Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-16

PRESIDENT schurman Gives His Views
on New Acquisitions.

Following is a letter from President Jacob
G. Schurman of Cornell University, late
president of the Philippine commission to
personal friend, regarding the situation
in Porto Rico:
Dear Sir: l agree with you that the
United States is under obligation to extend
Its tariff laws to the Island of Porto Rico.
But L cannot accept your contention that
this obligation is derived from the Con-
sdtutton which, in my Judgment, does not
OF Its own force apply to annexed terri
tories The obligation is moral. NOT con-
sutuuonai. AS the President said with
equal truth and felicity, it Is our plain
duty f''--
I'VE are bound 10 this course by solemn
promises. Inc supreme and irresistible
reason Tor removing all customs barriers
between the United States and Porto Rico
Is the promise made by General Miles
when first landing American forces on the
Island, that the Porto Ricans should eniov
the same rights. privileges and immunities
as the people of the United States On this
understanding the Porto Ricans accented
American sovereignty, not only without on
position, but with joyful trust and conf
dence.
THE present issue is simply this: Shall
we repudiate. shall we fulfill the ma
uonal engagements? Shall this great re-
pubic break faith with the little island of
Porto Rico? Having secured the fruits If
nounce the promise?
The American people will not tolerate
any faltering with solemn obligations.
Recognizing the national good faith as the
nations chiefest good, they will condemn
any violation of it as the blacklist crime
All over the country this Porto Rican cues
ton has stirred to the deepest the national
heart and conscience: legislation, Inspired
by breach of good faith, will bring a
terrible Nemesis. 1t is said that a tariff
Is needed between Porto Rico and the
United states to provide a case for the
courts, to determine the extent of our
jurisdiction over the new dependencies, es-
peciaily the Philippines. l answer that no
convenience. no expediency, no other obli-
cation ever justifies breach of the ma
tonai good faith.
Let me add, too, that this Porto Rican
legislation is testing us before the ewes of
the Fflipinos, who keep well informed of al
our doings. They will judge by this legis-
iation of the value Of American promises.
When the ablest and most statesman
of Aguinaldo's emissaries to the PhiIin-
pine commission once expressed the fear
that the American government might NOT
keep the promises 1t was making, for Spajn
said he. made promises and broke them /
silenced him with the reply: .Signor the
United States Is not SPAIN
is he now to learn, are all the FilinInos
now to learn, that in the first Iegisla ton
TOT our new dependencies we prove faith
less to our pledges and recreant to our oh.
lsatlons! Such an exhibition of ourselves
VIII strengthen the hands of AguinaIdo and
the insurgents, because unhappily 1t can
De used to support their persistent state
ineIt tht1t the Americans are no more trust
worthy than the Spaniards.
AT the very moment when we Mood IN
inspire confidence in the minds of the com
quered Fflipinos, shall we commit an act
Whlen VIII confirm their distrust of us.
quicken their suspicious and breed new
and, perhaps, ineradicable antipathfeso Cod
forbid!' ooo