The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-09

China and not be asked to give an open
door as to the Philippines?
What does an open door mean? 1t
means that the ships and merchandise of
other nations shall go into the ports OF
the Philippines on precisely the same
terms as our ships and merchandise. II
we cannot levy n duty on imports into the
Philippines from the United States be-
cause. as the Senator from Massachu-
setts argues, that would be practically
an export duty, what will be The conse-
quences? We will have to go in with our
goods free of all duty, anG il we go in
free of all duty. the ships and merchan-
disc of other nations will go in free Of
all duty
Mr.. Lindsay-Why?
Mr.. Foraker-Because that is what an
open door means. If we go into the Phil
ippine Islands with our merchandise free
of duty. Germany and England and France
and Austria and every other country will
20 in with their merchandise free of duty,
and If so. it will be because the Philip
pines have become an integral part of the
United States as much as any other ter
ritory under our flag. And what is the
consequence? We cannot levy either n
protective or revenue tariff. and we might
as well dismantle our custom houses and
go out of the business of collecting reve-
nue. There is no escape from it.
In reply TO a pertinent question put at
this point by Mr.. Tillman. Mr.. Foraker
said: 1t will be a question what we
ought to do with the Philippines. and l
am frank to say that II the Supreme
Court decides that we cannot levy any
tax on our imports into those islands we
will have to adopt very different policy
from what l now anticipate"
Then Mr.. Tillman exclaimed, what
becomes OF all the cant about philanthropy
and glory and the flag and the whole hu-
manitarian aspect of the business?
There is an easy answer to that" Mr..
Foraker replied. THE Senator cannot
throw ridicuie on the matter. We want
the question settled not alone in order that
We may know on what kind Of conditions
we stand with the people, but that We may
know whether we can say TO the people OF
the Crited States that the labor and in
dustry of this country will receive protec-
tion from the unjust competition OF the
Malays OF the Philippine Islands. In my
judgment il would be nothing short OF
criminal stupidity in Congress not to legis
late (when 1t has occasion and opportunity
to do sol. SO as to raise that question:
Mr.. TiIIman's Question.
Mr.. Tiliman-will the Senator explain
why It is that the President of the United
States. who had better sources of informa-
tion than the Senator had, gave us to un-
derstand in his message that it would be
our bounden duty to have free trade with
Porto Rico, and only changed his opinion
when it was found that the interests of the
sugar ard tobacco trusts would be injured
by free trade.
Il will have to refer the Senator to my
colleague Mr.. Foraker replied.
ITO whom" Mr.. Tillman asked.
TO my colleague" Mr.. Foraker re-
peated. 4 DO not know: I am not the
keeper of the Presidents opinion"
Il do not know" he continued. whether
the President has changed his mind or not.
/ do not pretend to know. l have no doubt
that the President knows more about the
matter now than he did then
Mr. Tiilman returned to the charge with
a remark that Mr.. Foraker thought more
Of protection than he thought of philan
thropy in the matter OF the Porto Ricans.
No" Mr.. Foraker replied. but l do
not think there is any higher or Better
than that which begins at
home"
This discussion continued until > o'clock.
Mr.. Foraker replying to the assaults upon
the bill from both sides of the chamber.
In the course OF it Mr.. Hoar said:
The simple thing TO do is to make an
immediate appropriation of sum of money
for Porto Rico. There is no doubt about
that, and l invite the Senator who has
made such an eloquent appeal for the
starving people of Porto Rico not to keep
the bread from their mouths by all this
tedious process with a doubt in the end
the provision turn out to be con-
stitutional or no.
At o'clock. in pursuance of previous ar
the Senate took a recess uu-
til s o'clock. the evening session to be de-
voted exclusively to the form OF reading a
very long bill further to provide a civil
code for Alaska.