Evening star., 1901-06-07

The Rochester Herald. commenting upon
The Stars suggestion that the congress
sipnaI power to discriminate in legislating
tor the territory belonging TO the United
States will be exercised in its favor and
not in hostility to it. refuses to take the
optimistic view of the character and ten
dercy Of the American people as represent
"a in Congress. and points to the Foraker
act itself Us sufficient proof that the worst
u % be feared and expected. 1t adds
The Porto Rico tariff act the constitu-
Gouality Of which was questioned in the
Dpwues case. was framed for the purpose
Of prot citing great American interests at
the expense of the people of Porto Rico. 1t
was passed and signed not only in con-
tempt Of the petition of the Porto Ricans
Tor free trade with the continent. but in
defiance of the outspOken sentiments of
majority Of Americans in favor of redeem
ing III" national pledges of fair and liberal
dealings with the Islanders.
The Star vigorously opposed the Porto
Rico tariff act. The circumstances of the
c-Sspn. the hearty welcome given to Amer
lean rule. the representations made to the
Porto Ricans by our military representa-
tives. the paralysis of the trade of the
island resulting from the war, the absence
of public national injury from free trade
with Porto Rico-all these considerations
combined to array public sentiment in hos
tiiity to the proposed legislation.
This hostility caused the modification of
the tariff proposal until IL was reduced to
an intiuitesimal minimum of offensiyeness
Only a small fraction of the Dingley ra1es
was To be collected on Porto Rican importa-
tions. and for specifically limited period
The Porto Rican legislature could terminate
he tariff even earlier by providing other
wise the necessary insular revenue: and
whatever money was collected as such du-
ties was 20 be expended solely for the bene-
TIT Of Porto Rico. The Porto Rican griev-
dnce was reduced to this: That a tariff
which was in it's unnecessary injuri-
Gus and served no good public end was i'm
posed upon the island mainly for the pur-
pose of securing a judicial decision con-
cerning the power TO treat the DingIev acr
as inappiicable to the Philippines
The tariff act for Porto Rico did tempo-
rarily benefit certain selfish commercial in
tcrests in the United States and did make
use of Porto Rico as sort of apothecary' s.
cat upon which 10 experiment for the Dur
pose OF learning what could safely be done
In the case OF the Philippines. But not
withstanding these drawbacks the general
treatment of the island by Congress is not
such as To warrant a pessimistic view of
congressional action toward the new ter
ritorial acquisitions. The Star after care
ful comparisons has demonstrated that in
the legislative field the provisions made
for Hawaii and Porto Rico far exceed in
grant of privileges any previously enacted
at similar stage for any other territory
belonging to the United States The prompt
allowance to Hawaii and Porto Rico of
fUeh considerate measures of civil govern
Hent without retaining them for indefinite
periods under military domination when
compared with the treatment to which
Alaska and Louisiana have been subjected
suggests that Uncle Sam is kind to excess
II the latest acquisitions to his family and
gives pleasing promise to the Philippines
OF what is in store for them
Free trade between Porto Rico and the
United States will be .recprocally beneficial.
and It's institution u at hand, even X the