The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-06
MAJOR STEELE'S DEFENSE.
His Reasons for Supporting the House
Porto Ricen Bill.

NeasOnS Tor supporting
Porto Ricen Bill.
MARION, Ind, March 5.-Major Steele
arrived yesterday from Washington to be
present at the convention which is to re-
nominate him for representative. at Peru.
Wednesday,. He was approached for his
opinion on the Porto Rican tariff bill,
which was recently passed by the lower
house of Congress. Mr.. Steele says he
considers it most humane bill. and he
confidently believes the people will so con-
slider it after they have given it mature
and careful consideration. He believes
that ii is treating the Porto Rican people
with great consideration, and that history
will so demonstrate it. He says the con-
dition of the Porto Rican people is not gen.
orally understood. Fully 80 per cent. OF
the inhabitants of the island can neither
read nor write. Eighty per cent. of them
have never worn shoes. Shirts alone are
the principal article of clothing, and there
is not public school building on the
island. They live on the tropical fruits of
the island supplemented with little rice,
beans and flour. Nine-tenths of the people
are and always have been poor. but on
account of the recent war on the island
and the terrible hurricane OF last August
he says their condition Is deplorable. AS
a result of the hurricane, he says, the
natives huts were not only torn down, but
the coffee plantations. on which a large
per cent. of the natives were employed,
were completely devastated, it leaving the
people absolutely destitute. and that hui
manity demands that immediate relief be
given them. since they are entitled to the
guardianship of humane government.
Major Steele says the principal products
of the island are coffee, tobacco and sugar.
and that the supply now on hand awaiting
shipment TO the United States is held very
largely by spectators and owners. who are
holding Ii with the hope of landing II in
our ports free of duty. He says Il is nee
essary that the Porto Ricans have assist
ance financially, in order that the country
be placed upon solid foundation, and that
to do this Congress provides that every
dollar collected by tax the goods
brought to the United States from Porto
Rico. and every dollar collected on goods
coming from the United States and from
all other countries at the custom houses
in Porto Rico is TO be placed in the hands
of the President to be used for the benefit
OF the Porto Rican government. The at
tempt to create the impression that the
sugar or any other trust is to be benefited
by the legislation proposed is, in his Opin-
ion, ridiculous. in view of the fact that, SO
far as he is aware no one has attempted
TO explain how 1T could be, and he is sure
the contrary is true. why not" he says.
when owners and spectators and
have been holding stocks patiently waiting
for the time to come when they can bring
them into our market free of duty, and are
met with proposition to charge only %
per cent. of the Dingley tariff, afterwards,
by amendment to the bill in the House, re-
duced to 10 per cent and they squeal like
H.. 4l@s.t
under the Dingley bill the average duty
on sugar is SLIGO per hundred pounds; un-
der the original Porto Rican bill the duty
would have been 40 cents per hundred
pounds, but by the amended bill "A cents
per hundred is all that these owners and
spectators must pay if it becomes law.
The same argument applies to tobacco.
Coffee is free under the Dingley law.
Major Steele asks his friends to keep in
mind the fact that this tax comes either
from spectators, or owners who have en-
ployed laborers on the island at from 30
to 60 cents per day, and that every dol
lar of it goes into the hands of the presi-
dent to be used by him for the benefit Of
the island.
He says there is another question in
volved that some of his friends have over
looked, viz: in the treaty with Spain IL ds
agreed that Spain shall have the same
rights and privileges in the Philippine is
lands that the United States enjoys for a
period Of ten years. If We propose a tax
ippnes, we propose to do with Porto
Rico. not necessarily the same rate, Spain
must likewise pay that rate, If ii be free
trade between the United States and the
Philippines, so will il be free trade be-
tween Spain and the Philippines.
Major Steele says it would be useless for
him to pretend be be lawyer.
and certainly not constitutional
to try, but that he prefers to think
that many of our greatest jurors and law
yers including the President of the United
States, are right in deciding contending
ton, impose tax or regulate trade with
acquired territory. Yet he comedies that 1t
is important that our Supreme Court shall
deliver an opinion on the direct question
involved. so that in addition TO the bill
giving the temporary relief which seems
to be absolutely necessary ii affords the
opportunity TO bring the question squarely
before the Supreme Court.
Major Steele is a member of the ways and
means committee. which prepared the bill.
He says that they gave hearings to several
people who have the real interests of the
island at heart. Among these was General
Davis the Governor of the island. who is
an old friend of Major Steele's. the two
having served together on the frontier for
over ten years. Several who were given
hearings thought free trade was best, but
afterwards they cordially supported the
proposition of the committee. Mr. Lat
timer, a commission broker on the is
land, and Mr.. Finney, an ex-conSul from
Great Britain to Porto Rico. and who is
probably the largest sugar producer on the
island, and one or two others. naturally
were very much in earnest In their argu-
ment for free trade. 1t was through these
latter gentlemen that the committee as
certained the facts that large stocks OF
sugar and tobacco on the Island are wait
ing to enter our markets free of duty. BY
this information among others the commit
tee was influenced in deciding upon the bill
in question.
The major says that he is very grateful
to his friends for suspending judgment on
his action in this case, as they have before.
notably two years ago, when many of them
thought he ought to have Joined with what
were known as the Reconcentrados and
Democrats in Congress in attempting
to force upon the President decla-
ration of war before he was ready for 1t.
while he was exhausting every honorable
means to settle the Cuban troubles by
diplomacy and was at the same time spend
ing the $50. 200 voted by Congress in pre-
pairing for war.
GILBERT WILL RUN.