The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-03-09
FROM THE CAPITAL.
Our Correspondent Talks in
General About Wash
ington.
(ConlInunicated)
WASHINGTON,
March ), 1900.

zion Ill single week is Unc record
of the Republican party in the
House-a record that should
drive the Republican party from
power. 1t does not mitigate the
offense against the constitutional
government that one of these VIC
lations should have been an at
tempt to partially right the
wrong committed in the other.
A rightful thing wrongly done is
often as bad or worse than
wrong. When the Republican
majority, driven by the party
whip, passed the bill levying a
10 per cent. duty on the products
of Porto Rico for period of two
years, a grievOus wrong was in
| tlicted upon the Porto RicanS and
the Constitution of the United
States was violated. Later, when
the Republicans became alarmed
at the vigorous protests from all
sections of the country against
the proposed robbery of the help
less Porto Ricans, they again VIC
lated the constitution by doing a
thing right in principle in the
wrong way-passiug bill plac-
ing more than 50, 00O,0 900 already
in the Treasury, and all future
collections under the Dingley du-
ties upon Porto Rican products,
at the disposal of the President,
to be expended under his discre-
tiOn for the benefit of Porto Rico.
1t is perfectly right that every
dollar OF this money should be
spent for the benefit of Porto
Rico, but, as Representative
Bailey so t0rcibly pointed out, it
is everlastingly wrong, to turn
over to the discretion of one man
money in the treasury of the
United States. when the ConSti-
tuition expressly gives the right
to dispose of money in the treas
nry to Congress-, and not to the
Executive. But good may come
out OF evil. These things serve
to accentuate in the minds of the
people the attitude of the two
| great political parties toward the
Constitutional make plain that
there is only one Constitutional
party and that is the Democratic
party.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas,
said of the attitude of the Demo
cratic Senators toward the Porto
| Rican bill: "The Democrats ac-
cept the issues rendered by the
, Republicans. Porto Rico has
seen annexed to the United
| States. 1t is an integral part of
the country. The flag proclaims
our sovereignty there and the
Constitution follows the flag.
The Republican proposition that
we can enact discriminating legis-
lation against the Porto Ricans
and Porto Rican products is mon
strous. We will fight it in the
Senate to the limit of our extent,
and we will fight it before the
people from now until the ballots
are cast in November"
Senator Stewart who has been
counted as a cOuntenancer, if not
an actual supporter of imperial
ism, said in speech against the
Porto Rican tariff: 81 don't want
any territory in which the Con-
stitution does not follow the flag.
We cannot discriminate against
any section of our country. If
our principles of free govern
ment are not broad enough to
cover any territory under the flag,
then we would better bring back
the flag"
Instead of avoiding the coils
ion Of imrerialism and prOtec-
ton, as the Republicans who
fathered it intended, the Porto
Rico tariff bill seems likely to
precipitate the collision, and the
Republicans to be called on to
say whether the country shall
give up the Philippines or the
protective tariff. If the Supreme
Court decides, as many believe it
will, that all territory owned by
the United States is constitution
ally speaking part of the Uni
ted States, the choice will have
to be speedily made, and Senator
Foraker has openly said on the
floor of the Senate, that he would
favor giving up the Philippines.
Junketing is catching. Secre-
tary Root, accompanied by three
members Of his family is officially
junketing in Cuban waters,
aboard a government transport;
Secretary Long is arranging to
take the House Naval Committee
to Newport News, on a govern
ment vessel, and there is talk of
a Congressional junketing party
to Porto Rico, made up of the
Joint House and Senate Commit
tees and their families.
There seems to be trouble
ahead for the administration bill
nroyiding that the Adiutant. Gen.