The Princeton union., 1900-04-05
.MATCHLESS DAVIS.
An Eloquent and Statesmanlike Ap-
peal for Free Trade With the =.
- Orphan of the Antilles.
Full Text of Senator Davis Speech
& Delivered in the United States
~ Senate March 28tfl. ..


be had on this bill at the earliest day possible
that have thought it better to address the
senate this morning with much less prepara-
ton and much less at length than L otherwise
would have done. This fact will cause me to
omit, as I otherwise might have done, some
discussion of constitutional questions involved
IN this debate and many other matters which
in my Judgment are auxiliary and collateral to
the subject as shall consider it this morning.
Indeed. so far as I am concerned do not
think, Mr.. President, that any argument on my
part is necessary on these constitutional ques-
tlons am content, for the present. at least,
and in this connection, to rest my views upon
the almost judicial deliverances upon that sub
ject of the senator from Kentucky (Nr. Lind
say and the senator from Vermont (Nr. Ross)
shall try, Mr.. President, with all temperate
ness OF feeling, to submit to the senate my
views upon this matter as it now stands.
1t is an important question and in my judg-
ment, it is nonpartisan No remark that shall
make will have Intentionally the least tinge of
partisanship. All aim to do is to adjust the
most unfortunate complication into which this
measure has fallen.
Mr.. President, shall speak more particularly
to what is known as the house bill, which is
for the civil government of Porto Rico now un-
der consideration. That bill provides that a
tariff rate of Is per centum as between the
United States and Porto Rico. both ways of
the tariff duties shall be levied 1t also pro-
Vldes that internal revenue taxes shall, upon
goods exported from Porto Rico to the United
States and vice versa be levied at the port of
entry.
c0n hn ,,iola
the time this bill was reported elsewhere there
began rising tide of public opinion and dis
sent from the very principle upon which it is
based. That dissent began with surprise it
progressed to remonstrance, and from there it
went to indignation. It was not the protest of
members of any party.
The dissent was not cast at all upon party lines.
It came from every walk of life and it was COM
municated through every avenue of thought,
and it is based upon this principle: That as to
Porto Rico there should be an unrestrained
freedom of commercial intercourse.
AS to Porto Rico. considered as Porto Rico,
under the particular circumstances OF the case.
and what has taken place repeat that stand
solidly for free trade between Porto Rico and
the United States.
Mr.. President, upon that particular conten-
tion in this body and elsewhere there is an in
finite variety OF opinion: t has been asserted
and denied, that we have and that we have not,
the right to legislate by way of imposing tariff
duties as proposed. and all sorts of questions,
| all sorts of arguments. all sorts of objections
have gathered around this controversy and OBJ
scured it with words.
Mr.. President. I gave notice this morning of
| two amendments which intend to propose to
| the pending bill in regard to the house meas
ure. shall only explain one of them al pres
ent and that amendment is this:
The erection Of the Porto Rico internal
revenue district: no stamp tax to be levied in
that district: Is per centum of the internal
revenue tax to be laid in that district. with the
| exception of rum distilled spirits and to-
| bacco. and the manufacturers thereof. upon
which only internal revenue taxes shall be
levied in Porto Rico: that there shall be free
trade between Porto Rico and the United
States and that the proposed law shall con-
tinue until the first of March, 1902
Whatever may be said as to the contentious
upon the other part of the subject, whether,
| considering Porto Rico dependency
part of the United States. we can or cannot
levy tariff duties as between that island and
the United States. there can be no doubt what
ever upon this general principle that. so far
internal revenue taxes are concerned in Porto
Rico. no such question can arise under the dis
! tinct and inherent power of this government to
levy them. Now. Mr.. President. why insist,
submit in all candor. that a tariff shall be
levied and nothing else:
| Why when dealing with the question of rev.
enue and taxation. do some of our friends here
seem to close their eyes to the consideration
| that there may be another way OF solving this
difficulty and raising the revenues which will
relieve the senate and the country entirely
from the considerations which have vexed the
minds of everybody-a way of doing it indubit-
ably constitutional in its theory. however it
may be subject to exception as to it's details.
Why, Mr.. President, insist upon tariff by Il
bill which. by it's very terms, is so temporary
and ephemeral in it's nature as to expire in less
than two years from date: Why insist upon
the perpetration of measure of this character
which is agtating public opinion and has di-
rected public sentiment, when it would be far
better to let all things alone and allow existing
conditions to so on: can see why there can
be no objection to the course proposed by the
amendment which I shall introduce at the
proper time.
1t would, in my opinion. go very far to satisfy
and appeaSe the storm of protest which has
arisen against the proposed measure; and to
Porto Rico itself, I undertake to say that it
would be acceptable, and rely on the words OF
the delegates from that island. who were here
before the senate committee. s-~
: SO that, if interpret the signs of the times
correctly as to this country, there is the utmost
disapproval of this measure by a very large
majority of the exponents Of public sentiment
} to suy the least. And as to the stand Of Porte
) Rico itself, it's representatives were here and
their declaration in answer to the direct ques-
2 tion was that they would be content with the
: internal revenue system, applying as it does il
5 a large part to distlleries, which are. already
there ana which were licensed under the laws
Of Spain. -r r>s &S E@#s, 4zss
= Mr.. President, Porto Rico came to this coun
, try under peculiar circumstances 1t cost thu
United states three millions of dollars to dis
arm the insurgent army in Cuba and to bu,
s their guns. 1t did not cost us dollar to dis
arm any army in Porto Rico, for there wa!