Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-01
WELVE PAGES
THURSDAY. JUNE l. 1899.
POLICY VERSUS POWER.

To admit that n free country can hold
sway over subjects is to admit an i'm
possibility. The idea of our annexins
territories and treating their inhabi
tants precisely as we treat the Chinese
Is preposterous; and yet absurd as the
idea seems. the administration evident
~ does not regard 1t as out of the Ques-
ton. What are the Porto Ricans and
Tillpinos ?-Norfolk Landmark.
Why jump into n hole like that. when
one Is not blinded, nor compelled. and
nothing is to be gained by 1t? Were we
of the South. and all the citizens of
the Union. not all free people. although
we had slaves-actual slaves-who were
not citizens at all?
In the very first article or our consti-
tuition there are several sorts and de-
grees of people recognized amoug our
inhabitants: Representatives and di-
rect taxes shall be apportioned among
the several States according
to their respective numbers, which shall
be determined BY ADDING TO THE
WHOLE NUMBER or FREE PER
SONS, including those bound to service
for term of years, and excluding In
dams not taxed. three nfhs of ALL
OTHER PERSONS" That is "all other
persons" not free.
Article ~. section II. OF the Federal
Constitution also recognizes persons
and inhabitants of the United States
who are not free, nor citizens: NO
person held to service or labor in one
State, under the laws thereof, escaping
into another, shall. In consequence of
any law or regulation therein. be dis
charged from such service or labor, but
shall be delivered up on claim OF the
party to whom such service or labor
may be due"
1t may be urged that our constitution
has been so amended as 70 abrogate
all that; but it is still required that a
citizen OF the United States must be
"born or naturalized in the United
States, and subject to the jurisdiction
thereof"-urdcr which there are many
points yet 20 be adjudicatcd unless set
tied by the terms of some treaty, or ar
ticles of acquisition or cession, but all
citizens OF the United States, not citi-
zens of States of this Union, arc
subjects OF the United States, under Ar
ticle w., section III. as follows 1.-THE
Congress shall have power 10 dispose OF
and make all needful rules and regu-
lations respecting THE TERRITORY
or other property belonging TO the
United States" The guarantee of q Re
publican form of government extends
only to the States and their citizens.
There is certainly no "impossibility'
In free countrys holding sway over
SUBJECTS" as shown by our ante bellum
history by the history OF the Roman Re
public and by the current experience OF
England and other nations. Yet il is
still true. that a nation cannot continue
part free and part slave or subject. 1t
will become ali free, or all slave or
subject, practically, IL not formally
Yet. however unjust 1t may be to hold
subjects at all, it Is not AT all "pre-
posterous," but the most natural thing
in the world. and in pursuance OF all
precedent from the earliest ages. 1t may
be even justified in come cases; as It
would be In the case of the F'ilpinos. if,
instead of being our faithful and eff
cient allies in the war with Spain. they
had played the part toward us OF the
Barbary pirates ut the beginning Of this
century. and we had been forced, in
self-defence, to conquer, subjugate and
rule them. THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
from the very first of this discussion
over our Filipino policy, has Insisted
that as far as right and power so in
o