Daily inter mountain., 1900-02-09
BY Minority on the Porto
Rican Tariff Bill.
BY HOUSE DEMOCRATS
OF the Ways and Means Committed
Claim That The Views Held by the
Majority Are Not Consistent With
~
the Constitution. So

Washington, Feb. 9.-The minority re-
port on the Porto Rico tariff bill is signed
by all the democratic members of the
ways and means committee and Repre-
sentative Newlands, the silver member. 1t
says in part: al
The undersigned members of the CONF
mittee are unable to agree with the con-
clusions of the committee in respect to
the bill reported to regulate the trade Of
Porto Rico and for other purposes and re-
spectfully submit our views as follows:
THE bill raises two questions which
must be considered and determined: One
The right or power under our written
constitution to enact the measure. Two
Whether if we have the power, should
congress exercise it in the manner pro-
vided in the bill?
THE bill is framed upon the idea and
the assumption that congress has entered
upon the government of Porto Rico unre-
strained by the provisions of the consti-
tuition"
The report then takes up the constitu-
tional provision that all duties etc., shall
be uniform throughout the United States
and presents the law decision that the
term UNITED States" has universal ap-
plication to territory held.
This branch of the subject has pre-
viously been covered IN a special report.
Proceeding, the report says: IF the po-
sition taken by the majority of the COM
mittee in recommending the passage of
the bill be the correct one and congress
has the power to govern territory of the
United States independent Of the limita-
tions Of the constitution it must follow
that congress is not restrained by this IN
strument from passing laws imposing
customs duties on the minerals and ores
of the territories of Arizona and New
Mexico, the furs and fish of Alaska, the
lumber Of Oklahoma and of all other pro-
ducts of these territories when imported
into any of the states of the union, and
olso upon all products Of any kind into the
territories from a state or any one OF
them. The power to pass such laws was
never before claimed in our land.
"It is wholly inconsistent with the
theory and form of our government.
THE exercise of such power is pure and
simple imperialism and against it we en-
ter our most solemn protest. We never
have held and cannot hold territory as a
political dependency and subject to un-
equal taxation. '2' ag
"Our union is one of states with COM
mon interests and a common destiny.
The blessing Of free government rests
alike upon our people. whether IN the
thirteen original states or in the youngest
member of the union or in the newest ac-
Quired territory 1t does not matter in
which form territory is acquired, it Is to
be held under our constitution with the
object of finally being admitted into the
union as state. In support OF this doc
trine the decisions Of the supreme court
are uniform and in harmony with the
doctrine herein enunciated.'
After calling attention to the presidents s
recent recommendation for the abolish
ment of all customs duties between Porto
Rico and the United States and the report
of the secretary Of war to the same effect,
the report concludes as follows: I'VE do
not know why these sudden changes have
occurred. We cannot believe that the
president has been converted from the
opinion he so lately expressed or that he
now admits the unwisdom of the solemn
advice he so recently gave to congress.
We are not advised that his opinion was
hastily formed and that he had not ma
turely considered the subject upon which
he was advising us.
1--WE do not believe the people Of this
land. ardently attached as they are to
our free institutions. can be brought to
favor policy which oppresses the inha-
bitants Of the territory owned by the
United States anywhere, and over which
the flag Of the republic floats, even il
such policy should serve in degree to
enrich some citizens Of the United States.
We protest earnestly against the adoption
of a robber policy which makes this re-
public take the place Of a ruthless mon
archy, Spain, in despoiling Porto Rico.
now a portion of the United States.
I'VE recommend that the pending bill
does not pass"