The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-08
The Republican Spectacle.

Mr.. McKinley's position in regard to the
attempt to loot the Porto Rieans for the
benefit of the oil, sugar, tobacco, and
rum trusts is not any more pleasant or
edifying to contemplate than it is com
Portable for him. In spite of inspired de-
malls it is evident that, before the inter
ested magnates made their now historical
descent upon him, and compelled him to
deny his words, his conscience, and his oath
10 defend the Constitution, no man in
the country was more thoroughly con-
WINGED than he that duty and good faith
as well as the fundamental law of the
land, demanded that the illegal exactions
of Dingleyism should not be imposed upon
the commerce OF Porto Rico. 1t is true
that, wishing to evade the constitutional
consideration involved, he made his recon-
mendation to Congress without referring
to the sacred right which the island pos
sessed, under American sovereignty, to the
relief he proposed. Secretary Root was at
one with the President. and even more
strenuously urged that free trade should
be accorded with as few words as possible.
Both of these trained and ruseful politi-
clans realized that the little trade with
Porto Rico could not hurt the trusts. BY
permitting it they believed that the con-
stitutional status Of our separated Terrific
ries might be avoided until after the Pres
idential election. and that the Administra-
ton would be able to achieve popularity
through a policy OF apparent equity and
generosity toward suffering American
community. The White House attitude
was completely illustrated in the Payne
letter Of January "a, in which the Chair
man of the Ways and Means Committee
declared that Porto Rico was entitled to
free trade, because that right had been
recognized in the case of every other
State and Territory, and of Alaska, not
organized into Territory"
Under what promises or threats Mr.. Nc
Kinley was induced to change his mind it
is not for us 10 say. What is important
in the present connection is that, having
changed it, he felt compelled to convert
all the Republicans in Congress pos
sessed of consciences who had followed
him originally to his new way of thinking,
or. at least, acting. 1t is notorious that
with Representatives inclined to be hon
est to so depraye them that they would
consent to save the Payne infamy from
defeat: but success finally crowned the eff
fort, and a great many Republican mem
beers are now sorry that it succeeded.
From end TO end of the country the people
are denouncing this Administration sur
render to the trusts, and Representatives
by the dozen who supported the infamous
measure are booked for defeat in the No
vember elections.
To cap the climax, Mr.. Mckinley, the
Jove without the assistance of whose thun-
derboIts Henderson, Payne, Dalzell. and
Cannon would have been helpless to jam
the bill through the House, is now with
characteristic righteousness attempting 10
shift all the blame on the legislators who
obeyed him and voted for it under duress
He causes il to be advertised that he is
still, as he always was. in favor Of free
trade FOR Porto Rico. and that he only sur
rendered his convictions on the overwhe'm M
ing demand OF his party in Congress A
similar explanation is made in behalf of
Secretary Root. who drew the Payne bill,
but ''only because the act was forced upon
him. By whom? 1t was not Payne or his
followers N the House. 1t must have been
the missionaries whose arguments were
SO powerful Sith AIR. Mckinley.
II happens that the unfortunates who
we're coereed by the White House into sup
port of a measure which their souls and
what is MOI, the point--thelr knowledge
Of political Consequences. abhorred. are
riotously minded toward the amiable chief
who is attempting to make them carry the
Tag, while he poses as the pure person who