The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-04
THIS VIII END 1T.

have been put forward from time to time
for overcoming the unhappy effects upon
the national administration of the Puer-
to Rico tariff scheme. And right speed
lily have they in succession sunk from
the public view, until 1t has become
rather convincing proof of the compare
tive desirability of any one of such meas
ures that it has been under public dis
cussion twenty-four hours after it has
been presented.
From the Minnesota senators down the
long plane Of imperialist descent. the
author of every scheme for rehabilitating
the administration in the estimation of
enlightened public opinion has found
the product of his genius for meeting
grave party crisis of but passing interest
to the American people. The Puerto RI
can excitement continues, and nothing
save a remedy which goes to the very
heart Of the difficulty will meet its re-
quirements. This even the Republican
politicians are now forced to admit; but
the sacred cause of protectionism must
not they insist, be murdered in the
house of it's friends. And so they con-
tinue to palter with a desperate situa-
ton
Since free trade with Puerto Rico is
not allowable under any conceivable
conditions. the settlement must be looked
for in the opposite direction and in the
adoption of policy which is equally rad
ical and conclusive on the merits of the
question involved. Such plan has been
evolved by our contemporary. the Press,
of New York. That paper was the first
to sound the protectionist alarm on the
subject of free trade with Puerto Rico.
and to It's efforts. more, perhaps, than to
those Of any one single agency outside
Of the trusts and the halls Of congress-
is 1t due that we have so long escaped
the discharge Of 'our plain duty" The
remedy proposed by the Press will I'M
doubtedly do the business 1t will put
an end at once and during the present
session Of congress at least to the undue
excitement which prevails. and will give
an opportunity to the American people
to think of some other of the vital ques-
lions Of national policy which are now
temporary's remedy, expressed in its own
language:
eff President Mckinley will simply an
nounce In an official message the entirely
reasonable change in opinion which the
tn
rienced, the house tariff bill for Puerto
Rico will reach his hands for signature
as law by the weeks end If he will not
follow this plainly indicated course this
ridtculously protracted struggle will be
drawn out to the very eve of his renomi-
nation, 1t will then end precisely as the
president could end it noW--by the reten-
ton of a tariff on goods from Puerto
Rico"
There is the situation In a literary
nutshell. We cannot have free trade.
Then, why not have tariff? It Is in
the presidents power to give us the lat
ter. The privilege has been denied him
Of giving us the former The forces
which put him where IS are concededIy
stronger than he Is. He has given I'D
to them. He has lobbied for the enact
ment Of the tariff measure He stands
committed to It, so far as he can be COM
mltted to anything for a given period of
time. Why, then. not adopt the sugges-
ton of the Press? 1t will put an end to
the entire unseemly exhibition, and Nc
Kinleyism and Dingleyism will have won
victory. the fruits of which no man
may now easily estimate.
Let the president by all means send in
that official message urging the addition
of a tariff on goods imported into this
country from Puerto Rico. Then. indeed,
as our contemporary urges, will the en-
tire matter be ended as our president
wishes it to end