Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1900-05-18
JUDGE HEYBURN'S SPEECH.


CONTINUED tfom pagS
there cannot be too much of it in the
world. 1t is good for all the people of
the earth. do not like that word as a
political catchword. 1t was coined by our
opponents in derision. l am opposed to
tnat. But still that is less repulsive than
many Others they have coined for us. We
have expanded and grown from the very
hour that the first blow was struck for
freedom and liberty at Lexington
The time will never come when the
principles represented by our government
will not continue to expand and grow,
not alone in heighth and breadth among
individuals, but i'll territorial sense.
PORTO RIcAN BILL.
Now, | was out i'll parts of Idaho about
ninety days ago. came out from Wash
ington City to attend to some profess
sional business and it was during the
time that the Porto Rican bill was under
consideration. l was somewhat aston
ished and somewhat fretted to find that
there was something of an apologize
feeling and expression among the repub-
licans for the action of the party as to
that bill They seemed to think it was
something that was to be excused or de-
MED. lnasmuch as we are now entering
upon the campaign we are going to de-
fend it, praise its principles. 1t is we'll
enough to face that question. There
never was wiser law enacted; there
never was more humane law enacted :;
there never was a more lawful law en-
| acted by congress, and the criticism that
has been urged against it is largely be-
cause the people don't know its provi-
sions and their application; and, while l
am not going to make speech on con-
stitutional law on this occasion, yet will
say that it is within the limits of the con-
stitutional power of congress; it is within
the limits of humanity; it is within the
boundaries of necessity.
We have taken unto ourselves, as the
results of that war, an island containing
million people; 600 900 cannot read or
write; 100000 Of them cannot write. We
have taken that new population to us as
one of our possessions. 1t became neces-
sary for congress, having done this, and
having deprived them of the protection
and sovereignty of Spain and substituted
ourselves in power instead, to provide a
government. The question arose, how
shall it be done? Governments cannot be
maintained without expense. The rev.
the offices of the country must be filed.
1t costs certain fixed sum of money to
do these things. 1t must be money, real
money, not the promise to pay. That
country is in no condition to promise
anything. 1t must pay cash, and that
would be impossible. Now the question
arose, how shall it be done? How shall
we make this provision? Out of the treas.
ury of the United States? We did. I'm
der the dire necessity arising out of one
of those freaks of nature, when the hurri
cane swept oNCl tldt NohhLI anu uS
stroyed their homes and fields, we did
make them temporary provision of two
millions of dollars-a drop in the bucket
two dollars apiece. Then it became
necessary to form permanent govern
ment. Then the question was how tt
raise the money. Should we take it on
of the treasury Of the United States? One
of our principles of government is loca
government-that is, the town, county
and state each pay taxation to sustain thu
government. That is one of our funda
mental principles of government Tha
. would naturally be the condition that w
would have expected to establish in thu
islands. A territorial government wa
: not practicable. You cannot collect tai
from them for they are unable to pay 1t.
Upon an investigation of the subject
the government realized that fact. The.
realized that whatever was to be provide'
for the maintenance of the government
I of Porto Rico, must be provided in som
extraordinary way or else it must be tax
ell out of the treasury OF the Unite
States. They are unable to pay as othe
: people. Instead of levying upon all tn
people Of this island we will levy ia
/ upon those products which will produc
revenue enough to support this govern
ment.
y 1t is merely collected by this govern
, ment to maintain that government, an
it is a method of taxation that was devise
to produce a revenue to maintain thu
4 government instead of taking the none
! from the treasury of the United States.
! By the very terms of the bill ii is liml
J ed in its operation for two years. | wal