The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-09

az I AEG-AAt 4A@4Ss
Washington. March s.-A member Of
the cabinet tonight gave out the fol-
lowing authoritative statement:
There has been a wide nisapprehen-
sion of the Porto Rieah tariff bill, Of
the attitude Of the president. Of the
action OF congress and OF their rela-
tiOns to each other. The criticism ana
the concern whicA have come from
some well meaning quarters are due
almost entirely to a misunderstanding
Of real facts.
The attempt 70 represent that there
has been a disagreement between the
president and congress is wholly un-
founded. There has been no essential
difference between them. Both have
sought the same object The recom-
mendation Of the president and ths
house bin, in their purpose and effect
amount 10 the same thing. As a cOnfse-
quenee, each rightly sustains the other.
The president in his annual message
Of Dee. T. urged that the customs du-
ties on trade between Porto Rico and
the United States be removed. Imports
from Porto Rico into the United States
have been and are now paving the
Dingley rates. The president felt that
Porto Rico should be relieved of this
burden. He urged that it should be
removed. not as a matter Of legal right,
but of liberal and humane public pol
lev.
Something Must Be Done.
His argument indicated his reasons
and suggested his view as 10 the QUee-
ton Of constitutional obligation Porto
Rico, severed from Spain. had lest her
old markets and had gained none in
their place. She had been devastated
by hurricane and left destitute HUI
manity dictated every effort to lift her
I'D and to give her a new market This
ysas the pTesiicEtS- pan, and what neeI
OF such plea If the constitution of it
self carried free trade to Porto RicO2
In that case free trade goes 10 her
whether right or not
What the president proposed was
that the United States should offer the
largest and most generous measure Of
help to the distressed and suffering
island, and he has never waVered a
single instant in the object he sought
Had his suggestion been adopted and
followed by all in his spirit and as he
meant it. with the limitations he in
tended, all would have been we'll But
when the time came for action in con-
gress two tendencies were seen.
Grounds For Objections.
''On the one hand there were good
man and come business and ag. Be- ltural
interests that, while not objecting. or
little Objecting to free trade with Porto
Rico alone, feared that free trade with
Porto Rico would be made a precedent
for free trade with the Philippines
They felt there should be a distinct as
sertion and exercise Of the power TO
impose duties. however small, as an
assurance that this power was reserved
fer other eases.
"On the other hand, what the presi-
dent proposed as worthy act of ma
tional generosity and liberal policy was
seized by political opponents and claim
ed as a necessary and inevitable meae-
ure of inherent constitutional right
They insisted that the constitution. bv
its own force. extends to Porto Rico
and all the new island possessions, and
spreads all its provisions over them.
including uniform taxation
They were eager to commit a Re-
publican congress 10 the adoption Of
free trade with Porto Rico. not as
measure Of generous expeGiency. but
because they could then claim that i
had riveted a hard and fast principle
which would tie the hands OF the gov
eminent everywhere, in the Philippines
as well as in Porto Rico. without re-
gard 10 varying conditions. and which
would expose the administration ana
it's party 10 all the criticisms and at
tacks that would be made on such
position.
Was a Cunning Game.
1T was cunning game, but it did no.
- Nc On L..
est DIRECTORS who feared that the CON
ceSSion of full free trade with Porto
RICO would lead to mistakes and the
Designs OF crafty partisans who meant
mat II should. We're both met and fms
trated by the bill which passed IT,
mouse and which levied Is per cent or
less than oue-Sixth of the Dinele1-
rates. That low rate involves rot nos.
slbie hardship. 1t has the advantaea 90
producing needed revenue. which 1nt;1
ciVll government and law are fully or
SalllzSG IN Porto RICO, cannot be raised
as well from any other source.
There was another point which Voc
not generally understood. The bin nro9
WOES that the whole amount of duties
on goods coming from Porto Rico shall
De paid back 10 Porto Rico for the hen
eht OF the island. Thus il fully har-
MONIES with the object at which tha
president aimed, of relieving the neonIc
or Porto Rico, and when it was croWn-
ed by the presidents special MESSAGE
promptly carried out by the house mr.
VldlnS not only that the duties her,
after collected. but that those hereto
1ore collected TO TIE amount of % Ooo
600 should be appropriated to be eT-
pended wholly in Porto Rico for her De
velopment and Improvement, absolute
ly no ground was left for any nretsnso
that the policy of the president ana
congress was in the slightest fle9rae
harsh and oppressive.
No One Should Object.
Nobody can understandingly object
TO the 10 per cent duty. all paid bscle
70 Porto Rico, on the ground that II is
UNFAIR and hard toward Porto Rico NJ
can understandingly object on ~
claim that there is no power To lsI-,-
any duty at ALL and such a clsir5, I
would leave the president and congress
powerless and helpless in the Pbilin-
pines as well as in Porto Rico.
The country is starting ouf On a ~.
departure and on a new exper;msnt
Continued on Page 81