New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-02
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
;OVERN UENT OF NEW TERRITORY
COLONIAL LEGISLATURES. WITH Ii" ~
POWERS. sUGGEsTED-THE CUBAN
PROB1.E EN-.

ne wear 1855 will ever seem one OF 'hc nv
ortant Of history. ~ marking our ia
snonC the great colonizlng natohs vi ..''
ye arc taking 10 a work which is whohy ne" "
8 and for which previous training anu n
DRY furnish us no prcceden;s 10 guioc Us ~ W.
ct,ou The undertaking Of this WORK IS no io"s''
matter OF choice 1t s thrust upon Us ny w
unstanccs ard for cur own sake ~ W" % "
he sake Of humanity. II must be woH oo'e
The ouostion what shall lie tho form OF govern
,cnt OF The new colonies Is one OF me mos' "'"
~. and coinullcafsd which We have bc'A c"''"
soIyo s,ncs the Reconstruction period at the
lose OF the Civil War Already we near V"'0'N
earring TIC that II will be III for us. indeed " We
low our new colonies with popu atiofS 'N"o.',
nd .culi-civiizcd in the main. 20 be ORGANIZED !"
uch n manner ha: some party exisehoy ne"'
u,ollv rosul, IN bringing them into the Union rs
,.o,cs II there were already In these colonies
Established legislative bodies, whose legitimate cN-
,,enco We were bound 20 recognize and TO whom
20 should have 10 yield p certain measure OF po"''
rom ,hc ncCirrnc. there might be great 'i'i'e',
ere; bat in view 90 tho method OF acqulSluo" u
ur new territory. I. seems that wisc an" cA,.
ullv considered Legislation by Congress on 'i'S
DIRT might lie effective in preventing the addi'ioh
noU S,a,os hcforo thor progress in civilization
,adc I, desirable or some restrictive consNtH'io""'
Incndment might be oractoG
7, sr~clv will not be disputed that upon the c's-
ion CO Porto Rico and such Other islah"S OF yer
lorv rs IS 20 he cedod directly TO MS the legal ue
. sroh territory will pass directly from the GOV
-nmen. Of Srs!n TO tho Government or the 'hi'ed
po.es Tho Declaration Of I1Gcncndence declares
ba. governments derive "thcir just powers from
be consent of the governed" The f&ct maj theIe
n, orec.ua! rogletancc TO government implies
ha. I, rules with the consent OF the governed Ai'u
bus ccsso7 Of territory By government I'M
lie. tho corecr, OF the inhabitants OF that TERRI
,ry 20 the form OF govcrnmon, established by me
atom 10 which L has beer coded unless they are
b,c effectively and empha;icall TO express gen
raj disecn, Upon the acquisition Of territory
ir lily coded 10 US Il thus becomes the rig I an"
MY OF the Governmec. OF the United states 70
s.ahNsa such form Of government as Is mos,
on.istcnt with Justice and eypedicncy and con-
.lc'vc 10 the peace ard wellbein OF the colonies
themselves our country and the world.
The following is suggested &c n general outline
pr - colonial government whore The territory has
cen directly acquired. This plan is simple In out
ne md ncxiiIc to details. and could be adapted
. Porto Rico. the Philippines dn whole or in paro
nd such other islands or groups Of Islands IN the
far East or West Indies might be coded TO or
ur.haaed by us. The executive. Legislative and
udi IA. functions Of government, TO be exercised as
ollows
First Fxecu.iyo-Dy the President OF the tni'ed
tafcs through his agent. the Governor-Gene:al.
D be appointed by the President subject to con-
rrra,.on by the Congress OF the United States.
s. cond-I.e eislativc-Hy the Congress OF the
,nicd States ana q Colonial Legislature or Coun-
H. as hereinafter set forth.
Thlrd-Iudical-Ry a system Of Federal courts,
prnl,ng part Of and modelled after the Judicial
ystcm Of the United States, with such territorial
r local courts as might seem advisable. The Su-
rene Court Of the United States 10 be the court
Z last resort Below this a court corresponding 10
Ciroui: Court of the United States. with juris-
sct.on extending over the entire colony Below
his in turn courts corresponding to District
Nth M
ed 10 prescribed judicial districts ,,,,
AS to the exercise Of the executive and JUDICIAL
her need be said here. The relation of our Ma
onal Congress 10 the Colonial LEGISLATURES or
Importance ana should be defined and regulated
rith the greatest care. In this connection the toi
' ErsiThe Congress Of the United States Nigh;
elegate to Colonial legislature as much h OF Cad s
ever grant any power authority not conferred
pom itself by Article l. Section s. Of the Constit1-
on of the United States or subsequent amend
SecondNThe prohibitions enjoined upon the Con-
ress Of the United States in Article J. Section >,
( the Constitution would be equally binding upon
j colonial legislatures.
,.atures in Article l. Section 10: Of the Consttu-
lon OF the United States would be equally binding
ron all colonial legislatures
Four,h-As a matter of fact there many
overs possessed BY Congress which /, could not
nd would not grant to any of the colonial legs-
A,ures The proposed system allows wide lati-
oIegated. To colonies where the average OF in
diligence Is high tust measure OF selt-gove er
granted by deieg@tng varied and extensive
overs TO their legislatures while TO those In
rcss OF ;he United States should reserve 10 Itself
much greater measure Of power, or PERHAPS
lake tho colonial legislatures merely small ad-
isory councils whose main object should be 10
yess of the United States
Fifth-The consress Of the United States would
he method OF selection of It's members Ia colonies
there the average OF intelligence is high. members
ab3b,e os aTse BY saqge or barbarans they
n!sht be nominated ~ the Governor General. o.
es 'os OF The subject 10 con-
rrnaton by the Compress Of the United States
hight be the most desirable II is suggested tina;
ach colonial Legislature consist Of a single body.
rant Il larser mscsure Of self-government 10 a
9'ny IN %r GO The
tho United States might make new grants of
over to the colonial legislature from time TO time.
turdy sclf-reliancc couId be developed in conjunc
"o,rer country Great Britain has wisely devcl-
ped her colonies Aliens this line and certainly her
ion should coUrncnd her methods
Is ;he schsne OF .governmeni Outlined above ap.
much more difficult and complex than those which
onocrn Porto Rico, and from our pre3' nj point OF
he Philippines The long continued state Of nsur-
ecton ind disorder upon that island. with the
ouch ~ which was owned by citizens Of tho United
ta,cs became NJ length such an intolera6le nul,
onco NJ our very dc or and the barbarites inflicted
~ Inc STANDARDS SO great O dag to civilization
hni this Nation was compelled 70 proclaim thu,
lnar!sh rule IN Cuba must cease forever and that
mia was hencefor'h and Of right ought 10 be
rec anl indcpcnden tbs innependcSncs Is at las,
nd Wiz enough to govern herself. We aeor in
ioror bound to permit her 10 make the trial but q
rrlhor continuance OF anarchy and disorder IN
hnr island VIC canno. and will not tolerate Should
nc Cuhans fall 10 establish n stable ana p.rma,
ION, government II will he the duty OF the Infec
,tafos 20 sec that government Is cstahlsneo
here Of such character as shall promise, me
most no-fcct Justice the greatest e1ciency ana INC
armament preservation OF peace and good order
I, Will he costly and disastrous mistake u w We
on,or n large measure Of self-government upon
inv colony or dependency whose inhabf2nts are
matted 10 exercise such powers wisely W" can
,ot afford 10 try any rash experiments In ms on
cc,ion The safest course Is to Inoye ,9rwa, r.
'noosrt non.nartlsan commissions. one FOR eact
froyin Of colonies ACQUIRED. the duty OF whicr