The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-03-27
THR PUERTO RIcAN wRANGLR

newspapers Ia tne country ana many
of the most prominent Republican
leaders, such as TX. President Harrison
and Thos. B. Reed, are severely de
nouncing the Republican Congress and
President Mckinley for their support
of the Puerto Rican tariff measure TO
which we have referred in previous
issues Of TIE Progressive Farmer. 1t
will be remembered that President Nc
Ktnley in his message TO Congress last
i December declared il ''our plain duty"
to provide for absolute free trade with
Puerto Rico. But the Ways and
Means Committee of the House of Rep
resentatives thought differently, as
was seen when they made their rep rt
a few weeks ago, endorsing q bill
drawn to impose duties equal to % per
cent. of the Dingley rates on goods
imported into the United States from
Puerto Rico Or exported to Puerto
RICO.
This bill encountered such a storm OF
opposition in Republican ranks that the
leaders became alarmed. A conference
was held and it was decided to reduce
the tariff rate from % per cent. to Is
per cent. Of the Dingley rate. With
this concession, however, the bill
barely escaped defeat in the House.
For it was not so much a question OF
the weight Of tariff taxes as of the
right of Congress to levy such taxes,
however small. But President Nc.
Kinley, it is asserted, at the dictation
of party leaders. changed front and
urged the passage of the measure, In
principle Numerically opposed to that
advocated by him in his message to
Congress. Mckinley, it becomes mor
evident every day. is as plant and
changeable when party bosses demand
it as Cleveland was, under all circum.
stances, obstinate and pig. headed. But
we digress. As showing the constitu-
tional aspect of the question and the
probable effects Of the measure we
clip this from the Philadelphia Amer
lean:
But have we a right to raise rev.
enues for Puerto Rico in such a ways
The bill, explained Mr.. Cannon, pro
vides a small taxation, levied on goods
exported from and imported into the
United States and Puerto Rico, to and
from each other And there is no
question that this is just what it does.
But the Constitution says: No tax or
duty shall be laid on articles exported
from any State And this is just what
il is proposed that Congress do; impose
duties on goods exported from the
United States to Puerto Rico as well
as on goods imported from Puerto
Rico. 1t would certainly appear to
have no power. And all this is aside
from the constitutional provision that
all imports, etc, shall be uniform
throughout the the United States, the
application of which we have before
discussed.
"Yet we have expressed the opinion
that the Supreme Court will uphold
the PaerEo r can tariff bill. But sup
pose it declares it unconstitutional
as Democrats in Congress and half a
dozen Republicans have been ar gum 8
all the waek3 The Republicans can-
not contemplate such a thought with
patience. For such an Interpretation,
an Interpretation that the opponents
of the Puerto Rican tariff bill have
been putting upon the Oonstitut lion,
would be the severest Of blows at the
policy of Philippine annexation. It is,
therefore, that the attitude of the re
calcitran5 r spublicans has so irritated
the party managers in the House they
looking upon the course Of those
on the Republicans as a direct
assault on the Philippine policy
Of the Administration. For sup
pose such arguments as these Republi.
Jams have presented should prevail
with the Supreme Court, and that court
should declare the collection of duties
on goods imported from Puerto Rico
unconstitutional, declare that any ter
ritory we annex must be considered as
part Of the United States, and that by
the act of annexation all tariff barriers
r taken down, free trade extended
and guaranteed, under the Oonstitu
ton, between the newly annexed ter
ritory and the old3 Then on goods
coming from the Philippines we could
impose no duties; we would have to let
them in free even as Jul own goods
sent to the Philippines would have free
entrance there. And under our treaty
of peace with Spain, we must give en-.
trance to Spanish goods into the Philip