined the matter iho-gg--.r H..
+ free trade with the islanl sA..,-r r.
! tablished as a matter OF course .v-...
} / came to look in.o the rlt.r-- Dr. ..-
tinUed. Il found that in the !a.e-..- -. .-.,
/ Porto Ricans this would be most ...
/ sirable. The people Of the ..r.~r .....
! Just passed through war and a --...
/ Ter OF the government This has .-.....4
a great disturbance 81 bu,.-,s, ......
complete stagnation. In al 5I-iar .ra s-...r
/ was visited last summer hy q au--...-... p
! uneXampled violence. which ,s-..r Do,
/ told damage and wrecked the -.n.. .--,
! ta'lons, which furnish the r-.n.rs. 4-.
! ticie OF export. The Deua.a r- --
/ there is much suffering. and 3D.. .r. -.--,
/ time II is very necessary Jla- fa.. sr.....r
! make considerable public expenditures r,
/ free trade is established the. W.. I'D. ...,,-
PEELED to Immediately lay upon .h,rss.,-s
/ heavy direct taxes for publ. or-,..-s
which would be a very severe burden -
well as a work Of great Difficulty rr.,
| trade would deprive them. ur3e,ir4-,- -
/ all the revenues which they received ~,
customs under the Spanish g5ya-7rn.-.
and thus Increase th- direct faxes NOR
I everything known before TIE D-sar.,
I before Congress was how t0 give ,5an
! revenue in the LEAST bUrCe1sor7e W. r.,
compel them to resort TO direct taxation
was the most burdensome. and you,I
| have crippled the island az this limo
/ Therefore, this low revenue :ariG wseb
is in no sense protective. was imposed.
Money TO 60 Back TO Porto Ricau..
"Al the revenue collected under If IN
the ports of the United States is Co. "a
paid into the island treasury. as well ma
all the revenue collected IN ports OF rra
island itself. The Foraker bill also pro-
vides that all the internal revenue raised
in the island shall so into the ls,auI
, treasury. In this way the necessary mon
ey is raised in the easiest possible man
rcr for the people OF the island, and tr.
legislature will not be Obliged to impose
single direct tax, while all subjects "
taxation are thus left free FOR the uu-
nicipality. The bill passed in accordance
with the Presidents wise recon menda-
ton. giving Porto Rico the revenue al
ready collected. merely makes the pending
bill retroactive. YET many people who
praise our gift of revenue already col
lected denounce the bill, which proposes
to continue giving One Is as wise and
right as the other and both are wise and
right
''WilI not free trade at this time be a
benefit 20 the Porto Ricans?'
NO" was the reply. Those who IN
various parts of the country are earnestly
protesting. from the best OF motives,
against the proposed tariff are really
seeking TO burden the Porto Ricans AID
make their position worse than h Is.
Those who advocate free trade for The ISL
and at this time on the ground Of sym
pathy with the inhabitants have not look
cd into the case enough TO see that what
they propose is not a relief TO the people
in the way OF taxation as the tariff Is,
but an Increased and heavy burden.
Treated with Grent Generosity.
The truth is that We have never treat
cd any people who have come under our
flag with such generosity and consideTa-
ton as we show In the proposed lcsisia-
ton for Porto Rico. The citizen OF Ari-
IONA or New Mexico pays the duties on
every imported article which he consumes.
and all internal revenue taxes. and what
he pays goes into the Treasury Of tns
United States while he is left 10 tax him
self in addition for all the expenses Of
the Territorial government. In the case
Of Porto Rico every dollar Of taxation
raised by the United States directly or N
directly from the island or its products is
paid into the island treasury. The United
States under this bill will not take one
cent Of revenue from the island Of Porto
Rico, while IL taxes the inhabitants of all
the other Territories just as II taxes the
Inhabitants of the States IL is dlifiCult
to see how a more liberal and generous
arrangement coulo be devised, and am
heartily In favor Of ii because ] want 70
show TO Porto Rico the utmost libera.y
and generosity possible.
BuL lUt dklldt4DH WHICH, UEr lfFiN
cited about the proposed tariff and which
has misled many people throughout the
country" continued Mr.. Lodge, is not
the real question. 1t was all started 70
cover the constitutional attack The Or-
ponents OF the Porto Rican bill knew very
well what they were about. They desired
TO establish a Congressional precedent
denying the right Of Congress 10 govern
territory outside the Constitution. II they
= I'D Guild h4rH EraL
before the people and declared that We
could not hold the PHILIPPINES unless "r
brought all their cheap labor Wlihln on,
tariff ard MADE all the Filipinos part OK
our body polite. To this every one j. "p-
posed, and il would make impossible any
proper government for the PHILIPPINES or
the maintenance OF the open door IN me
East
Aimed Against the Philippines.
THE opponents OF the Porto Rican hll
hoped 20 establish a precedent b. ~al'A
they could drive US from the PhiiipD'n-s.
II was the PHILIPPINES which were aimee
at in the discussion, not Porto kic'.
have personally no doubt OF our oon-.l'i-
tional power to hold and govern territory
without extending the Constitution 70
such territory. but this r. question:
which must go before the courts. ana the
opponents OF the Porto Rican BIT nave -
little confidence I'm their own We" max
they are afraid, apparently, 10 get J--
dIcial opinion upon II. The question Oh
tariff for Porto Rico. 30 far as u b. one Nj
expectancy. is very clear II We corsd-r
solely the Interests Of the island, bur ,hr
constitutional question Is Of the most
vital Importance 70 our entire policy N
the Pacific and IN the East The House
has had the courage and the wisdom %
lsgislate for Porto Rico In statesmanlH.
manner. and they have correctly ceclld
the Constitutional question. haI" 70
doubt that a decisive majority IN 'he sea-
ate Will agree with them on both pC!H-A
senator Bard sworn Ia.
- rsnerffV