The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-06


What mysterious force and what valu-
able considerations operated to change Mr..
Serene z. Payne's views Of humanity, the
Constitution. and the fiscal policy between
the cath OF January and the 18th of Feb
ruary last past? He came of the fence a
little earlier than the President did. Was
II the same power which brought both
around to stand by the oil. sugar. tobaccs.
and rum trusts. and incidentally to violate
their obligation to support and defend :he
fundamental law OF the land? But these
are questions that possibly Mr.. Rockefeller.
Mr.. Havemeyer. and Mr.. Duke. not to men,
ton the Republican campaign bank book.
could answer more certainly than we
On the 24th day Of January Mr. Payne
was stin OF the Presidents opinion. that
Justice and good faith" made it manda-
tory upon us in law and morals to give
free trade to Porto Rico-that is not to
stand in the way of a constitutional right
which the island derived ipso facto from
lis annexation to the United States Argu.
ing with a prOtectionist constituent who
feared that obedience TO the Constitution
nigh; be injury to protected monopoly.
this politician Of changeful ways and ques-
.tionable means declared that the little su.
gar and tobacco to be expected from Porto
Rico could not affect the American market;
that last year we imported $40. eco tons
of sugar" compared with which the posi-
bic Porto Rican product Of one hundred
thousand tons would not be a drop in the
bucket. Porto Rico" urged Mr. Payne.
has no markets. being deprived OF them
by annexation 10 the United States
A free admission of her products-which Is
now accorded to every other State and Ter
ritory, and to Alaska. not organized into a
Territory. would give her relief
II will be observed that. in the last week
In January. the Administration attitude
as represented by Mr.. Payne contemplated
consideration OF Porto Rico as part OF the
national domain equally entitled to basic
constitutional rights with every other
State and Territory and Alaska, not organ
lied into a Territory" AS none Of these
was. is. or could be subjected to customs
duties On their commerce with other por-
iions Of the United States, so neither could
Porto Rico be Disseminated against. This
position was impregnsble. and it is a pity
for their own sa1es that Mr. Mckinley
and his advisers did not stick to it,
The somersault effected by them was lot
pleasant to witness. Mr.. Payne, who. at
the end Of January. was firm for justice
and the Constitution. by February Is.
had decided thai the beet sugar
fndustry-the annexed district Of the
Havemeyer ooncern-needed protection.
and he faced squarely about declaring
that when We legislate for this island.
when we propose a tariff, We have the
duty aud the power and the privilege
under the Constitution. OF imposing a
tariff on all articles going to the territory
belonging TO the United States from the
United States, or coming TO the United
States from the territory belonging 10 the
United States" said he: Il want to make
a precedent that all men can read" Well.
he has. II is one that all men can and
viii read with shame for The maker The
representative who can claim for Porto
Rico all the constitutional rights accorded
10 every other State and Territory. and
Alaska. not organized into q territory"
on the cath Of January, and on the
18th Of February following rise IN
his place in Congress and assert that
those rights ought to and must be sup
pressed for the benefit OF protected monop- /
olies, is himself precedent which should /
never be repeated in the history OF civili- 4
zsffon