The St. Louis Republic., 1900-12-29
FORAKER DEFLN]S
PORTO RICAN POLICY.
Makes Reply to Former President S
Attacl-Says Island Has Been
Generously Treated.

Cincinnati. O, Dec. aS.-senator ]. =.
Foraker has made reply to the recent
speech at Ann Arbor. Mich. of former Pres
ident Benjamin Harrison. In which Mr.. Har-
rison criticised the Porto Rican policy of
the Government, charactsriZinS 1t as a de-
parture frorn correct principles. In speech
before the Manufacturers Club OF this city
last n:gst Senator Foraker said tn this
point:
"Au the questions arising upon the Porto
R;can legislation are soon TO be passed up
on by the Supreme Court. For that reason
/ DO not care to discuss them at this time.
but II is in order to say that the view taken
by Congress, as reflected by that lesisla-
tion, was creditable to the generosity, the
patriotism and the :Huastriat spirit OF t1e
American people.
'.We found Porto Fico q 5 poor as poverty
could make her. She had no mo!ey. no
credit no system of taxation of any kind.
she wanted Il civil government and rev
.nue to support IL. We gave her far more
liberal civil government than was ever
given 10 any territory prior to the Civil
War. 50 far participation In 1t by her
people is concerted, and we dealt by her
more generously. III pCoviding support Tor
that government. than We have ever yet
dealt with any territory.
imports from foreign countries, We did only
what we dId with Louisiana. Florida, Cali
fCrnia and all our other Territories, but III
allowing her TO put these duties, when coz
lscte,i into her own treasury for the sup
vort of her local government, We did waat
was never done before for anybody else,
for in ali other cases We have not oniy
required the payment of these same duties,
lIlt We have also required lnein. WDen tnvy
were collected. to be paid into the National
Treasury at washington Iof the Co.iiiifon
benenI of the Whole country, ana, as To du,
ties on commerce between Porto Rico and
the United States We dld not levy 10 per
cent, but we remitted 30 per cent OF then
ex,sting rates on numper of articles. ana
the wnoie DUTY on ali tue rest ard pro-
yided that the 10 per cent shouid te re-
rnlrted on and afteS March |, l9tl, or sooner
if the LEGISLATURE OF Porto Rico shall ~
provide, ana that in the meanwhile AL cot
lectIons of this 10 per cent, both there ana
i'm the United States, ShaIi De PAD over 70
Porto Rico for her own support We mace
inns provision because II Was the easiest
and least burdensome way possible 10 raise
inoicnensabIe revenue for tnelr government
and not because il was in any sense of
any benefit to either our Government or
our peopie ,-, :. 49,. =,
session but neither that body nor any
member of it. nor ANYBODY else, mas taken
any step to iepeal OF ai'er .',J 'an - ,.,y,
all concerned alike testify to the highest
satisfaction with what Congress has done,
and the request Will De ditlpst
made that the provisions enacted may be
continued, if not indefinitely. at least until
some satisfactory system of proper taxa
ton may be substituted
.'In addition. it should he stated that Con-
Sress, also in the same generous spirit. eN-
enlpted Porto Rico from all internal reve-
nue. taxatic;-another favcr never before
extended TO any part OF our people any
where.
Yes it is true that the legislation for
Porto Rico was departure but 1t Is not
true that it WAS a departure from correct
principles