The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-04
ON THE FOURTH OF JULY

Pointers on Porto Rico--Kan-
Sas-WaShington Notes.
Especial Correspondence Of the EaglA9
Washington, March 8.-Honor continues
TO thrust itself upon the representative
from the Seventh district Of Kansas Mr..
Longs speech in the Puerto Rican de-
bate, by many considered to be the finest
effort in the entire debate, replete as it
was with excellent speeches, has brought
new honor. It Is a distinctive one,
which Kansas will doubtless appreciate
Every year there is a memorial at Get
tysburg of the great battle which was
fought there during the civil war. It is
held on July 4 conducted by the State
Teachers association of Pennsylvania
But it is not confined to teachers alone
for hundreds of thousands of others al
ways attend. Noted orators have been
the speakers on these occasions, and each
year particular effort has been made in
the selection. Congressman Long will be
the orator this year. After his speech in
the house the other day, after he had
received the plaudits of his colleagues,
Representative Brosius, to whom the Sc
lection of an orator for this year had been
entrusted, came to Mr.. Long and for
inally invited him to be the orator of the
day. Mr.. Long will accept, and the peo
pie Of the Seventh district may be sure
that he Will do himself and Kansas hon
or and credit in his effort.
These two distinctive objections have |
been made to the Puerto Rican tariff hill:
First, that the president is opposed to the |
bill, having recommended free trade with |
Puerto Rico in his annual message in |
December; second, that the imposition of |
Q tariff at this time would be a serious
burden to the inhabitants of the island.
As to the first. it is now understood that
when the president made this recon-
mendation he had not looked into the
maoter as fully as he has since had &C.
caslon to do. The president himself
"hie not admitting that he made a mis-
take, does not now press upon Repub-
mean members the necessity of opposing
the bill Again he never questioned the
authority OF congress to impose duties,
and so stated in his message. AS to the
second reason urged against the bill, the
matter OF its being burden upon the
fuerto Rdcans; there are, it is urged.
three ways and three only, whereby the
tIperto Ricans may be relieved from their
present deplorable condition: First. by
bonding the island; second, by making an
appropriation direct from the United
States treasury; third, by imposing tar
IN duties. The first, that of bonding the s
Island, has, 1t IS argued, many objections. e
nut aside from that. would be impracti- a
cable until some government should ex c
list In the island to authorize such bond a
ING; the second, making an appropriation. a
"ouiu not only act as a red rag to Am s
erlcan labor, who would charge inconsist- il
sncy in such action. but would furnish V
me opposition with a sweet morsel in the o
coming campaign. The opposition. saw | s
he advocates of the measure. would cite
his as precedent to be followed in our
ieaiing with the Filipinos, and cite it to
ne everlasting disadvantage of the Re- S
publican party. Theset wo means of as 8
iisting the Puerto Ricans being clearly +
20 impracticable, the only recourse then. N
{ Is urged, is by laying customsduties- q
Xactly what the committee ofw avs and =
ncars did. IL the United States there -
ire two ordinary means of raising reve q
lues for the Recommendations reve-
ne and custom duties. 1t would not be ;,
possible TO have the former in Puerto 90
Gco. the supporters of the present tariff
III say, because it is well recognized :
nat every hut in the island is a tobacco =
hop-a factory in itself for the manu- -
acture Of cigars and cigarettes, and that y
very hut likewise. is still for the man. 10
fracture of rum for which Puerto Rico o
5 noted. And so. it is concluded, to have pl
laced internal revenue laws in effect. II
With these conditions. would have entail VI
d an enormous cost for revenue service. rs
Another proposition is presented for the T
ystemizers with Puerto Ricans-those al
no allege burdens" The gross receipts er
rom the duties collected from Puerto m
lcan goods coming into the United pl
tates and the net receipts of duties re
objected on goods going into Puerto n
leo, under the bill, are TO go to Puerto ev
leo. to be used in building up the is Ii
M; in maintaainipg schools; in run at
ing the government; in betteIing its fu
,ndition. F,
1t is complained, with some bitterness. tn
yen, that this bill has been miunder-
ood. The constitutional side was first
scussed. until a maajaoraity finally
United that congress really did have IN
over in the premises. and then the ~,
lestion switched TO one Of sympathy" TT
n the Puerto Ricans. Now it includes %
at. and also the hard business propo- We
ton of how the new possession Of Puer- wi
Rico shall be dealt with. on
cit
It was interesting to see the Democrats O.
Sc On the recalcitrant Republican, GO
hat few there were-in this matter. an
hey told how noble and great aand in I'M
pendent they were. They would have Of
led 10 see the bill fail and the conse- II
lent disaster they believed it would ter
ing to the Republicans. As a matter is
fact. Uncle sam might not have Puer- tie,
Rico today had not Colonel W. ]. 1t
yam left his regiment down in Florida is
d como up here 10 Washington to urge :
e Democratic senate to ratify the trea- esl
OF Paris. which CAV over the island. in
the Democrats. as usual, are inconsis- pe
1t ha
tn,
The president later realized the situa- aft
N. and aided in lining up the Repubi- his
rs who might be inclined To go astray tai
the popOSiIion. He had a talk with The
Her and Curtis. the Kansas members IN
10 were on the other side of This ques- spl
~. and both came ont ~, 4la ,7rbar sfSa %