Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-05-10
PAYNE ON PORTO RICO.
wisconsin Republican Talks of
Needed Legislation for In
suIar Possessions.

Hon. Henry {. Payne, of Milwaukee,
the Wisconsin member of the repub-
lican national committee, has been in
Los Angeles, where he was interviewed
by the Los Angeles Times, of which
Gen. Harrison Gray Otis is president
and general manager. Speaking of the
Porto Rican question, Mr.. Payne said:
at is a momentous question. but the
great body of the people has conf
dence, / find, in the ability and good
faith of the administration. and is rest
ing confident in the belief that the
president and the republican majority
in congress will do what is right by
Porto Rico.
president McKinley's declaration in
his message that it was our plain
duty TO have free and unlimited trade
with Porto Rico was an attractive pro-
gramme, and met with a sympathetic
sponsc. But it is the presidents duty
to change his mind, just as it is any
other mans, when he sees, after a
careful study of the question, that an
other policy is demanded by wisdom
and justice.
THE fact is that the president and
nearly all his advisers in Washington.
grea: majority of the republican SEN
al tors and representatives. arrived at
the conclusion that the first legislation
with regard TO our insular possessions.
if we may call them such. should be in
the line of setting forth principle,
and that principle should be that these
l,,1 h.,
same relation to the country as do the
territories that have become incorpo-
rated and are incipient states.
:, 81 think the more thoughtful peo-
pie OF our country are opposed to any
plan to bring these islands in as inte-
grail parts of the nation. Call it what
you please. we must come down to a
colonial policy of some form. There is
great anxiety on the part of the admin
istration to get started right on this
matter. Certain newspapers declare
that the presidents change of front
was due to the pressure of the tobacco
and sugar interests. This charge seems
TO me ridiculous in view of the fact
that these interests want absolute free
trade with Porto Rico.
81 was born and brought up in Mas
sachusetts, and ] always believed in
Daniel Webster's Interpretation of the
constitution. instead of that of Mr..
Calhoun. Some republican newspapers
seem inclined to line up with Mr.. Cal
houn and the Dred Scot decision. in
considering this Porto Rican matter,
shouting that the constitution fol-
lows the flag but l believe the coun-
try can more safely follow the teach
ings of Abraham Lincoln and Daniel
Webster.
"Underneath the trifling tariff
changes proposed there lies this old
constitutional question, which is of
tremendous and lasting consequence.
You remember that John c. calhoun
and the champions of slavery main
tained that the constitution went with
the flag into all territory acquired by
the United States, and therefore the
STAKEHOLDER had the right to carry his
slaves and keep them in any territory.
This view was maintained by the in
famous Dred Scot decision of the
United States SupremercOurt, to the eff
feet that the United States can acquire
territory only for the purpose Of form
ing states. and all acquisitions must be
treated as integral parts of the union.
Webster and Lincoln took the opposite
view that new territory, acquired in
one way or another. is not an integral
part of the union till it has been duly
incorporated and until then the gov
ernment has constitutional power TO
regulate its affairs. Here is the real
issue involved in all this Porto Rican
discussion, and | firmly believe the
thinking people Of this country, after
careful consideration, will prefer to
follow Lincoln and Webster, whom his
tory has indicated. rather than Doug
las and Calhoun.
"This little furry about Porto Rico
will soon be over. II will not affect the
result of the presidential election. The
administration stands well with the
them. and more. too. On the money
question It has done better than it
promised. 1t has builded better than
the republican platform. 1t has re-
stored confidence and has revived busi-
ness to the extent that we have more
prosperity even than we had in 1892.
which was high tide. I cannot doubt
that such an administration will be
sustained"
The Business Of Expansion.