The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-04-17
Cuba and Porto Rico.

About year agoa proposition was
before Congress to place low tariff,
which was merely nominal, on certain
imports and exports of Porto Rico, for
the purpose of raising revenue for pub
lie expenditures in that island. The
duties collected N the United States on
the imports from Porto Rico, as we'll as
the collections in the ports Of the is-
land itself, all were to be devoted to the
use OF the inhabitants; and this method
of raising a needed revenue was pre-
ferred to direct taxation. The people
were poor, the island had been swept
by hurricanes, the plantations were in
ruins. The proposed measure took the
burden of taxation from the shoulders
of the poor and the property class up
on whom disaster had descended and
placed it upon importers and exporters
who could best bear the burden-iu-
deed who would not feel the imposition
appreciably,
The country instantly was swept by
tornado of denuncistion of this prop
osition; the Republicans would be
punished for this "per6dy" to Porto
Rico; some Republicans feared that
the issue Of the national election would
be jeopardized by the enactment OF the
Foraker bill; it was "worse than Span
ish tyranny; it was "holding up Porto
Rico and robbing herb; it was making
the Porto Ricans "hewers Of wood and
drawers of water"; it was 'starving the
people of the island 10 stuff the pockets
of the trusts"; Porto Rico chad sought
in the United States friend and found
a Shylock"; it was "treating Porto Rico
as England had treated Ireland", and
it was altogether bad and "unspeak-
ably disgraceful". And 80 the tide of
hysteria surged on.
Well, year has passed. The prophets
of evil have all been disappointed. The
Republicans didn't lose the election;
the Porto Rico "per6dy" wasn't heard
of during the canvass; the island has
been prospecting and the fiercest and
most malicious denouncer Of the For
aker bill, the Evening Post of New
York, is singing the praises of an act
whose commercial cruelty, it was de-
claring, year ago, made Spanish rule
appear benefcent in comparison.
Cuba is today taking the place of
Porto Rico. All the hot denuncistion
poured upon the government of the
United States year ago for an act Of
unexampled mercy and liberality 10
Porto Rico, the wisdom of which time
has indicated, is now turned again up
on the government for alleged treach-
cry to Cuba. The crucibles OF wrath
OF the Mugwamp cult and the partisan
Democracy are kept red hot by forced
draught, and the government is daily
annointed with the molten lead and hot
pitch of super-heated rhetoric, all on
account of its purpose to make good
and permanent its pledge of stable
government for the Cubans, the paci-
fication of the island beyond the per-
adventure of fatal disturbance.
1t would seem as though time should
teach these seditious malcontents some
thing. 1t should warn them to practice
modicum OF discretion, if 1t cannot
inspire them with the commonest re-
gard for the precepts of morality or lift
them out OF the murky air of de-
PRAYED craftsmanship into the clearer air
of even an everyday patriotism. What
has been done in Porto Rico will come
to pass in Cuba, and not many years
hence the wisdom of Congress in safe
guarding the independence of Cuba,
the protection of life and property, the
security of law and order, there, will be
eulogized as an act of extraordinary
foresight and high fidelity to trust of
the gravest character.