Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-31

else. Headed BY the unanimous
Of the very strongly Republican Iowa
Legislature, backed by ul~tra-Republi-
can papers of the Chicago Inter Ocean
stripe, there has been a mighty ob3cc-
ton to the imposition Of a tariff tax
on the people of Puerto Rico, and yet
the administration screws have been
steadily frightened on Congress, and
the majority of the Senators -all Re-
publican-have yielded on a test vote.
Puerto Rico is an integral part OF
the United States, although the exact
form of its government has not yet
been settled. That, however, is a de-
tail. Its inhabitants are American
citizens, entitled to the protection of
the flag, of the Constitution, of u
laws, and to the accompanying right
of free trade with this country and
local taxation for local governmental
needs. These things are to be denied
them, and in the denial Congress and
the administration breaks faith with
a people who have come to us, and who
are now of us and a part of us. 1t is
little short of infamy.
To illustrate popular feeling the fol-
lowing is from the Republican Chicago
Inter Ocean:
Were the men now behind the Oxnard
tariff entirely blind and ignorant in their
aal1rCa fhnrn 7fohf hn cnVDa "a dor n
them, but when, with the whole rank and
file of the Republican party in revolt
against them, with the full knowledge of
this revolt in their possession, with the
acknowledged probability of disaster star
ing them in the face and with the confess
son on Their lips that they are comprom-
ising the Mckinley administration and are
opening the door of opportunity to William
j. Bryan, they still declare their purpose
Of standing BY a half dozen mistaken Re E,
difficult to see how betrayal of party trust.
breach of party faith and reputation of
party pledges could go to more famous
extremes"
The Perry, Iowa, Chief Reporter, one
of the most influential Republican pa
pers in the middle west outside of the
large cities, says
eve are not justified in this breach of
good faith on the plea that We are playing
the good Samaritan We are not asked
be been MI in thai the r habit T Of r P1ffe E 3 6'ooo have awe
nually; they have loaned money to Spain;
they have loaned money to San Domingo
h hIa Suba, and when General Miles issued so e1d
surplus in their treasury. h right have
we to assume the management OF their fin
only $50 coo will nave to be raised an
nually? How would the people Of Iowa
feel if, after having successfully managed
its money affairs, Congress should insult
us and saw II C0nld do better for nS7 In
1873 there were. 5000 slaves In Porto Rico.
but before that year was closed those
a drop of blood. This one act cost the
Porto Ricans sl2, coo, 900, but the illiterates'
paid it and accomplished the heavenly
deed in such a way as to cast a blush of
shame on those who now propose to be a
good Samaritan
And closing the argument, the Chi
a e Times-Herald says:
lie Porto Rico nave the Dingley tariff
protection against the outside world just
the same as other parts of the United
States. but absolute free and unrestricted
trade with her sister States and territories
and we will hear no more of Porto Rican
distress and relief funds"
And the New York Herald, quoting
the Philadelphia Inquirer's remark that
this country can stand free trade with
Puerto Rico without any serious annoy
ance," says:
Quite so, as the Englishman says. So
far from being an annoyance we might
make money out of it, which is something
of a consideration, and we might also have
the satisfaction of giving fair play to a
dependency. Everything is In favor of
free trade with that island, except poll
ties. The President has his weather eye
on a second trim, and is willing to pay the
price of oppression in order to secure 1t.
He has three or four opinions on the sub
ject, but he can't stick to any one long
enough to formulate a policy. There's
the rub.
The administration plan is mon
strous and outrageous, but it will
probably be forced through. despite
the claim from Washington that two
thirds of the Republican members of
the House are in favor of free trade
between the island and the continent.
This latter is cloak room talk. how
ever. The Representatives will toe
the line when the time comes, and will
vote as they are told. It's a pretty
spectacle.
SHIPPING TIL w