The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-04-04
Notable Speeches Made by Sena-
tors Mason, Foraker, Etc.
Senator WalcOtt Gives tine Lie to Senator
Lodge.

| Adverting at this point 10 Porto Rico
he maintained that when the treaty Of
Paris was ratified ths island became a
part Of the United States and Congress
had no more right TO put . duty on her
products than 1t had to put q tariff duty
on products passing between New York
and Warrington.
"Unless you can get the supreme court
to stultify and reverse ITSELF" sAid Mr..
Mason. ''there Is but one way to levy q
tariff upon the people Of the United
States to prevent their trade with tho
rest OF the United States. You must
amend the constitution to do 1t. You
must strike out that clause OF the consti-
tuition which says all duties must be uni
form. beg You to count the cost of such
an amendment"
At the oonclusion Of Mr.. Mason
speech Gr. Cuibsrson Of Texas addressed
the Senate in eppoeitioo to the pending
bill. 1t was nis frst sEseoh in the Sen
ate and he Was given attentive hearing,
particularly by bis Democratic col
leagues. He declared that the pending
measure, so far as the tariff provision
was concerned, was ''indsfensibls on
moral, economic ard constitutional
grounds"
MIR. CulbsIson said ID had been main
tained by Senator Foraker that the dog
ma, that the constitution extended Of its
own foroe over acquired territory origi.
mated with. MIR. Calhoun Sin the interest
Of slavery" This. he contended, was
not the fact.
1.-THE constitution ITSELF" he said, as
tbs true origin of the doctrine. 1t was
announced Hrst In 1905 BY Thomas Jeffer-
SON, In the interest OF religious free
dom."
Mr.. Culberson eontended that there had
been a great change In the Republican
Iarty In recent years. That party was
now dedicated to commercial greed and
the attempt under Mr.. Roraksr's leader
ship was 70 carry the power of the United
States to Porto Rico. uanccompanisd BY
the constitution, 70 . people Struggling
TO be free. The oo:rss proposed was a
tarnish ON the fair name of this country.
Mr Culbsrson took strosg ground against
relsgatins the control Of the Affairs Of
Porto Rico to Congress unoon trollsd BY
constitutional provisions. Congress, he
said, was apt to be partisan and such
being the fact. pronigaey and oppression
were to be expected. Already the skirm-
ish lines had been thrown ous for a
change on the part of the imperiAlists
by Senators Lodge and Beveridge, this
latter expressing q preference for
the unwritten constitution OF the
aristooracy ef Great b ritain. He would
have the constitution applied In all of
Its parts, yet there could be no question
tast the President had violated the con-
stitution when he had levied duty up
on articles exported from the United
States to Porto hico.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. CulbeTson s
spssoh the order for 10 minute speeches
or lass went into effect. Mr.. Clay OF
Georgia, made a speech addressed large
Iy to showing what he designated as the
Inconsistencies Of the supporters Of the
pending bill. This original measure, he
said, was dlamotrically opposed In its
provisions to ths pending bill, providing
as Ii did for o Territorial form 81 govern
msnt. 1t was also In keeping with the
PIesldent's message for the President
had not only declared for frse trade but
he had also taken a position for tsrri-
torial form Of govsFnmeAt.
"Ws have been told, said Ar ebay,
"that the PrsssdsAt had changed bis
mind but as for nyssli, ,tae PFssiasat can
ho l.srf ona akelfuda -
De recognized no message from tbs
Presidents that was NOT ofnoisl and there
fsrs still regarded the President favorable
to trSs trade with Porto Rioo. regardless
Of the assurances Of Senators and the
speaker Of the Houss.
Mr.. Ross Of Vermont laid streas upon
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