Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-02-24
56th CONGRESS
CONTINUED from page ID


For himself he should do right as
God gave him to see the right tDemo-
cratic applause), and, moreover, ne
submitted. there We're reasons why the
bill should not receive the approval
Of the Republican party. He was not
aware. he said. that any section Of the
Republican party at any spot or place
had justified it.
Littlefield argued that the regenera-
ton of Puerto Rico could be brought
about by a loan which the United
States could authorize it to raise. No
one could doubt the ability Of the
island to repay the loan. The people
of the island in 1873 had paid $12 100000
10 free the slaves Could not these
people he asked, be trusted TO repay
A triffing loan to be used for the relief
of the island?
He submitted that the people OF
Puerto Rico by their history We're en-
titled to fair treatment at the hands
of the Republican party. All they asked
was a stable government and hands
off. They could take care Of them
selves. He said he believed that a loan
Of s3 900. 600 or S4 900 900 should be sutll-
cient to place them on their feet, but
the amount he was willing to leave 70
the people who We're TO repay it,
Il saw" said he that it lies IN the
mouth of no man to say that Puerto
Rico could not repay a loan Of $lo,ooo,
600 if operating under free trade III Tree
markets. | assert that this bill IS
drawn against the advice OF Gen.
Davis. governor general of the island,
against the protest Of the people oi
Puerto Rico: against the counsel or
Secretary Root: against the recommen-
dations of the President, and against
the original recommendations of the
chairman of the ways ana means COM
mittee.
Littlefeld chided Payne with not
making public the reasons 1or ms
change of heart. He said he thought
he knew the reason but he would not
suggest it. But the gentleman from
New York and the gentleman from
Connecticut, RusselD he said, had de
clared that the importation Of sugar
and tobacco from Puerto Rico would
not interfere with our industries. If
that We're true it would be interesting
to know who suggested the change ~
base He yielded to no man in his
devotion to his party and it was better
for his political friends to hear these
things now than later on the stump.
where they would be judged by the
enlightened conscience of the Amcli-
can people.
The greatest calamity which over
shadowed the Republican party, hc
said, was the calamity involved in the
pending bill CApplause). lie would
waste no time in quoting jefferson.
Jackson or Benton. For him it was
sufficient if VIM. Mckinley had fol
lowed in the footsteps of Washington
and Lincoln. And President Mckinley
had said that it was the plain duty
of Congress to give free trade to Puer-
to Rico.
Littlefeld directed his sarcasm
against the bill. taking as an illustra
ton a case Of shipping lumber from
Maine to Puerto Rico. At San Juan
the duty was collected by the United
States. Therefore it had as well been
collected by the United States when it
left Maine
Littlefield contended that the bill was
Republican,. Whenever before, he
asked had it been proposed to place
duty upon American capital and Amer
lean labor? The platform Of the Re
publican party. he said. declared for
the protection of American labor and
American capital against foreign labor
and foreign capital. He challenged
Payne to explain this new doctrine.
He also assailed as a preteXt the the
ory that this tariff for Puerto Rico was
framed to raise revenue, when a duty
on sugar ana tobacco was levied, while
coffee, Of which the production was
greater than both the other articles to-
gether, was to be imported free. This
was the cheap philanthropy, he re-
marked which cost nothing.
He argued that if the industries Of
the United States We're to be protected
against the Industries Of Puerto Rico
and later against those Of the Philip
pines, the industries Of those islands
could never prosper American capi-
tai would never 50 to them for invest
ment Puerto Rico would remain an
orange for us to squeeze. her people
"heWers and drawers Of water" for the
1000, 900 inhabitants Of the United
States.
Another argument against the bill.
Littlefield found in the proclamation If
Gen. Miles to the people Of Puerto Rico
when his army invaded the island. He
had promised the natives "the immun-
tiles and blessings" Of our government.
and they had crowned his with gar
lands and had kissed the flag. He
would never vote he said, To violate the
pledge that great soldier had made.
1t had been written in the blood Of
our heroes ana sealed by the God Of
battles. 1t could not be violated with
out sullying our honor and furnishing
our faith
I.ittleficld then took up the legal
phase Of the question ana concluded as
follows:
May our flag float over the whole
republic in the Occident. and the
orient; over the pearl Of the Antilles.
and the 10000 islands near far-off
Cathan, upon land and sea. over
school, home and church, the emblem
Of our integrity and good faith. Of lib
erty and freedom. Of the inestimable
blessings of a Christian civilization, OF
human rights guaranteed by the con-
stitution, not dependent upon the
evanesccnt Will Of state or national
Legislatures too often affrighted at
their own shadows. rights imhedded
in the constitution, not floating as
empty bubbles on the perturbed sur
nlnnuant