The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-29
SPEAKER HENDERsoN's POSITION.
Tells Where He Stands on Puerto
Rican Measure.

DUBUQUE, To-, March 2S-The follow
ing letter, written by Speaker Henderson
to Hon. Ed Knott, United States marshal
for the northern district Of Iowa, was re-
ceived today. 1t shows his position, and
that of the other Republican members of
the house who voted for the passage of
the Puerto Rican tariff bill:
my Dear Mr.. Knott: Yours of the
Path about Puerto Rico is received. 1 can
not gather from from your letter what
you personally think of our action in the
house or what you think of the presi-
dent who thoroughly agreed with us and
worked with might and main to get the
house bill passed, and has been so work
ing in the senate.
THE question for me to settle as an in
dividual Is, what is my duty? That ques-
tion l asked and answered when l work
ed with my associates to pass the Puerto
Rican bill.
Now, let me get this matter clearly
In your mind, Mr.. Knott. for sooner or
later the country will understand our po
sition.
First, there are large quantities of
tobacco and sugar in Puerto Rico, bought
up by trusts and syndicatess They want
to get that into the United States free of
any duty, and when once in, of course, 1t
will sell in the markets at the same rates
as the tobacco and sugar, which have to
pay the full tariff rates. thus giving hun
dreds of thousands of dollars profit to
the syndicates, etc. The trusts and syn
dicates are, fighting the bill and 1 have
given you the reason why. There has not
been, nor is there now, to my knowledge,
q lobby here working for the Puerto
Rican bill but these ,syndicates and the
other interests, including the -four inter
est, are all trying to get into Puerto
Rice, without paying the 10 per cent duty
on their product, as proposed in the bill.
While under the Dingley law tax of
81, to illustrate, is imposed upon a GER
tain article under the house bill it would
uyiX hay Txyai
posed this 10 per cent of the Dingley tar
Let me answer this and fix it in your
mind: Puerto Rico is poor, and has been
swept by devastating and destructive
| floods Her people are not at this time
able to pay the expenses of their govern
ment. No one wants the United States
to pay the expenses of running the gov
ernments of any of our several new pos
| sessions.
my friend. never was a bill so misrep-
resented and misunderstood as our Puerto
Rican bill, and the time will come in the
near future when those who propose a di-
| rect tax which would result from abso-
lutte free trade will suffer in every pos
sible way for their misguided conduct for
! their selfish acts.
What the senate is going to do is
problematical. 1t has it's share of cow
ards. The senate is always the body upon
which the great interests concentrate
But this fact remains, that l have the
knowledge that l have done my simple
uuty ana nave zone IL III consultation and
In cooperation with the president of the
United States, whose heart is quick to
feel the Affections of this little island. /
have done 1t in conference with such men
as Allison, Foraker and the earnest patri-
OTIS of the senate, who, defying special in
! terests and combinations, are trying to
make out plan for the present needs of
Puerto Rico and to keep our country so
that 1t will be unfettered and fitted for
the wise treatment needed for all of these
possessions. am, my friend, yours very
truly, ID. b. Henderson
Hon. Edward Knott. Waverly. 10.