Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-04-27
Our Plain Duty, a is Per Cent. Duty.
Especial to the SPECTATOR from the othe
Sid01

Especial to the SPECTATOR from the other
side.
Emperor William I after consulta-
tion with Prince (Bls) Mark Hanna
had fully concluded, it now transpires,
to dissolve the American Reichtag
had it failed to enact the law which
placed "our plain-]5 per cent-duty"
on all imports into the kingdom from
our new colony of Porto Rico. This is
now admitted by Count Jaques Ben
sonich Forakersnitz. who spoke for the
crown in support of the bill in the up
per house. as well as Herr Won Gros-
vernorwindbalatz of the lower house,
who is usually entrusted with convey
ing the Imperial pleasure to that body.
The bill was one upon which the Elm
peror had set his heart it was Very
near and dear to him. He had men
toned 1T specially in his address at the
opening of the Reichtag, and endeavor-
ed to show that body that our "plaln
dutyn was Is per cent. duty. 1t was
claimed by the opposition that his Ma
jesty's wording in the address was not
clear on this point, and had been mis-
interpreted or was open to two con-
structions, but Count Forakersnitz in
an inspired address of great power and
length showed beyond dispute that
while his Majesty had said ''our plain
duty is free trade" his Majesty really
meant to say our plain is Is per
cent. taxi; that inasmuch as his Ma.
jesty was discussing the subject OF
duties, and as the words 'our plain
duty, were used they IN can't duty OF
some kind, duty of Is per cent. 9th
erwise the word duty" could have had
no place or meaning in the address.
This logic was unans werable. Count
Forakersnitz further explained the love
of the Emperor for our new colonists,
whom he said we're in some distress Oh
account of recent storms, and the con
sequences of war, and that his Majesty
deerly sympathizes with them, and
sought to do them good. He therefore
desired that they be condemned to pay
a tax of only Is per cent. on all goods
coming to the Empire from the colony
land lis per cent. on all goods going
from any other country into the col
ony. When these sums were SO col
lected the Emperor would with his
wonted generosity return the same to
them, less cost of collection and ex
penses of return, and thereby show tt
them the depth of his regard, anC
much endear them to the Empire
There had been feeling of dread
throughout the Empire that certain
great industrial bodies known as ths
Sugar and Tobacco Trusts, would be
seriously injured in their business, Il
not wholly bankrupted unless this 1!
per cent. duty should be ena cted, ano
these being the wards of the nation
and peculiarly fostered by his Majesty
it would be little short of g. natiOna
calamity should they be destroyed by
the pauper labor of our new Spanish
colony. Then, too. these great indus
tries would be unable in their enfeeblet
condition to make good their usua
stipend to the campaign budget. al
occurrence, had it been enforced b.
the failure of the enactment. would
have sorely distressed his Majesty
and possibly nulllied his ability to full
fill certain Imperial desires in Novem
Der next. Some member of the opposi
ton had the temerity to inSinuate tina
our pauper cOlonists were too weak II
work and furthermore that these in
dustrial enterprises were Imperial pets
and that the enactment was intended
to f0rtify them in their ability to ado
to the budget. But this was vehement
ly denied by Herr Won Gr0svenOrwind
baltz, in fact he grew violent thereat
and denounced the opposition in Ian
guage of great bitterness. For his &C
ton in this behalf ne has since receiv
ed a special testimonial of lmperla
regard.
| 1t happened, so She story goes, tha
some years before his Majesty wa.
Crowned, either from youthful say
wardness, or other cause, he becAm
woefully indebted. so much so that biz
annual revenues were not sufficient tx
lliquidate his obligations, and his credi
tors became importunate. The pres
emit Prince (Bis) Mark Hanna, theI
himself only an iron monger, though
possessed of great wealth and muct
tact, and being at the head of a power
full industrial trust, voluntarily dis
charged one hundred and eighteen
thousand dollars of his present Ma
Ijesty's l. O. US. Since that occur
renee if his Majesty ever bore i'll will
toward these industrial enterprises, o.
contemptuously regarded them, he ha
entirely foregOne it, and the forme
iron monger has been raised to one @
the highest stations within the Im
perial prerogative and fully enjoys th'
Imperial confidence. Public mention
of this incident in his Maj esty s caree
is, however, sufficient to place the Of
fender in chains, and this who'll
''plain Duty affair is constant sourc
of Imperial irritation, especially tina
portion of 1t which tends to asSociat,
it with the campaign budget.
| Won BLUESo.