The age-herald., 1900-04-16
PORTO RICO BILL
 CAMPAIGN ISSUE Democrats Expect to Win the
 Next House. REPUBLICANS ON RECORD Intense Feeling Has Developed Over the Question, and Democrats Will


 campaign issue of the Porto Rican legis- lation, enacted by a republican congress They count confidently upon gaining votes in the presidential and congressional cleo tions thereby In fact, they are so much impressed with this idea that they are ab- solutely confident of carrying the next house, and believe, also, that Mir Bryan's election is very probable. The democrats will distribute the speeches made against the Porto Rcan bill by republicans in the house and senate, both those holding that the constitution covers Porto Rico, and there is constitutional power to impose duties products coming into or from Porto Rico, and those criticising the Por- to Rican bill as an act of unfairness and unfaithfulness to Porto Rico.
 The intense feeling that has developed over the Porto Rican question was shown during the closing debate on the bill on Wednesday, and not before during this ses- sion has there been such sharp partisan criticism each side and such careful maneuvering for advantage
 The constitutionality of the Porto Rican act will. within 8 comparatively short pe- riod, be brought before the supreme court and the question whether the constitution covers Porto Rico, and inferentally the
 
 war with Spain will be decided. It is of the greatest importance that the Suprem, court should make decision on this point at the earliest possible moment that the future policy of our government toward the territory acquired as a result of the war with Spain may be definitely deter mined In the event of decision by the supreme court, holding the Porto Ricar legislation unconstitutional. the problems of dealing with our new dependencies will become their continuance under the flag fraught with dangers and ; difficulties not to be considered lightly. Republican Party Committed
 The republican party stands committed to the Porto Rcan bill. It is republican legislation. It was passed by both houses = by republican votes, despite the fact tha. democrats in the house voted for it. or were paired in it's favor and one democrat In the senate was paired for it, and sev- eral non-republicans in that body act ually voted for it or paired for 1t. It would have passed the house without regard the support of demo- crats and been agreed to in the senate without non-republican support, though naturally by reduced majorities in each case. The fact that republicans in each house voted against the bill does not pre- vent 1t from being republican legislation ] No matter how sincere the motives of z these republicans who put themselves in r opposition to their party, they must, from
 
 ers.' But the term "bolter' does not carry opprobrium with it. It is not used offen- sively In this instance it represents inde- pendence of thought and the courage to stand up for sincere belief The country will give these men credit for manly inde- pendence.
 Cummings as a Fisherman
 Some two or three years ago Amos Cum mingS, one of the strongest men on the democratic side of the house, went to Ala I Iar,a fn feh day sitting a dock and clad in overalls and an old coat and hat when a young man approached him and asked about the fishing. Seeing that he novice, MT Cummings out of the goodness of his heart, caught bait for him, baited 2 his hook, cast the line and when he got a bite handed it to the stranger and told him to pull it in. This repeated sev- eral times, much to Cummings amuse- ment. When the embryo fisherman had had enough of the sport of watching Cum mings catch the fish and of pulling them sout of the water himself he got up 5 and handed Cummings two cigars and a a Quarter and walked off The congressman did not protest, but thanked his compan- ion for the tip and proceeded to do a little 4tishing for himself.
 The Eulogies on Bland
 sA Tn the services in the senate on Monday In memory of Richard Parks Bland "Sil- ver Dick,' who was one of the most ardent and untiring advocates of free silver and perhaps the greatest of the silver leaders, Senator Vest of Missouri paid a beautiful Tribute to his memory, his high-minded- ' ness, public works and domestic life. In the course of that speech the Missouri senator spoke of pioneers blazing the path and others reaping the rewards, and said: MT. President, Richard Parks Bland !. should have been the nominee of the demo- .fcratic party naturally and logically at the : great national convention of 1896, held at Chicago. I know personally that he did not desire the nomination. I know that he, above all others, knew his precarious health, that the icy finger of death might touch him at any moment. ~know from his own lips that he dreaded the labors and responsibilities of the presidential can vass and of the great office for which he was named. He defeated as all lead CTS of great popular movements who have l borne the heat and burthen of the day and ! excited the bitter antagonsm of opponents | have always been defeated In all ages and l countries when success about to crown their efforts. Political parties are actuated not by gratitude but by the hope of success. It has always been so, and will be to the end of time. The regicides of England who beheaded Charles I before his palace at Whitehall did not long retain the power they had grasped but surren- dered in a short time to Cromwell and his associates I "Verniaud and the other great leaders of the Girondists who inaugurated the French Revolution and dragged the King and Queen of France to the guillotine fol- lowed in few short months over the same gloomy road 'In our own political history. Henry Clay. the great leader of the old whig par ty. the. father of the American system which now dominates this country the most magnetic orator who ever spoke in the senate of the United tates was showed aside in 1SfS to make room for Zachary Taylor, whose political opinions were aI- most unknown to the convention that | nomination. William IT. Seward and Chas | Sumner sat by the cradle of the republican | party and defended its childhood against | the vitriolc eloquence of the southern leaders but both were superseded in 1856 | by John C. Fremont, the pathfinder, and | William H. Seward was defeated in 1860 by | Abraham Lincoln. who but two years be- l fore was unknown outside of the limits of | his own state. is. |