Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-05
A Horribly Puzzled Republican.
o the Editor of The Evening Star:

To the Editor OF The Evening Star:
1 am a republican from the birth of that
party; a war republican from the opening
Of the war with Spain, and an Expansion
ist'' republican from it's close; a warm ad
mirer OF President McKinley's policy down
to the last week. Butt am now horribly
puzzled republican! The lightning right
about face act of the republican House in
Congress confounds me, as the performers
confess that it does their constituents.
don't know where my party sis at" nor
why it is there. The Presidents message
and Payne and all the rest Of 'em were
right month ago. Now. alas! multitude
of republicans like myself, for the first
time in our lives, find ourselves absolutely
in accord on this Porto Rican tariff ques-
ton with the arguments of the democratic
opposition. ] was paralyzed the other day
at hearing republican in the House say,
in the face of the world and heaven. that
he would sacrifice his sense of justice for
the sake of perpetuating republican con-
troll! So shameful confession declares a
man in morals unfit for the suffrage, and in
intellect for the common council of a back
woods village. If republican control is to
be perpetuated by sacrifice of justice. then
the sooner it ceases the better for the re-
public ! have met in the last few days
groups of steadfast republicans from Penn
sylvania and New York, every man of them
COMPOUNDED by the tergiversations of their
party. 1t is the same all over the country
If this bill passes the Senate and is signed
by the President hundreds Of thousands Of
voters will be at sea as to their position in
the coming presidential election and the
crack Of the party whip will not bring them
into line. The amount Of the tariff tax is
not the question at all. Were it but the
thousandth part of one per cent of the
Dingley rates it would make no difference.
They believe, and no amount Of explanation
or argument can ever abuse them into dis
hl1i hat tIr
States goes with its flag. They hold with
out question and will hold it forever that
there Is no more right. in Congress any
where else. to impose a tariff on trade with
Porto Rico than on that between New Mex
leo and Texas or New Jersey and New
York. The eager passage Of the bill to hold
the tarin revenues of Porto Rico for that
Islands needs is satisfaction to humani-
tartan sentiment, but does not in the least
affect the outrageous violation Of the prin-
ciple which not only ought to, but surely
will, prevail In this vital matter of the re-
iati9 ION ,.o OF our newly acquired possessions
as republican policy. will overthrow the
party, and that by old-time and stanch re-
publican votes next fall.
Republican opportunity, however Is not
yet closed. In this debate the democratic
opposition has taken very positive and rad
ical ground as to practical acceptance of
expansion as an accomplished fact and in
favor OF receiving the islands as an Integral
part Of the republic. Let the republican
Senate hold fast to that position as practi-
cally announced in the Presidents message
SO compelling the House to come back to
its senses and to the position in which they
all stood six weeks ago, from which they
were stampeded by some occult ami myste-
rtous force not yet revealed, and the sailing
will be fair again. The opposition will be
in hole" indeed, into which they eagerly
walked for opposition's sake, as into a fine
and effective trap.
But these alien peoples are not fit for
full citizenship" Granted. as to self-gov-
eminent now. But we are there to fit them
for 1t. or We ought not to be there at ALL
That purpose Is our justification for holding
them. Shall We vacate our Justification by
declaring that purpose vain hope2 For
giving them participation in the governing
OF the United states We can take our time
generation. two generations, or a hundred
years. for that matter. No mai can fix a
date. But we ought to assume now and
always, that they can and shall be brought
to such degree of capability for local self
government as to come speedily into condi-
tons for territorial organization, and ulti-
mately to be welcomed with joy and pride
into the sisterhood Of our free states. Who
ever Is afraid to embrace and announce that
faith ought to go, bag and baggage,
stratghtway into the camp Of the "Aun-
ties III we can't do that for our new peo-
pies. we would better let them alone. We
can and must do precisely that. All pres
ent and provisional policies should be
frankly and boldly shaped to that not far
on event" The political party that faces
out to that magnificent enterprise will be
doing right, and will carry the judgment.
the heart and the votes of the american
people. because this is the issue which
Righteousness, good faith and common
sense recognize as from this day out su-
preme in our relations to these new possess
sions. JUSTICE