The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1936-12-31

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mental controversy between Wal
lace and Peek was over this same
point. Wallace wanted to restrict
agricultural production. Peek want
ed to let it follow. its natural course.
Wallace wanted to eliminate agri-
cultural SURPRISES. Peek wanted to
use the surplus cotton, wheat and
wlIatnot for international barter.
Hull, we now find, is absolutely
on the Peek side of that contro-
versy-except-that he is not for in
ternational barter. He wants to fol-
low the old orthodox route. He
wants to lower tariff barriers by in
ternational agreements, but let the
resulting trade follow natural lines.
So far there has not been an I'M
pleasant word between Wallace and
Hull. None is expected in the near
future. But obviously the two the
cries cannot both be pursued, with
much success, at the same time,
without this country coming out at
the small end of the horn.
So experts studying the situation
are predicting a real blow-up long
before the Democratic national con-
vention assemblies in June, 1910, to
pick its candidate for President to
succeed Franklin D. Roosevelt. Al
ways assuming, of course, that Mr..
Roosevelt decides against a third
term.
Grows Tiresome
Porto Rico politicians-and Amer.
lean sugar and tobacco growers
hope that Porto Rico can initiate
the example of the Philippines and
obtain its freedom. Down at Buenos
Aires the delegates from 20 Ameri-
can republics were given picture
of how the twenty-first-the United
States-tramples on the aspirations
and what not of the downtrodden
Porto Ricans.
It's the kind of thing that makes
the average American just a trifle
tired, when he runs into it, after he
RECEIVERS from his first shock of sur
prise.
It's the kind of thing, plus a GER
tain economic factor, that resulted
in the Philippines being set free
after Aguinaldo had failed to win
the islands independence by blood
shed and the sword, and after Will
liam Jennings Bryan had failed to
win it with oratory and appeals to
Americas unselfshness.
The same economic factor is pres
ent in the case of Porto Rico-the
desire of American producers to
eliminate island competition. In the
Philippines it was sugar, tobacco.
coconut oil and other products. In
the case Of Porto Rico it is mainly
sugar and tobacco.
This writer predicted in January,
1880, that the Philippines would OBJ
tain their freedom. The prediction
was not based on craftsmanship, or
on the Japanese menace, or any,
thing of the sort. It was based on
pure economics. The Filipino sugar
producers had fooled the life out of
Henry L. Stimson, then secretary Of
state, and prior to that governor
general of the Philippines. They
made him believe that 500, 900 tons
was the extreme limit Of Philippine
sugar production. The sugar men
Of Hawaii, Florida, Louisiana, Porto
Rico, Colorado and Cuba knew bet
ter, but Mr.. Stimson had prestige
to support him, and they were
lightly regarded, branded as being
purely selfish.
They knew they were selfish, so
they were slightly abashed, but it
didn't take them long to get busy.
Given Free Market
Similarly, it will not take the
sugar and tobacco producers of the
United States long to get busy on
the Porto Rican situation, now that
the Porto Ricans have started the
ball rolling by virtually picketing
Uncle Sans delegation at Buenos
Aires.
They won't have the dairy inter-
ests of the Northwest to help, as
did the advocates Of Philippine in
dependence, but they have seen how
the job should be handled. More.
over, the State department folks are
getting just a little tired of being
attacked by alleged representatives
of people whose whole prosperity
is based on being given the richest
market in the world free for their
two main crops-crops which they
cannot sell in any market in which
they do not have an artificial adj
vantage. -@ - -
It is common knowledge in that
part of America not controlled by
the United States that Porto Rican
cigars and cigarettes are not popu-
lar-cannot be sold in competition
with Cuban and Jamaican products.
Being inside the steep United States
tariff wall saves the situation for
Porto Rico. The same thing OBJ
tains sugar market for the former
Spanish island.
Notwithstanding which there
seems to be general impression
in the island that it is being ex.