The age-herald., 1901-05-29
The President Studied the h. suIar Decisions With
 Much Interest
PORTO R|CANS DISSATISFIED
Senators and Representatives Believe Legislation Bearing on the islands
 and Their Revenues Will Be
 Necessary at Next Session.

Cedar Rapids, Ia, May 2&-During the trip of the Presidential train eastward through Iowa today the published reports of the opinions of the Supreme Court in the insular cases were discussed wfta great interest by the President and his cabinet The decision in the Delima case. if followed in the Philippine case, as 1t is assumed 1t will be, might result in the calling of an extra session of Congress. In the Delima case the court decided that the duties collected on Porto Rican goods before Congress enacted the Foraker law were illegal and must be refunded. It is presumed that the court, following the same lines of reasoning, will decide that the duties collected on goods from the Philippines were also illegal and are sub ject to free entry into the United States until Congress acts as 1t has already done in the case of Porto Rico.
 Such a decision would mean not only
 the refunding Of duties heretofore col
 lected, but would open the ports of the United States to merchandise and goods | of every description from the Philippines until Congress meets in December It is
 palpable that importers might take ad-
 vantage of this to ship goods into the | United States through the Philippines
 and thus defraud the government of it's | revenues. Whether the danger from this
 source is great enough to warrant the
 calling of Congress in extra session is
 one which will be decided only after full
 deliberation. It Is possible, however.
 that this danger may have been already
 obviated in the enactment of the Spooner
 resolution delegating temporarily to the | President the power to govern the Phil l ippines. This may be considered an act l of Congress within the meaning of the l Downes decision affirming the constitu-
 tionality of the Foraker law. But 1t is a
 delicate question and one which the
 President and his advisers will consider | in all bearings before coming to a con | clusion. The Porto Ricans.
 | San Juan, May 28.-The first report of the Supreme Court decision in the Delima case received here last night which was interpreted as declaring the taxation of imports from Porto Rico to the United
 States 15 per cent of the Dignley duties to be unconstitutional, was received with great satisfaction. Today when the full report of the Delima case was published there was evinced general feeling of disappointment among Porto Rican mer- chants who had hoped that the courts decision would give them years free trade. Porto Ricans are reluctant to be- leve that today's full report is true. The concensus of opinion seems to be that the Porto Rican legislature should be convened in extra session to declare Porto i Rico self-supporting without the collec- ton of customs on imports between Porto Rico and the United States. A general spirit of complaint that all the supreme courts decisions were against Porto Rico is noticeable. When San Juan merchants were questioned on the subject they marii- fested much regret at the outcome, as they hoped to have refunded all the moneys paid under the 15 per cent. ap- plication of the Dingley bill.
 Only a few Porto Rican business men understand the importance of the courts decision. Bankers predict an immediate revival of business now that the status of the country has been decided By agreement with New York houses
 many Porto Rican shippers will receive X half of the amounts refunded. The people generally are as much disappointed at not being granted American citizenship as they are with the courts decision. The members of the cabinet seem to favor free trade. The islands yearly bud get is s2,000.0oO A rough semi-official es- timate gives income of $500000 on property tax; s75o.00o from excise collec- tions under the Hollander bill and s750.00O from customs collections on imports and exports to and from countries other than the United States. The property tax will be in force July and assessments will be made on an estimated valuation of $100. .000.0Oo Excise duties now being collected. Porto Ricans are generally of the opinion that their Legislature should now act It is understood Governor Allen is giving his earnest consideration to the practieability of securing at an early date free trade relations between Porto Rico and Germany.