Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-03-31
a}liseellaneous 8sading.
MR.. FINLEY ON PUERTO RICO.


Holds That the Island Is Entitled to the
Same Consid deration as Any Other Section
of the Union.
The following is the full text of the
speech that Congressman Finley, Of
the Fifth district, delivered in the
house last Saturday on the Puerto
Rican tariff bill. 1t is republished
from the Congressional Record:
Mr.. Speaker, believing, as I do, that
Puerto Rico is a part of the United
States, as much 80 as is the State Of
New York or the territory Of Oklaho-
ma, and believing, as I do, that the
constitution of the United States pro-
hibits absolutely the imposition of any
tax or duty on goods exported or
shipped to any other part of the United
States, whether the same be state or
territory, I must, to be consistent, vote
against this bill.
Mr.. Speaker, there is no question but
that the Puerto Ricans are in the most
deplorable condition of any people liv-
ing under the flag of this country to-
day.
Since Puerto Rico was ceded to the
United States by Spain the island has
been devasted by cyclone, one of the
most destructive in the history of the
island. This storm destroyed, practi-
cally speaking, all crops in the island
and the homes Of many, and rendered
the people destitute and helpless.
Since that time recuperation, from an
agricultural standpoint, has been slow,
and many of the people are IN want.
In addition to this, the markets of the
world have practically been closed to
the Puerto Ricans by the unlawful ac-
ton of the administration in imposing
the heavy burden of the Dingley tariff
law upon all goods coming from Puer-
to Rico into the United States. Being
unable to sell, they cannot buy, and
the markets of the world being practi.
cally closed to these people, their con-
dition is deplorable indeed.
I am willing, however, to vote what
ever appropriation may be necessary
to relieve these people from immediate
want, and until they can get on their
feet, direct from the United States
treasury. We can very we'll afford to
do this, Mr.. Speaker, because since the
island was ceded to US by Spain the
administration has unlaW fully collected
from these people on their goods COM
ing into our ports the sum of $685.
455.88. Had this tax not been collected
this amount of money would today be
in the pockets of the Puerto Rican
people, and to this extent, in my judg-
ment, we are debtors of the Puerto
Ricans.
I do not hesitate, however, to say
that even if this were not the case l
would vote an appropriation to place
food in the mouths of citizens of the
United States who have been brought
to starvation by a most devasting
storm, as the Puerto Ricans have been,
or by ruinous floods, as some of the
people in the Mississippi valley have
been in past years.
But, Mr.. Speaker, have already, by
my vote in this house, expressed my
willingness that the government of the
United States should relieve the suffer
ings of the poor and destitute Puerto
Ricans when, with the minority, l
voted to concur in the senate amend
ments to this bill.
The bill provides that the revenues
hereafter to be collected on importa.
tions from Puerto Rico to the United
States under existing law 0he Dlngley
tariff law) shall be segregated and be
expended by the president of the
United States for the benefit and gov
ernment of Puerto Rico.
This provision, in my opinion, rem.
ders the bill most Objectionable, be-
cause it is a tacit, if not an explicit,
avowal by congress that the DIngley
tariff rates are properly imposed upon
all goods shipped from Puerto Rico to
any of the states and territories of the
United States.
Mr.. Speaker, I am unwilling to con-
cede this. If Puerto Rico is part OF
the United States, then no tax on her
products shipped to other parts of the
United States, can be imposed. IF
Puerto Rico is not part of the United
States, do not understand by what
authority our flag floats over that
island and the Jurisdiction of the
United States is asserted there. AS
slated above, the provisions of this bill
practically avow the right of congress
to levy and collect taxes on goods
shipped from one part of the United
States to another. Not only this, but
the taxes are segregated for particu-
lar purpose, to.wit, for the sole benefit
of the government aud benefit Of the
island of Puerto Rico.
Section of Article of the Consti.
tuition of the United States provides
that congress shall have power to lay
and collect taxes, imposts and excuses,
to pay the public debts and provide
for the common defense and general
welfare of the United States; but all
duties, imposts, and excuses shall be
uniform throughout the United States.
This provision of the constitution
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