The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-27
The Republican state Conventions
and Porto Rico.

OF the Republican party, toward our lnsu-
lar possessions and the national and con-
stitutional questions growing out Of our
sovereignty over them. is too full CT hui
NOR to be treated seriously in any discus
SIGN Of an abstract character. Viewed IN
the concrete. We are compelled to note
the Hanna and Mckinley menace to our
institutions. which is quite another mat
ter. But the Presidential election is still
far enough away to Justify us in looking
at the Republican spectacle as from the
position OF one who is up a tree and hugh
ing at the camp-meeting operations be-
low
To use a colloquial expression, one
might scratch the Republican state
platforms with a fine-tC0thed comb ard
fail TO find any utterance on the const-
tutional question connected with Porto
Rico. The assumption has been reason
able one that the Administration, espec-
iallv in Ohio. would endeavor in some way
to square itself on the matter of Mr.. Nc
Kinleys departure from plain duty" and
his sudden conversion by several trust
magnates on a certain day last winter from
a settled conviction that the Constitution
extended. ex proprio vigore, TO our island
territories, to a firm belief that the in
habitants Of those American territories
are without civil rights, and we're only
brought under the imperial yoke Of the
United States for the benefit Of and to be
exploited and looted by the protected mo-
nopolies.
Far from attempting anything Of the
kind. in the cases Of all OF the State con-
ventions acting under Executive order, it
is manifest that they have lodged the
Constitutional issue as if it were a thun-
derbolt which. TO the party, It certainly is.
In thus trying to evade the dominant issue
OF the impending campaign the Repub-
llcan platforms thus far have offered
confession OF organization weakness which
ought to fill the hearts Of decent Ameri-
cans with joy. But it is to be said that
Hanna. Rockefeller. Havemeyer. Oxnard.
Huntington. Duke. Armour. and Mckinley
have had little choice in the selection Of
their ground for battle. In electing to
stand upon an open and infamous defiance
OF the Constitution. in their treatment Of
integral American territory. confessing
their object to be just such defiance, for
the benefit Of their trusts and for the en-
richment Of the Republican campaign bar
rel, they have necessarily thrown away the
seabbard OF concealment and have placed
themselves squarely before the American
people on the issue OF the trusts against
free institutions They cannot escape the
position. They know that subterfuge or
platform mendacity will not cover their
policy or purposes. They realize that the
best they can do is to dodge the questions
they have raised. and which. assuming
the free and Independent suffrage which
was once the glory Of the country. would
swamp them in November. Their sole
hope is in the millions they are raising to
buy the election OF 1900. as they bought
that OF 1896.
There is some ground for thinking that
the trusts may be defeated. When We
speak Of the trusts we mean also the Re
publican party. The greater includes the
less. They are birds OF a feather. SO to
speak. The trusts lay the eggs and the
Hanna Administration matches them for a
consideration.
Just as the precursor OF the Philadelphia
platform-that OF Columbus-cuts and
runs away from the Porto Rican infamy.
50 We may confidently expect that the Re
publican national declaration on this sub
3ect viii be puerile and contemplate. Il
is a fact that the political history Of the
nation can be searched from She Declars-
ton Of Independence to the most recent
Mckinley visit 10 Canton. without re-
vcaling an instance where a political party
has so thoroughly disgraced and made
world laughing stock OF itself as the
Ianna machine has In the matter OF
PORTO Rico II adopted the Constitutional
view Of our insular dominion. Il caused to
be prepared and accepted not one opinion.
out a consensus OF opinions, at the hands
OF It's legal advisers. all agreeing that IL
must be bound by the clear letter OF our
fundamental law in its relations to Porto
Rico and other American territory. On
the basis Of these opinions. Mr. Mckinley
sent his plain duty" message 10 Congress,
Secretary Root talked about every con-
sideratlon OF justice and humanity" and
Mr. Payne Administration leader on the
floor OF the House. wrote to a constitu-
eat that free trade must be given to Porto
Rico under the Constitution, because il
had been accorded TO every other State
and Territory. and 10 Alaska. no, organized
iu;o a Territory"
Then half a dozen gentlemen. who
could be named. came over 10 Washington
and declared that II the manufactured
products Of Porto Rico were allowed free
entry into American mainland ports. the
trusts would refuse contributions to the
Republican corruption fund OF 1900.
Srsightway the President swallowed his
plain duty" Mr. Root discovered a
flaw In his convictions. aud Mr. Payne be-
gsn tbs campaign OF Standardization
which has rendered him forever motor
i0us.
Ia view OF these circumstances and
considerations can anyone wonder az
the reticenee OF Republican State plat
forms on the issue OF the Constitu-
fion in United States territory? We
may be well assured that 1t is ole which