The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-19

of the President approving a bill and send
ing his reasons to the House of Represen-
tatives?
Mr.. wheeler-He sent message recon-
mending one thing and changed for an
other.
Mr.. Grosvenor-He never sent message
recommending 'one thing"
Mr. wheeler-He sent a message in
which he said that it was our plain duty
TO give free trade TO Porto Rico.
Mr. Grosvenor-At what date did he fix
it? democratic groansl. Now come the
groans from the pit. When did he fix the
date that it was to be the law?
Mr.. Wheeler-The gentleman is equivo-
cal.
Mr.. Grosvenor-He is not equivocal. If
there had been no opposition upon the
other side. this free trade law would have
been in effect practically in Porto Rico
today; but you spent the whole winter in
talking about the Constitution following
the flag and the flag following the Con-
stitution. naked heathens rushing around
with Washingtons Farewell Address as
their guiding star.
Mr. Wheeler-I want to say to the gentle
man that he is pursuing his customary
adroitness in avoiding the question at bar.
The President of the United States GER
tainly knew what he was talking about
when he told the Congress that it was
their plain duty TO admit goods from Porto
Rico without tariff, and he meant that
We should do SO at once. Now, if he
changed his opinion on that question.
pending the debate on the Hawaiian tarin
] would like the gentleman to say II II
would not have been right for the Presi-
dent to deal fairly with the representatives
of the American people and say why he
changed his opinion?
The Colloquy Continues.
Mr. Grosvenor-I say he has not chang
ed his opinion.
Mr. wheeler-You said so less than five
minutes ago.
Mr.. GrosvenorI have not said he
changed his mind.
Mr.. Williams-It was changed for him.
Mr.. Grosvenor-I have no language to
characterize an argument like that.
Mr.. wheeler-The question / asked of
the gentleman was in perfect courtesy.
Mr. GrcsvenorI am not complaining of
you / am complaining of the constant in
terruptions by groans and all these at
xempts TO assail an argument that is being
made in perfect good faith. Now, IL the
gentleman will allow me. the point that he
was trying to bring out. If ! understood.
was that the President was in favor of free
trade in Porto Rico; that he called upon
Congress to act; that when Congress did
act be bowed to the Judgment of Congress,
and not only that, but in my opinion be-
came decidedly of the opinion that the de-
lay which was put into the bill. in order
that there might be a territorial govern
ment or a colonial government formed
there, was better than precipitating free
trade, as the gentleman undertakes to say
the message implied.
Mr. Wheeler-The gentleman says that
She President of the United States bows TO
the will of Congress. Without being able
TO turn to the page of the Record | am
sure the gentleman will not deny that from
his place where he stands. in the debate on
the Porto Ricau question, when he ap-
pealed to his colleagues to support the
pending bill, he charged it to be true that
the President of the United States was
then in accord with him.
Mr.. Grosvenor-I say so now
Mr. Wheeler-He changed his opinion
Mr. Grosvenor-I say he did not change
his opinion in any material respect; he
;inply changed from the original idea of
free trade TO what was almost the condi-
tion Of free trade that we appended to the
measure. / want to say to the gentleman
that 1t is evidence of the smallness and the
that is all that they have got against the
President of the United States.
Mr.. Wheeler-I desire TO say that the
Democratic. party does not criticise the
President OF the United States for chang
ing his opinion. We respect man who
honestly changes his opinion il he finds
reasons to justify it. What We condemn
Eim for is allowing his message to stand
unchanged to the country. and leaving ii
81
Gated to his colleagues, and not giving it
TO the country That is what We COM
plain of.
Mr.. GrosVenorSThe ge-.leman is mis-
taken in one important fact There is SO
little difference. so unimpUrtant. so con-
temptible a difference between the posi-
tion of actual free trade and almost free
trade that We have given them, with free
trade at the option Of the people of Porto
Rico within sixty days. that l say 1t is
too small for the President OF the United
States to be criticised about. The
country is taking exactly that view
of 1t. Congressman after Congressman,
who have stood here and acted in its be-
half have gone to their constituents, just
when the Democratic noise was the loud
est. and have been renominated with a
unanimity almost unparalleled in the nom
ination of Congressmen. And that great
DDus dt tHt AStNNui
Association. on yesterday. approved Of the
Porto Rican bill, the very body that a
few weeks ago was quoted on this moor
as opposed to il. And from one end of this
country to the other the people are taking
care of it, The Republican party will not
lose any votes in the coming election be-
cause of their action on the Porto Rican
bill. because they have stood by their
principles, by the principles of Jefferson
and Adams and all the Presidents who
have acquired territory in this country
and have said, not that the blessings of
our Government do not go to these islands,
but they have said that the terms and the
details upon which the laws and the Con-
stitution and blessings of equal citizen
ship shall go to them, shall be by an act
OF Congress, under the persuasive mower of
the Constitution. that shall give them the
liberty that we have already given to
Hawaii and Porto Rico.
The motion TO strike out the emergency