New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-03
THE DEBATE N THE .SENi TIE.
CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS RAISED
BY THE Pr ERIC RICAN BILL
DISIT SSED
Lay rELEGRArHl TO TIE rRI.z-NE. ]

Washington. March. . Interest 'in the Puerto
Rican tariff question has no-N hesen transferred
from the House 10 the Sepa;,. Consideration of
the bill emnoGy ) ing substantially the provisions
Of the House measure, and IN addition providing
a temporary form of civil government for the
island was begun in the Senate to-day. Mr.
Foraker. chairman -of the Committee on Pacific
Islands and Puartot Rico, being in charge of it.
The House bin dewoting the customs receipts
collected since Octob Pr Is l>N.}S on Puerto Rican
products entering thes United States TO sole uses
OF the island government reached the Senate late
this afternoon and WIS referred to the appropri-
ate committee. Its lEIrposes should commend
themselves Senator - of all shades of party
opinion, and Of its prompt passage there can he
no possible doubt. 81 the of opposition
raised in the House % Representatives by Mr..
Bailey of Texas is likely to be echoed by some
of the special devotees, of constitutonalism in
the upper branch and lthis mays delay action for
a day or TWO.
Mr. Teller said that't Foraker bill was re-
,narkable measure Il seemed TO him that the
committee had employedsa deal OF industry and
care TO make the slands of Puerto Rico a part
of the United States. The people are citizens
of the United States he said; the committee
has established United States courts. the ports
are United States ports4 and in every way the
committee has determined that the island shall
be a part of the United States And then the
committee inserts the remarka bletprovision that
we shall levy a duty upon Puerto Rican prod
ucts brought into the United States.
Il am not disturbed" continued Mr.. Teller.
'febout the talk OF holding a province or
holding colonies. I see no reason.why we should
not nave provinces c,,.0.:t:>s- free govern
ment like ours would carry freedom and light
TO them. see no reason why We should not
maintain sovereignty over the island of Puerto
Rico But the party in power has reached the
point where il must determine upon and 'enunci-
ate policy with regard TO our insular' posses
sions. want the party in power'to say whether
it may be the purpose ultimately to take in this
island as a State. I know the people there are
ct for self-government. and they ought, in my
opinion, to have il as ii may be given
them I would not be alarmed if we should
speak of the Province OF Puerto Rico. But
say that I'm not going to vote for any bill that
does not give the people absolute control of
their affairs"
ISLAND SELF-GOvERNAfENT FAVORED.
Mr.. Teller then sent TO the desk amendment
fl the form Of additional section. which, he
said, If adopted. would settle what the policy
of the Government would be- The amendment
reads as follows:
It is hereby declared that itfis the intention
by this act to establish a temporary government
in Puerto Rico for the purpose OF enabling the
people thereof to establish permanent govern
rnenI, republican III FORM, IN winch tnere snail
be accorded the people the right of self
government and that end they
thorized 20 adopt a constitution consistent with
the principles of free government and that
shall recognize the sovereignty Of the United
States over Puerto Rico, and the Inhabitants
thereof recognized by treaty between Spain
and the United States. The Legislative As
sembly provided for in this act shall at its first
or second session provide for constitutional
convention TO prepare and submit TO the peo-
pie for their approval or disapproval consti-
tuition in accordance with the principles herein
declared, and the constitutional convention
shall provide the necessary rules and regulations
10 submit the constitution to the people, and
If il shall be approved by them, to submit the
same TO the President of the United States for
his approval. The inhabitants of Puerto Rico
are hereby declared to be citizens thereof. and
their rights a citizens shall not be denied or
abridged except by conviction in a court Of
justice.
Whenever the people Of Puerto Rico shall
submit the President OF the United States q
constitution, repu blcan in form and consistent