The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-03-06
THE PRESIDENTS MoMENroUs MIS-
TAKE.
Chicago Times-Herald.)

of Cuba under Spanish misgovernment
has American sentiment been so uni
versally aroused as at the present mo-
ment over the bill to exclude Porto
Rico from free access to American mar
kets. Indignation mingles with the
amazement of Republicans throughout
the county that their representatives
should be so dead to popular opinion as
to flout it.
In this worse than unfortunate state
of affairs responsibility for the reversal
Rico is laid directly at the door of the
president. 1t is creditably reported that
but for Mr.. McKinleys change Of front
the bill reported by the ways and
means committee would have been de-
feated with or without the compromise
that went to the percentage and not
the principle of the wrong. Congress-
man Watson of the Sixth Indiana dis
trict says that the president sent foI
him and induced him to vote for the
bill in the face of hundreds of tele-
graphic protests from his constituents.
The press dispatches from Washing
ton all testify to the fact that one word
from the White House reaffiirming the
presidents declaration of last December
would have rallied Republican congress
men from every section Of the Union to
the performance of "our plain duty to
Porto Rico. The president failed to ut
ter that word, which, like blast from
the horn of Roderick. would have car
ried dismay and CONSERVATION through
the lobbies of sugar and tobacco in
Washington.
This was a mistake of commission of
plain duty.
Then followed the mistake of commits
sion. Instead of preserving what might
have been pardoned as dignified
to congress it's respon-
sibility and reserving to the executive
it's freedom to follow the course of plain
duty in accord with the almost univer-
sal will Of the people-the president per-
mitted it to be understood that he favor
ed the action of the ways and means
committee and wished to set free trade
with the United States denied to Porto
Rico.
In this we think President Mckinley
committed the first almost irreparable
of his administrations mis-
take that we fear will not down-un-
less through his influence with congress
he can induce the senate to throw out
the House bill for a substitute that shall
enact free trade with Porto Rico as an
integral part of the United States.
We are told, from Washington, and
we of the Mississippi valley
are told that we do not understand
the motives behind the presidents al
tered attitude toward Porto Rico.
Neither do the Republicans of the
country understand these motives. But
they understand this. that with all the
light before him, that he and the people
now possess, last December President
Mckinley declared.
THE MARKETS OF. THE UNITED
STATES SHOULD BE OPENED UP
TO HER PRODUCTS. OUR PLAIN
DUT IS TO ABOLISH ALL CUSTOMS
TARIFFS BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND PORTO RICO AND
GIVE HER PRODUCTS FREE AC-
CESS TO OUR MARKETS.
Moreover, the Republicans understand
that if there were any sufficient secret
reason why our duty in December
should not be our duty in March there
is no art under heaven that can recon-
cile the about-face in this case. where
the impression has gone forth that it
was brought about in the interest of two
great trusts.
The president and the Republican
party must remember that the people
of the United States are at this time
peculiarly suspicious of the occult in
fiuence of great trusts on national legis-
lation, and that
Trifles light as air
Are to the jealous combinations strong
AS proofs of holy writ.
No two, million dollar sop of customs
rebated for the use and benefit of dis
tressed Porto Ricans can drug the con.
science of the American people or lull to
sleep the suspicious that insist that
gross injustice is being done to Porto
Rico because the sugar and tobacco
trusts dread Cuba and the Philippines
looming in the future.
President McKinley's mistake is big
with the possibilities Of serious disaster
for his party In this years. elections. II