Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-18

Col. Henderson.
The Times Herald, of Chicago, gen.
orally considered the Presidents per-
sonal organ, uses its scalpel on Col.
Henderson's scalp in manner follow
ing:
We trust that Speaker Henderson's
letter to Edward Knott, U. S. marshal
of the Northwestern Iowa district, has
been read by every sincere seeker after
light on the Porto Rican question. To
whom should we look for knowledge
on this vexed subject if not to the
leader of the republican majority in
the house, where the obnoxious tariff
bill first disturbed the peaceful harmony
of his party and provided q lively issue
for the democrats.
Speaker Henderson confesses that
'sooner or later the country will under.
stand our (his) position" In the mean.
while his judgment is infallible, his
wisdom omniscent, and in the future
those who differ from him twill suffer
in every possible way for their mis-
guided conduct, for their selfish acts"
AS for the rest of Speaker Hender-
sons letter, 1t abounds in delphic refer
ences to "trusts and syndicates," which
he says are fighting this bill. He re-
fers to "these syndicates and the cod.
fish of New England and other interests,
including the flour interest, all trying
to get into Porto Rico without paying
the 10 per cent duty on their products"
But nowhere does he offer single
reason why the flour, fish and provision
interests of the United States should be
taxed 10 per cent or any per cent for
selling their products in territory, pos
session, dependency or whatever he may
call the island belonging to the United
States"
Speaker Henderson fairly cries over
the iniquity of "syndicates and trusts'
proposing to "tax this desolate island"
forgetting the cause of that desolation
is the denial to Porto Rico of that free
access to American markets which it
was our plain duty" to accord. Does
the Speaker recall that cry of the de-
defeated ana humiliated Shylock when
the Duke of Venice declared all his
wealth forfeit-one.half to the state,
one half to Antonio:
"You take my house when you do take
That doth sustain my house; you take
my life
When you do take the means whereby 1
live"
With its 10 per cent tariff congress
proposes to knock both props-the
freedom to buy and the freedom to sci
in American markets-from under the
arms of Porto Rico. We have taken
from the Porto Ricans the means of
living, and to-day the United States
stands before the world responsible for
the sore industrial straits to which the
| ISLANDERS have been reduced.
Speaker Henderson excuses the tariff
for revenue as imposing burden that
'wi'l be imperceptible while a direct
tax would be simply brutal and in
human"
This is most extraordinary Ian
guage to come from an American to
Americans, who to-day in every state
and territory of the union are living
under direct taxation for the mainte.
nance of every institution of local self.
government. The property of the in
habitants of Porto Rico is as Justly
liable to bear the expenses of local civi
government as that of the citizen OF
Illinois or New Mexico. And ir
natural wealth the island is better able
to bear it than half the states of the
union.
1t is time that Speaker He derson re
cognized the folly of trying to throw
syndicate and philanthropc dust in the
eyes of the republican of the northwest
They stand by the traditions of the Ie
public that have never permitted hostil,
tariffs between parts of the United
States. They protest against reducing
one of the richest islands of the Wesl
Indies to condition of mendicancl
merely because it voluntarily and con
fdently accepted the change of SOY
ereignty. They are asking:
Ii Porto Rico Is not part of thu
United States, what right has congres
to legislate about it at all?
If Porto Ricans are not citizens o
the United States, what right has con
gress to legislate respecting them a
all?
IT, as Senator Beveridge says, 9TH
. constitution is chart by which w
sail all seas and make all ports," VIII
are not its prohibitions the warnin,
\ beacons of psrils to be avoided?
Is it not time for Speaker Henderson,
and the rest of the Iowa delegation t
suspect that the conscience of nearl
I 500, 900 voters in the Hawkeye state is
. safer guide to national honor and dut
than the purblind vision of handful
of leaders in Washington, who adm
that special syndicates, trusts and il
terests are not without influence in tn
capitol?
1t is at least time that the "leaders
IN Washington disabused their mind
: of the hallucination that they posses
any monopoly of knowledge on. tn
conditions or policies involved IN til
Porto Rican question. They mus
= moreover, remember that the peop
! and not politicians, syndicates or trust
, will pass final judgment on what
Justice and "our plain duty" to Por,