The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-27
NOT BEING ABUSED.
Porto Ricans Not So
Badly Used.
Position Of the Republicans Of The
House.
How Spain Taxed the
Island.
Favorable Action BY Senate
Hoped For.
tsPKc1AL TO THE PRKss.1

Washington March $3.50 far as
events have yet shaped themselves the
Republican parry in the House Of Repre-
sentatives stands committed to the Porto
Rico tariff bill, and the larger portion Of
the Republican rarty in the Senate is
disposed TO stand by the position taken
by the House. The House leaders insist
that the bill is wise and statesmanliko
measure. and they demand Ct their party
associates In the Senate that the bill
shall be considered on Its merits and not
on the clamors that have arisen.
OF course to those who believe that the
constitution extends automatically over
all the Islands that came to MS from
Spain. there is no possibility Of acquies-
cencs In tariff. A tariff violates such
@ theory In every respect. But those who
do net believe In the automatic extern
sion of the Constitution, and who con-
templates treating this Philippines a.
lands not under the Contribution, can
reasonably be expected to look upon the
Or position As one to be decided In the
light Of principles Of good government.
Avg A1ou60 Acd0Ck5 doAaohA VI eHSh Pe@ASS
ASSOCIATES In the Senate that they shall
settle the question on this basis.
The practical thing before Congress
now Ia the same now as IL was when Sec
rotary Root took the famous bill from his
desk ut the War Department and handed
10 to Chairman Payne. The condition
then was such as to have caused the
President to abandon the idea Of free
trade, and the situation has not changed
since. All the oritioism and uproar in
the country has not changed at all the
needs and necessities Of the Porto Rico
situation.
The object of the Porto Rico tariff bill
was two fold. Il was Intended to enun-
ciate governments policy that might Of
forwards be pursued with the Philip
pines; and 1t was intended to furnish
the revenue for the administration Of the
island. The House leaders are willing
to admit that the first object may be
waived; but they insist that the second
object IL pressing and vital. There must
be revenue to administer the island, and
there are but three ways In which to get
it; "a, By appropriating 1t out Of the
Federal treasury. (2) by laying upon tie
Porto Rioans internal revenue taxes. and
(3) by q tariff, The fret plan Was reject
ed a. impraeticable; and the second rs
too drastic. The Porto RIoans are poor,
and internal revenue taxes that are borne
easily by people in the United States,
would weigh heavily on them. There
remained, then, the tariff. which seemed
the least burdensome and the least diff
cult to administer.
The Republican House leaders believe
that the tariff, II adopted. will not seem
onerous to people of the island, who have
Just heen liberated from the artful, bur-
dsnsoms and searching internal taxes Of
Spain. Spain raised on the Island reve-
nue. of about five million dollars annu-
ally, of which the great proportion went
the island. To raiss this sum, tax was
put onto everything that could be found
to bear 1t. The carpenter yielded up a
portion Of his daily wages for a license.
and these licenses were imposed on all
forms Of labor and at last some Of the
forms of vios. Republican House leaders
point to these sxaotions. aDd claim that
there IL no foundation for the outory that
Porto Rico is being abused.
1t seems now that the Senate will
stand by the House leaders. II 1t does
not the condition will be unusual and
startling from q party standpoint. The
Republicans OF the House viii return to
their districts next fall with the seal OF
condemnation upon them, placed there
by their own party associates The men,
bers Of the House do not contemplate this
posi- bility with entire equanimity OF
with absolute patience.