The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-03-13

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sumably based on full knowledge and in
official appreciation of what congress
could constitutionally do. The constitu-
tion question is precisely the same to-
day that it was last December. when
President Mckinley pointed out "our
plain duty" under It.
No, the constitution has not budged
hairs breadth during the past three
months. And, what is more to the point,
popular sentiment in full accord with
"our plain duty" then, has not budged
either. 1t is errevocably fixed to keep
ing faith with Porto Rico.
What can account for the presidents
change of front on this question? 1t
is not that he feared that any principle
of protective tariff was involved.
Senator Foraker, speaking for him. ex-
pressly declared: "It is a revenue duty
simply and solely, and not in any sense
protective"
Now the only claim put forward for
any tariff is that it is imposed in order
to obtain a decision of the supreme
court as to the constitutional power of
congress to discriminate in taxes laid in
different parts of our territory.
If this is a thoroughly ingenious
claim why was it not advanced pri-
marily? Why wait until the popular
mind was set on free trade with Porto
Rico? Why all the mystery and shufIl-
ing about responsibility for the tariff
bill? Why, If it was merely a test case
that was wanted, was it not sufficient
to make it on a nominal tariff sufficient
to cover the cost of collection at the
outset? Or, better still, why not make
the test case on some unimportant
article, giving free trade as our plain
duty" on everything else, especially
sugar, tobacco and fruits?
1t is amazing that President McKin-
ley, who has such keen sense of the
value of keeping in touch with the plain
people of the nation, should not have
understood that they will have nothing
to do with a constitutional problem
when American honor or duty is at
stake. They will leave the refnements
and subtleties of the constitutional
question to the courts.
Republicans would rather err on the
side of duty and honor than win in
the supreme court on technical point
of constitutional law.
The president is mistaken If he thinks
that he has more at stake than any
one else in this matter. If he is in error
the American people will have to bear
the burdeh of dishonor and pay the
penalty of Democratic success next
November.
President Mckinley should realize
that behind the constitutional question
which it cannot conceal from the popu-
lar imagination, looms what congress-
men Tawney, Of Minnesota, says is
"the shameless lobby maintained by the
sugar an tobacco interests"
This is what the Republicans will
have to meet next November if it is
admitted that Is per cent injustice has
been done to Porto Rico to avoid a
precedent for Cuba and the Philippines
fruit interests.
1t is now said that the senate will
thrash over for the next month or six
weeks the question, shall we do our
plain duty to Porto Rico or violate our
plighted word in order to make a con-
stitutional case for the supreme court?
Let this be done with the president
throwing his shield in the scales against
good faith and the day of the Republi-
can party's repentance on the Porto
Rico question will be past The hate
full and fateful error of blowing hot and
cold upon principle of manifest justice,
expediency and duty will become ire
trieveable.
Time is of the essence of the Republi-
can partys opportunity to undo its false
step. There is eternal truth in the
words:
o error, soon conceived,
Thou never comest unto a happy birth
But kilPst the mother that engendered
thee
Further retreat and compromise are
indeed impossible. The solid ranks of
the Republican party demand that their
leaders in congress return to the solid
rock Of national duty and good faith.
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Does the local imperial organ ap-
prove or condemn the Porto Rican, 15
per cent tariff bill, which passed the
House at the very urgent request of