Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-09
LIKE BANQUO's GHOST
PORTO RlcAN QUESTION WILL
NOT DOWN..
Rises Up to Haunt the Republicans
and Keeps Them Busy "E1plaining"
the Attitude of the Administration-
War Taxes Likely to Stand.

Warrington correspondence:
Inc Porto Rican question will not
down. The Republicans are SO abnor-
mally sensitive over 1t that they cannot
refrain from explaining" every time a
Democrat mentions the administration.
Gen. Grosvenor constitutes himself the
special champion of the concrete phrase
OF Imperialism embodied in the Porto
Rican tariff and government law. One
Of the Democrats the other day jocu-
larry remarked that President Mckin-
| ley had not changed his mind about the
plain duty" Of free trade, but had per-
mitted it to be changed for him.
That happens to be the exact truth,
but the Republicans seem to think that
they can improve matters by making
excuses and evasions that would not
deceive a 10-year-old school boy. In
this instance Representative Grosvenor
repeated with parrot-lIke insistence the
argument that Senator Foraker made
Just before the measure was voted on
In the Senate, only Grosvenor did it
much more clumsily than. Foraker.
THE President didn't mean free trade
right awny," pleaded the member from
OHIO; "he meant 1t whenever Porto
Rico had become prosperous enough to
stand the change" Getting still deep
er into the argument Mr.. Grosvenor adj
mitted that perhaps the President did
not care for the measure, but disliked
to antagonize his Congress.
The Democrats receive this sort Of
explanation in about the same spirit of
derision that the whole country will
express. The Republicans seem not to
understand that they are making n bad
matter worse when they insult the in
telligence of the country with this sort
Of subtePfuge and evasion. Although
the discussion ragged in the House for
nearly two hours, the Republican mem
bers lodged the fact that by their gov
ernmental bill they had left Porto Rico
as colonial dependency. They are
not anxious to discuss that phase of the
matter.
1t is announced by the administration
that the new civil government of Porto
Rico will be ushered in with true MILL
tary pomp and splendor. There will be
soldiers In shining accoutrements on
land and grim battleships in the har-
Dor at Ponce to warn the confiding
Porto Hlcans that beneath this velvet
glove OF civil authority and behind the
reign Of the carpet-bagger there is al
ways the iron hand Of militarism and
Imperialism ready to exact the pound
of flesh if the demands Of the civil in
yaders are resisted in the slightest de-
gree. 1t will be n sad contrast to the
Porto RiGans when they remember how
they welcomed Gen. Miles two years
ago, with garlands of flowers and pro-
cessions Of white-robed children. They
thought they were welcoming the adj
vent Of freedom and independence.
They will be made to realize that they
exchanged the imperial rule of masters
Of noble birth for the more vulgar one
built up by corporate power in this
country.
The administration evidently intends
to make great capital. in the coming
campaign, of this change from military
to civil rule in Porto Rico. 1t sends {
dsn:ooyant message to Congress beg
cling for further time until 1t can de
eide on which carpet-baggers 1t viii
send to the island to replace the mill
tary rulers, who presumably are to b.
Withdrawn.
| Some cynical critics wonder If tn
military is really to be Withdrawn o
only suhordinated to the civil brancl
OF the government. 1t is limited in ad
ministrAuon circles that II the Port
Ricans prove rebellious under Mr.. Nc
Kinley's new oligarchy. they will fin
the military in the saddle again YER
promptly.
War Taxes 10 Stand.