The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-04-05
Speaker Rendezvous Views OH
the Porto Rican Bill.

Speaker Henders0u's Views OF
the Porto Rican Bill.
In response to a letter from an low
Republican, SPEAKER David B. Hende.-
son has written letter from which We
clip the following:
cannot gather from your letter what
YOU personally think of our action in tn
House or what YOU mink Of the Pres
dent who thoroughly agree with US aHG
works might and main to get the House
bill passed and has been 70 working il,
the Senate. The question for me to
settle as an individual representative j.
what is my duty? That question / ash =
ed was answered, then | worked with
my associates to pass the Porte Rical
bill. Now let me get this matter clearly
in your mind, Mr.. Knott, for sooner or
later the country will understand our
position. First-There are large quaint
ties OF tobacco aud sugar 10 Porto Rico
bought up by trusts and syndicates.
They want to get that into the United
States free Of any duty and when once In
of course 1t will sell in the market at the
same rates as the tobacco and sugar
which have to pay the full tariff rates,
thus giving hundreds of thousands OF
dollars profit to the syndicates, etc
The trusts end syndicates are fighting
the bill and have given you the reason
why. There has not been nor Is there
now to my knowledge a lobby here
working for the Porto Rican bill, but
these syDdicates and the coGfish interests
and other interests including -four inter
ests, are all trying to get into Porto
Rico without paying the fifteen per cent
duty on their products as proposed 10
the bill. While under the Dingley law
tax of one dollar to illustrate is i'm
posed upon certain article, under the
House bill it would only pay fifteen
cents. Second-Now why have we i'm
posed this fifteen per cent OF the Dingley
tariff! Let me answer this and fix IL in
your mind. Porto Rico is poor and has
been swept by devastating floods. Her
people are not at this time in their pres
ent condition able 10 pay the expenses OF
their government. No one wants the
United States to pay the expenses OF
running the government of any OF our
several new possessions. The people
themselves in each of the islands or
groups should paw their own expenses.
How is Porto Rico to do this: Now
that she has no local government we
must first give her local government,
and both houses OF Congress are at work
upon That problem, and in my opinion
that problem will be wisely solved when
it Is done. But it will take year and a
half or two years to formulate a govern
ment for her and TO put it ia running
order so that those people who own
government machinery NAV raise money
10 run their government. In the mean
time. what should we do? Follow the
advice of the syndieates and trusts and
tax this desolate island (or their lands or
their limited produetions) or do as We
propose and put this trifling duty upon
their exports and imports aud give every
dollar of it back To them to run their
government. This will be felt by none
, except the syndicates aud trusts and
/ rich interests that will do the buying
there and the shipping 70 Porto Rico.
Indirectly OF course, some of this will be
pald by the consumers. but il will fall
lightly upon them and the burden will
be imperceptable, while direct tax
would be simply brutal and inhuman.
The bill also provides that this tax shall
expire in two years which is time enoueh
to allow the government machinery OF
Porto Rico to get into working order
There is no proposition to put perma-
merit burden upon Porto Rico, but it is
merely temporary expedient for her
own interest. My friend, never was q
bill so misrepresented and misunder-
stood as our Porto Rcan tariff bill and
the time will come in the near future
when those who propose direct tax
which would result from absolute free
trade, will suffer in every possible WAY
for their misguided conduct or Their
selfish acts. This fact remains, that
have the knowledge that have done my
simple duty and have done 1t in consulta
ton and co. operation with the President
of the United Stares, whose heart i:
quick to feel the atfiiction of this little
island. have done it in conference
with such men as Alliston, Foraker and
the earnest patriots of the Senate who
defying special interests and combina-
lions, are trying to map out a plan fol
the present needs of Porto Rico. aud tC
keep our country so that it will be un-
fettered, and fitted for the, wise treat
ment needed for all these new posses
si0ns.