El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-10
WASHINGTON

Elephant With His Trunk Label
led porto Rico'-Then There's
the Montana Elephant And Mr..
pettiqrew, While the Senate Is
Proving To Be An Elephant To
''Our Chauncey."
Specfal Correspondence of the HERALD
WASHINGTON, March 10.-Once up
on time in blest Araby local poten-
tate gave bis tailor a thriving ele-
plant. The tailor had always thought
he wanted one, but as he looked at the
gift he hogan to have his doubts. How
ever, he salaamed and kowtowed in
characteristic Eastern style to express
his thankfulness and then went home
to mediate over the disposition to be
made of the beast. His shop was
small and the elephant was not. Nor
was tailoring exactly field for the
vast energies of full sized elephant.
The more he thought about 1t the more
insoluble the problem grew History
doesn't tate what conclusion he came
10. but tits only fair to assume that he
gave it up. That's the way the navy
department feels about Dewey.
A full admiral in the navy OF Uncle
Sam isa pretty big man; too big to be
convenient. bureauship or a battle
ship may do for small fry like rear sd-
mirals, but not hing lees than an ag-
grega.ion of fleets is enough for an ad-
miral. Unless the secretary of the
navy is content to practically abdicate
and merely touch the reins occssions a.
ly on smooth piece of road, while
Uncle Dswey drives, there is no solu-
tion for the problem. Besides, be 1t
whispered, If Dewey is given anything
to do who will ever look at or think
now is only a rear admiral and in the
rear rank of rear admirals at that, in
stead OF holding the front of the stage
in capacity comm ensurate with his
pull.
Everybody has been wrestling with
Porto Rico this week and the end Is
not yet. The island has been worth
the whole price of the war to the dem
q ringing phrase. 1.-The Cons titution
follows the Flag" That was the con-
tributiou of Senator James K. Jones,
chairman of the democratic national
committee, to the mix-up and it is to
BE- the keynote of their presidential
campaign. l. is really a touching
thing to see the new-b orn solicitude of
the democrats regarding the constitu-
ton. AS matter OF fact, in the row
over the Porto Rico tariff the crisis
crossing of party lines has been some
thing extreme. The democrats of
course were most of them against the
proposed mea=ures-they usually are
- but the republicans hold every shade
Of opinion. There is no one of them
prepared to give hearty unqualified
support without ifs or ands or mental
reservations to anything anybody else |
proposes. The compromise bill was
sent to the senate under the party |
WHAT the senate will do with 1t is one |
of those things no fellow can tell. But |
the bill is likely to find hard Shedding. |
The president. willing to temper |
the wind to anybody who finds
il incle Il ent, sent in q message Friday |
proposing to refund to the island treas
ury the amounts collected on Porto |
Rico goods in our custom houses,
but this salve doesn't seem to please
either the radical tariff people or the
free trade at any price congregation,
slough the house passed bill at once
putting it in effect. OF course the
whole business is play for advantage.
II the Porto Rico situation were ssgre-
gated. everybody except possibly some
,an ankerous democrat, would be in
'avor of putting the island absolutely
inside our customs line. But the antis
want to force the republican hand
And establish q precedent which will
make impossible our holding the Phil
ppines. That is the meat of the sit
nation. We are pledged to the open
ioor policy in the east and we can not
insist on it in regard 30 China with a
good grace, if at the same time we tax
oreign goods going into the Philip
goods OF course We are big enough
md strong enough to do as we bloom
ng please, grace or no grace, but at
he same time it is easier to be consist
,ut. Whence the republican policy of
putting a little tart # up against Porto
Rico, just enough to avid making q
PRECEDENT, while we think out the So
utIon of the problem.
The taking of testimony in the case