The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-24

tinued at a night session.
In the course of his speech Mr.. Bartholdt
said: ITO withdraw from the Philippines
would be a crime against the Filipinos and
a disgrace in the eyes of the world" In
closing he referred to the remarks or Mr..
Clark, of Missouri, a few days ago. saying
the Democrats were dexterously propagat-
ing the insinuation that a secret-Anglo-
American alliance existed, in order to
arouse the resentment Of the irish and
German voters. Secretary Hays reply to
the Macrum resolution, he said, had nailed
that lie.
Mr.. Littlefeld spoke in time yielded to
him by Mr.. Richardson, the Democratic
leader. 81 oppose this BILL he began, be
cause ii is unrepublican, un-American, un-
precedented. unwarranted and unconstitu-
tional." He argued that the regeneration
of the island of Porto Rico could be
brought about by a loan. which the United
States should authorize ii TO raise. In 1898
Porto Rico had manumitted thirty-nine
thousand slaves without tumult or blood
shed, the people paying $U.OOO.VO 10 iree
the bondmen. Gould not these people,
he asked, ''be trusted to repay trifiing
loan to be used for the relief of the Island!
All the people of Porto Rico asked was
stable government and hands on They
could take care of themselves. Porto RICO
could repay a loan of sl0.0o0.O00, If operat-
ing under free trade in free markets.
assert" added Mr.. Littlefield. that tnis
bill is drawn against the advice of General
Davis. Governor General Of the island;
against the protest of the people of Porto
Rico, against the counsel OF Secretary
Root. against the recommendations of the
President, and against the original recon-
mendations of the chairman or the ways
and means committee"
The greatest calamity which ever shao-
owed the Republican party, he said' was
the calamity involved in the pending DILL
[Applausel Mr.. Littlefield said he would
waste no time in quoting Jefferson, jack
son or Benson. For him 1t was suncient
if William Mckinley had followed In the
footsteps of Washington and Lincoln And
President Mckinley had said that Ii was
the ''plain duty of Congress to give free
trade to Porto Rico.
Mr. Littlefeld directed his sarcasm
against the bill, taking as an illustration a
Porto Rico. At San Juan the duty was col
lected by the United States. Therefore. 1t
bad as we'll been collected by the United
States wher 1t left Maine. He assailed rs
a pretext the theory that this t1rin for
Porto Rico was framed to raise revenue
wien duty On sugar and tobacco was
levied, while coffee, of which the produc-
tion was greater than both the other ar
ticlcs together was to be imported free.
This was the cheap philanthropy which
cost nothing. He argued that If the indus
tries Of the United States were to be pro-
tected against the industries OF Porto
Rico and later against those OF the Philip
pines. the industries of those islands could
never prosper. American capital would
never go to them for investment. Porto
Rico would remain an "orange for US to
squeeze. the people hewers of wood and
drawers of water" for the 100000 inhabi-
tantA of the United States.
General Miles when his army invaded
Porto Rico had promised the natives the
'immunities and blessings Of our govern
ment and they had crowned him with gar
lands and had kissed the. flag. He would
never vote, he said. to violate the pledge
that great soldier had made.
Mr.. Littlefield then took up the legal
phase of the question and concluded as
follows: MAY our flag float over the whole
Republic, in the Occident and in the Orient
over the pearl of the Antilles and the TO-
600 islands near far off Cathay; upon land
and sea; over school, home and church,
the emblem of our integrity and good faith,
of liberty and freedom, of the inestimable
blessings of Christian civilization. Of hui
man rights guaranteed by the Constitution,
not dependent upon the evanescent will Of
state or national legislatures too often
affrighted at their own shadows; rights
imbedded in the Constitution. not floating
as empty bubbles on the perturbed sur
face of eloquent perorations; rights that are
eternal and worldwide, not ephemeral and
circumscribed. of opportunity. not oppres-
sion, and of regeneration. not repression.
Thus and thus only shall 1t be and ever
remain. by the blessing and favor of AL
mighty God. the unsullied and untarnished
symbol of our honor and glory and splen-
oor''
At the night session Mr.. Sulzer, of New
York, vigorously opposed the bill as un-
warranted and unconstitutional and
against the rights of the Porto Ricans and
the policy and traditions of this country.
'"The road to Imperialism" he said, sis
hard road to travel under the Constitution.
We want no Porto Rican stepdaughter In
the Union. but grand galaxy of sister
States enjoying equal rights and equal pre-
negatives under the Constitution" The
others who spoke were White, of North
Carolina. for the bill. and Messrs. Lloyd
of Missouri. Little of Arkansas. w. E. Will
liams of Illinois, Burnett of Alabama,
Stark of Nebraska, Ryan and Green OF
Pennsylvania, DAILY Of New Jersey and
Gilbert of Kentucky against the bill. AT
9:35 the House adjourned
WASHINGTON. Feb. 23.-The Post to-
morrow will say: "A conference of Repub-
licans was held at the residence of Repre-
sentative Mccall last evening regarding
the Porto Rico tariff bill. About sixteen
men were present and assurances were re-
ceived that twenty-six Republicans could
be relied upon to oppose the passage OF the
Payne substitute bill. The decision reached
was strongly against the bill, but the de-
sire is that the members of the ways and
means committee shall withdraw or modify
the bill in their own way, as far as possi-
ble and with the least friction. Overtures
will be made to that end to-day before the
meeting OF the Republican caucus"