The evening times., 1900-05-02
respect of the Constitutional question a,

respect of the Constitutional question a,
issue
1t is interesting to note that Mr.. Nc
Kirley apparently still adheres to his
plain duty" views of the Constitution In
its relations to Porto Rico where the pro-
visions nnd prohibitions of the fundamen-
tai Law do not conflict with the interests OF
the trusts. For purposes of taxing the do
nestle trade OF the island the AOministra-
tis holds 1t TO be foreign country and
il peod,e to be alien vassals. But in re-
gard 20 matters not obnoxious to the wish
es Of the oil, sugar. tobacco, and rum COM
bins Hers.- the policy is to treat Porto Rico
as - American Territory. Thus. the
Treasury has decided that merchandise
destined for Porto Rico cannot be with
drawn from bonded warehouse and fo:-
warded under an export bond On April
%. Assistant Secretary spaulding made the
ruling to which we have referred, in the
following language:
''First-Merehandise oannot be Withdrawn rom
bo1ded warehouse in the L nted States On a1d
after the 2d proNimo tor shipment 10 Porto REQ
under an export hend. because such a shipment
would not constitute expOrtation within the
~--N
warehouse system.
''seeond-For an analogous reason. merchandise
manufactured in the United States from imported
materials cannot he shipped TO Porto Rico on
and after the I'd Proximo with benefit of draw
back"
Even in the act of April II. 1900. known
popularity as the Porto Rican Infamy. and
officially as AN Act Temporarily 10 Pro-
vide Revenues and a Civil Government fer
Porto Rico and for Other Purposes" the
island is recognized as a Territory OF the
United States in SO far as the coastwise
navigation laws are concerned. Section TX
of the act reads as follows:
THAT the Commissioner OF Navigation shall
make sech regulations. subject 20 the approval OF
the Secretary of the Treasury as he may deem ex-
pedlent Tor the naturalization OF all vessels own
ed by the inhabitants Of Porto Rico April Il,
lse9, and which continued To be 50 owned up 10
the date Of such naturalization. and for the ad-
mission Of the same 10 all the benefits Of the
coaSting trade of the United States; and the
coasting trade between Porto Rico and the United
States shall be regulated in accordance with the
provisions OF law applicable 70 such trade be-
tween any Two great coastiug districts VI the
United states"
Under the terms OF sections VIII. TX and
XIV of the same act. vessels entering
Porto Riean ports will be subject TO the
same tonnage taxes that they would be on
entering any other domestic ports of the
United States. We have several times
called attention to Treasury decisions illus
trative of the settled conviction Of Mr.. Me
Kinley and his advisers that the trust
scheme TO oppress and loot Porto Rico can
not possibly survive its appearance before
the Supreme Court Hence, it would be
multiplying trouble to load down the rec
ords and confuse the customs officers
everywhere with temporary regulations
adjusted to the pretence that the Constitu-
tion did not extend TO Porto Rico with the
flag. That contention will disappea. after
the November elections. 1t is adhered to
now only as the price OF trust eontribu-
tions to the campaign corruption fund.
In a general way the public win observe
that "Ex Proprio vigore" is still alive
and able to transact business.