The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-26

ard law is secure so long. and so long only,
as there is gold standard party capable
of preventing its repeal. IApplausel Turn
over the Congress OF the United States TO
the Free Silver Democratic party: give
them the chief executive of the United
States, and the gold standard would be
repealed and a free silver law take its
place. That is true, my countrymen, or
the platform pledges of the Democratic
party are utterly false. AS the chairman
has well said, we have had thrust upon us
new questions of which we did not dream
in 1896, questions of far-reaching import
of tremendous significance
A MOMENTOUS ORDER.
ga few years ago-a little over two-there
was issued from Washington an order 1t
was a brief order. yet 1t changed the des-
tiny of monarchy. 1t was a brief order,
yet it changed the destiny of a Republic.
That order was issued by the President of
the United States to an officer in COM
mand of our fleet in Asiatic waters: Find
the Spanish fieeg and destroy it, The order
was executed, and with its execution came
new and great responsibilities, but not be-
yond our capacity to meet and discharge
them. [Applause.l The Republican party
is capable of discharging our obligations
to the new possessions. We must not act
in undue haste; we should remember that
patience is one of the best political vir-
tues. We should be sure that we are in
possession of all the facts and then act.
and not before. During recent weeks there
has been some intimation in certain quar-
ters that the Congress of the United States
l., H., ri Of "a in =
of some of these people who have come to
us as they should have been. What in
justice, my countrymen, is in that sus-
picion! There never was Congress more
anxious and more desirous of discharging
every obligation to the new people who
have come to us upon the high plane of ma
tional duty and national honor. On the
1st of next May, the second anniversary Of
the battle of Manila, a civil government,
republican in form, will be established in
the island of Porto Rico. [Applause.l Un-
der it's provisions there is to be Governor
already appointed-an executive council
of eleven. five of whom are to be native
Porto Ricans, and that executive council is
to constitute the higher branch of the To-
cal General Assembly; lower branch,
known as the House of Delegates. TO be
composed of thirty-five, elected by the
Porto Ricans-a measure of self-govern-
| ment liberal and just beyond the most ar
dent expectations of the Porto Ricans.
THEIR OWN SYSTEM.
"Furthermore, under the law that has
been enacted, the Porto Rican government
| will have power. plenary power, to enact
their own system of revenue and finance.
H. s..a.
| ment, the Congress Of the United States
provided for raising revenue. Congress did
not believe that the American people de-
sired that the money for the support of
the Porto Rican government should be
| taken absolutely and entirely out of the
| treasury of the United States Porto Rico
| is island of great fertility. There are
many people there who are poor; there are
many people in the United States who are
poor. There are many people in Porto
Rico also, who are well to do and capable.
and 1 believe willing, to support the Porto
| Rican government. The Congress Of the
United States deemed it wise to raise a
part Of this revenue through the customs
| offices. Under the law in existence when
| the treaty of Paris was signed, the same
| duties were collected upon Porto Rico S
| commerce as upon the commerce of the
| United States. Congress said: We will
reduce the Dingley rates to Is per cent.
| that will yield several hundred thousand
| dollars for the support of the Porto Rican
| government Anything unjust, ungener-
| Gus and un-American in that proposition?
| Not protective duty. but a revenue duty
| and to continue only for brief period of
| time, to continue only until the Porto
| Rican government is firmly established and
| capable of devising its own revenue system.
| Some of our Democratic friends say: You
| should extend the Constitution of the
1 United States to Porto Rico
DEvOUT STUDENTS.
| "They have been devout students of the
Constitution the past few months. The
! extension of the Constitution of the United
| States to Porto Rico will work injustice,
| my countrymen, not to US, but to the Porto
| Ricans. / had the honor of serving upon
| the committee having in charge this great
| bill in the Senate; we gave TO the subject
the most thorough examination and care
| full attention of which we were capable;
we found that to extend the Constitution
| of the United States to Porto Rico meant
/ 10 eAttHU tHr ~ VIC diSo iouiAN
| that the people of Porto Rico are incapable
| of enjoying the benefits of the jury sys-
| TEN as we do i'm the United States. Fur
| thermore. an extension of our Constitution
1 to Porto Rico means to extend the internal
| revenue system of the United States in
| its full and complete operation TO Porto
Rico; that also. my countrymen, would
result in placing burdens far beyond the
| capacity of the Porto Ricans to meet and
| discharge them.
LAS L said, my countrymen, I came not
| to make a speech; I came to meet you;
| came to congratulate you. upon the splen-
| did promise of Republican success. This
| campaign which we are entering is to be
| historic; it is one fraught with mighty
/ consequences; the supreme question Is
| whether the American people in Novem-
ber shall by their votes ratify and ap-
prove the splendid administration of VIII
| liam Mckinley. President OF the United
| States Igreat applause]. courageous states
man, brave soldier, devout Christian. No
| more worthy occupant has ever filled the
presidential chair than the brave William
Mckinley, President of the United States.
| Tremendous applause and cheering
| H
REPRESENTATIVE LANDIs
Gives to the Convention Brilliant