The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-29
Forasser,s reply to harrison.


We are unable to think that the speech
of Senator Foraker at Chicago last night.
in which he. replied to the constitutional
argument of ex-President Harrison at
Ann Arbor: was either a happy effert or
one calculated to help the Administra-
ton Mr. Foraker is no doubt an able
advocate, but his experience before juries
may have perverted his judgment as to
the necessity for resorting to facts in deal
ing with more intelligent audiences For
example, his refeTlnces to Porto Rico
were not of a character TO defy crit
eism. as the following extract win show:
we found Porto Rico as poor as poverty could
make her. She had money, no credit, 10 sys-
TEN OF taxation Of any kind She wanted eaE-l
government and q revenue 70 support II " e
gave her a far more liberal civil government than
ever given to any Territory prior TO the cfVlt
var. far participation IN It by her people i
concerned, and We deals BY her more generously
IN providing support for that government than y E
have ever Yet dealt with any Territory
There is not a sentence in the above
quotation which is actually CT approx
mateIy true We did not ind Porto Rico
as poor as poverty could make her, ;"
We found her rich and prosperous com
pared with the condition to Which she
has been reduced by the denial Of her
rights under the Constitution. Il Is true
that the war in Cuba had depressed Porto
Rican industries to some extent for a Few
moths; but, q year before, Porto Rico
ha. been able not only 10 pay three nil
lie dollars revenue to Spain, but 10 lend
ov1r a million more to the Spanish au-
thcrsties in Cuba. Up TO the moment OF
TIE american blockade Havana had
taken all the tobacco tie island would
sell, the markets Of Spain we're stiH open
TO its coffee. II We had permitted Porto
Rico 10 enjoy the commercial advantages
under cur flag that II enjoyed under the
one We tore down, there would be prosper
ity and plenty, where today there is ruin
aud starvation-where hundreds OF men.
women, and children are daily dying for
want of the food which the American
Government has taken out of their
mouths al the -dietation Of protected mo-
nopolies.
What Mr.. Foraker's private ideas On the
subject Of civil government may be we do
not pretend 70 know, but his statement
that we gave Porto Rico "a far more lfo-
eraI civil government than was ever given
to any Territory prior to the civil var -
Is hardly 10 be regarded as automatic. Be-
fore the civil war when Iowa, Michigan.
Wisconsin. and Minnesota, were organized
Territories We do nc; remember thst they
or any Of them were ruled by e carpet
bag executive council empowered TO cor
ce5e. grant. and ALLEVIATE the property or
The opportunities belonging 10 5he COM
munity. The pretenee that the uneonsti-
tutionsi tariff tax OF the domestic trade
between an American island and our main
land was intended in kindness to the for
mer is beneath ridieule. Mr.. Foraker
knows that with free access to American
markets Porto Rico could provide for al
public necessities by internal taxation. and
would have Immediately ali needfal credit
in the worlds centers 10 begin vita.
The beIlwethers and apologists Of the
Republican party FIJI US with amszement
sometimes at their effrontery in attempt-
ing to double gid political rotten potatoes
like the Porto Ricsn infamy. They would
DO better in passing around the hat for the
starving victims of the crime they dare TO
praise