The evening times., 1900-06-25

The speeches Of Representative Little
field are much in evidence at the head
quarters Of the Democratic Congressional,
Republican National. and Republican Con
gressionaI committees. The speech which
is being used as campaign material by the
Democrats is that which Mr.. Littleheld
delivered In the House on Friday, Febru-
ary %. while the Porto Rico Tariff bill was
under consideration. II was in that speech
that Mr. Littlofeld denounced the pending
bill as Republican. un-American, IN
warranted. unprecedented. and uncOnstitu-
tional." Mr.. Littledeld, in explaining his
position in opposition to the majority of
his party associates in Congress. said:
"Inasmuch as l am in the painful posi-
tion of differing with large majority Of
my political brethren and as l believe this
measure is one OF vast Importance, Of far
reaching consequence, involving results
that perhaps none OF US can now antici-
pate. feel that l should. perhaps. render
the reasons for my position I eOncede,
and l gladly cuncedc, the right Of leader
ship % the distinguished men who, by
their long experience and great abilities,
ha,e the responsibilities and the honor Of
leading the Republicans in this House.
The leaders Of the Republican party will
find me. upon all measures that involve
Republican policy. following Loyalty in
their footsteps When an issue. however
arises that involves. in my judgment.
grave questions Of right and wrong, great
questions OF principle feel and have no
doubt they feel that every individual
member CT the Republican party must be
allowed 70 think speak. and act for him
self Upon such questions I believe il to
b. the duty Of every Republican. and every
Democrat tC d. the right. as God gives
him 20 see re right Profoundly impress
ed with thiz view Of the case / shall sub
nit to the 7iouse some Of the reasons why
l believe tIe pending measure should not
receive the approval Of the Republican
party"
Praise for Porto Ricans.
One Of the features Of the speech which
1t is believed will have Democratic er-
feet upon voters is that part in which Mr..
LIuIefeid lauds the valor and intelligence
Of the people Of Porto Rico. In the matter
Of the intelligent treatment Of the slave
question, the gentleman from Maine drew
q parallel between the people Of Porto Rico
and the United States 10 the advantage OF
the former. saying.
The people who inhabit this island are
a self-respecti2g. valOrOus and heroic peo-
pie.
-Four times. during the eighteenth cen
tury, Unaided and alone the citizens OF
Porto Rico repelled the attacks OF the Eng
Hsh Navy. once under the command OF
Drake eud once under the command OF
AbsrcrJmbie, and preserved Porto Ricau
soil. 70: Porto Rico. against the most pow
erful % foreign invaders although IL was
then a dependency OF Spain.
In 1873 there existed upon the Island o,
Porto Rico 5000 slaves In 1860 there ex-
listed In this Republic 3,000O0O slaves Tn,
Republic freed its slaves at a cost tha
stagEers humanity. II did not free III,
slaves until all the wealth piled By th,
b0ndsman's 250 yesTs of UureqUited toll
had been sunk and until every drop q
blood drawn by the lash had been paid by
another drawn with the sword
Porto Rico. in 1873 maEumitted IT.
slaves without tumult. without disturbance
without cOEyuls.un. without blOodshed
without murder. without outrage, an,
without revolution. With the consent O
the Spanish CCTteS. upon motion Of a Te
resentative Of Porto Rico. in one momen
$4,000 persons who before that time ha,
been held in human bondage. became free
men One day found them slaves: IL,
next day they continued in their cmplGy.
meEt for the same masters. but wOrillnl
FOR hiTe-their own masters. On one da1
they bent down. bondmen. Tas next day
they stood erect freemen. This greet
change was wrought as quietly and s.
lenuy, as the dawn pIecedes the rising OF
the sun The little island Of Porto Rico
paid for those slaves, by its own revenue
from It's own prosperity SeTea nil ion
eight hundred thousand dollars In 1873
with loan that required only fOurt- en-
years 10 pay, and, adding the interest ard
principal, aggregattng the magnificent SUN
Of $4,000. .OO0-paid by whom? By the req
pie that live today In Porto Rico. Fo7
what2 To emancipate 80 coo human bold-
men. THIS nation Of 'iIlitpratas this
people to whom We nov propose % act
the part Of a good Samaritan That
was deed worthy Of the highest ri
umph oS Christian civilization anywhere,
lie mechanics of Porto Rico, consisting OF
RasoEs, blacksmiths, leather workers and
sllYeremtths, are superiJ- in thai. various
branches to similar mechanics in nearly
oTery part OF the civilized world TIE car
peuters and cabiRetmakers do not rank as
high.
This is the condition Of the island.
this Is the character of the people for
whom the American Congress is about "a
IeElslate- They are an intelligent Deopie
not barbarian, not slaves, but a free peO-
pic. and l submit as ! shall submit later
70 the Republican paTty-fOr I do not stand
here to address gentlemen upon the other
side OF this House, submit. as I shah
submit later 10 the Republican partv. tha;
they at5 4 people Who BY their history
by thei- Character. by their Intelligence
their endeavOT. and inheritance are epti-
lied to fair treatment at the hands of the