The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-04-11
Senator Depew's Speech.


can question was made by Senator De-
pew of New York. 1t vas the speech
of an intelligent, unbiased, broad
minded statesman, whose natural ca
pacities to consider great questions
have been reinforced by large and
successful experience in the varied af-
fairs of the world. AS a contribution
of unusual value to the discussion of
the dominant political issue in the
country, the subjoined parts OF the Sen
ator's speech are published. We COM
mend them to the careful perusal of
Vermont Republicans:
THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION.
"Mr. President, l have been listening
with great interest to the many and
very able speeches which have been
delivered upon the Porto Rican tariff.
l have endeavored to find in them So
luton of the singular political condi-
tions which seem to have arisen out of
the presentation of this measure. There
is no division among the majority in
either House as to the power of Con-
gress to legislate on this subject. The
majority all agree that the Constitution
does not extend by it's own power over
these new possessions, and that Con-
gress can legislate for them as it deems
wise, subject only to the prohibitions
upon Congress in the Constitution.
The Democratic party accepted the
other view, that the Constitution does
he; ta ;ntr tho
ries, from the moment that it was in
vented by John G. Calhoun for the pur-
pose of carrying slavery into the new
territories, when it was impossible
against the aroused conscience of the
country to secure legislation to that
effect. 1t is but fair to say that while
the action of the country by the unani-
nous consent of all statesmen and of all
parties for fifty years, and the trend of
the decisions of the Supreme Court,
sustain the power Of Congress to take
the whole or any part of the Constitu
ton and the laws of the United States
into new territories and to establish
governments for them, yet the ques-
ton raised by the acquisitions of Cuba,
Hawaii and the Philippines, when pre-
sented to the Supreme Court, must re-
suit in such broad and comprehen.
sive Interpretation as will make clear
for all time the position of the United
States upon the government of terrific
ries which come to us.'
After describing the condition Of suf-
fering and industrial paralysis existing
in the island Mr.. Depew said:
"With the island in this stricken con-
dition and the people in this deplorable
situation, it was impossible to raise rev.
enues for schools, for roads, for courts,
for police or for any purpose of gov
eminent by direct taxation. 1t was
when these conditions had become IA
miliar to our committee that we chang
ed our bill from free trade to the tariff
measure which is now before the SEN
ate, tariff measure which is not q
Chinese wall, not an oppressive act of
arbitrary power, but the most generous
and beneticent revenue system ever
adopted by any government, because it
gives to the island of Porto Rico not
only the duties collected at her own
ports, but the duties collected under
our laws at our ports upon products
coming from the island.
ALLEGED HARDsHIPs.
"We come naturally now to the ques-
ton of hardships upon the Porto Rican
people and of cruelty to the inhabitants
of our new possessions by the proposed
| legislation. We were told with won
derful eloquence and passionate rhet-
| oric that it was our plain duty to return
l 30 M Ia hn Ant q
under the Dingley Tariff act since our
occupation the money which had been
collected. The whole policy of the
Republican party, from the President
to Congress, has been TO give back to
Porto Rico all the taxes levied and col
lected upon her products-to give them
back to her for the purposes of her
government and for the purposes OF
her improvement and her progress.
These duties had been paid by the
Sugar Trust, which controls the sugar
products of the island, and the Tobacco
Trust, which controls the tobacco prod
uct of the island-two of the richest
and greatest money-making corpora
tions in the world. They had bought
the sugar and tobacco at a price which
included the Dingley tariff duties and
sold them to the people of the United
States at large profit after the duties
were paid. In the bill which we have
just passed, instead of paying these
duties back to these corporations
which have been the subject of &C
much abuse and with whom we have
been charged with being allied, We
have given them back to the people Of
Porto Rico for their schoolhouses, fol
their roads, for the relief of their starv
ing, and for the employment which
will come in the proper administration
of the fund.
"The Presidents recommendation o
free trade was made in order that Por
to Ricans might have the use of thes,
duties in Porto Rico by not having t
pay them-that is, by keeping tn
money for public purposes in the island
The proposition OF the House of Repre-
sentatives and of this committee is tina
those duties shall be collected and re
turned to the people of Porto Rico, be
cause it is the only way by which tn
people of the island will get dolla