The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-17
WHAT HAS HAPPENED
TO PUERTO RICO?
DIsCUsSIoN OF THE ALL AB-
sonJtNa TOPIC.
The Presidents Object in Dealing
with the Important Question Has
Been to Adopt "a American Policy.
His Proposed TariR Policy Simply
a Patriotic Act Of Generosity.

Special Correspondence of The Tribune.
Washington, ID. c., March 1e.--what
Is all this fuss and wailing and gnash-
ing Of teeth on Puerto Rico about any
way? What has happened? Why all
this elimination and recrimination:
Why all this caucusing and political
clamor? Why all this ominous fore
bodinG as to the future Of the Repub-
lican party? Why all this senseless
wailing and lurid prediction Of Repub-
lican defeat in the coming presidential
campaign
Why the accusation of cowardice,
selfshness and venality against the
president? The Republican conference
wednesday, wisely concluded to take
the second sober breath and think it
all over. Suppose the president did
make mistake in recommending free
trade with Puerto Rico? He saw his
mistake and had the courage to quail
ify 1t. He took the leaders of both
parties In his confidence in maturing
policy In regard to Puerto Rico that
some unforeseen exigency might
change. The presidents object was
to adopt an American policy-not Re-
publican policy. He took the whole
country into his confidence, not the
Republican party alone. All who talked
with him about his Puerto Rican tariff
policy, whether Democrats or Repub-
iicans, understood the presidents de-
sire to treat the question from a nom
partisan standpoint, and they all ac-
quiesced at the time. There was
distinct and emphatic understanding
that the presidents proposed tariff
policy was a simple and patriotic act
Of generosity.
Puerto Rico had been hurricane
swept. Her helpless people were starv-
ing. In discussing the administra-
tion's offer Of help in the way of free
trade. no thought was entertained, or
IL entertained, never expressed, in the
remotest way suggestive Of the opposi-
tion and clamor that has followed the
introduction Of the question in con-
gress. If the president blindly trusted
to Democratic assurances in the form
ulation Of his message to congress- he
knows better now. He understands
now that the Puerto Rican and the
Philippine questions are Republican
responsibilities and Republican prob
lens. The Republican party will settle
them and they will be settled to the
honor and credit of the country and to
the entire satisfaction OF the American
people. But has the president blum
dered in this matter? Has he subor-
dinated humanity to dollars and cents?
In accepting a nominal duty on Puerto
Rican products as q better tariff policy
than free trade, has he made any mis-
take? Is 1t blunder, or has the
change of policy offended the north
eastern lumber and -four dealers, who
want free trade with Puerto Rico?
Was 1t a mistake to do exactly what
the importunate Tobacco and Sugar
trust and, the Standard Oil trust al
most demanded he should do and ad-
here to his free trade recommenda-
tion? These great commercial inter-
ests are at the bottom of the clamor
against the administration. The whole
truth will come out soon and instead
of murmurings and unjust accusations
and baseless suspicious, the president
will have the triumphant acclamation
of a grateful, If now deluded people.
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
Suppose the president had adhered
to a free trade policy with the Puerto
Ricans? What would have happened?
hc AuOSS tdoAu dhu idhCOAOuS oCAuO-
cratic opposition. 1T was a conces-
sion to the Standard Oil trust; it meant
that the Sugar trust and the Tobacco
trust absolutely controlled the Repub-
lican party; 1t was q bold and corrupt
deal with these corporations for cam
paign funds" All this and a great deal
more the Democrats were ready to
say. Free trade with Puerto Rico.
they would have said, meant that
Puerto Rico was de facto and de jure
a part Of the United States ana that its
thousands of black savages were citi-
eens Of this country. They were ready
to roar themselves hoarse in saying
that free trade was q declaration of
citizenship and irrevocably committed
the Republican party to the senseless
dogma Of Imperialism. They were
ready to charge the president with
fagrant usurparion, and Sulxer, 1t is
said. had q resolution Of impeachment
ready charging the president with
usurping the functions of congress
upon the Democratic theory that the
presidents free trade recommendation
was tantamounr to a declaration Of
sovereignty over Puerto Rico which
belonged to congress as one of the CO.
ordinate branches of the government.
What an opportunity was lost? What
caloric political calculations were up
set?
Disappointed and chagrined. they
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA