The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-09-21
rs A FALSE ISSUE.
DEMOCRAT s HAVING TROUBLE
ABOUT IMPERIALISM.

| ~ oSHA IN iiNN nv - -
ABOUT IMPERIALISM.
An Interview with Judge McAtce, OF
tho Oklahoma Supreme Court-Lcgal
Aspect OF the Question-Treaty OBJ
legations - Dishonorable Inconsistency.
An interesting and instructive inter-
view with Judge John l.. McAtee, as
soGiate justice of the Supreme court of
Oklahoma, was recently printed in the
st. Louis Globe Democrat. Judge Nc
Aztec has given close study to the legal
aspects of the issue of imperialism"
as related to national history and the
past and present attitude of political
parties. He has searched the records
of Democratic presidents, and shows
that their position is distinctly OPP
posed to that taken by Bryan in ss
speech of acceptance. Bryan's theory
is traced to Calhoun. and the South
Carolinian invented it to carry slavery
into the territories Benton denounced
it as new dogma. Judge McAtee's
exposition of the subject is clear, log
ical and convincing. Judge McAtee
says that there were a great many
declarations in the Bryan speech of
the principles of liberty with which
all Americans sympathized, but that
they were not applicable to the con-
ditions which had been presented to
the government iii the Philippine and
Porto Rican questions, but they were
worked in rhetorically and not with
direct and logical application to the
subject. when Mr.. Bryan undertakes
to deal with the facts the judge said,
"he does not include a consideration of
all the things which should be consid-
cred, and he omits to include some
things which should be included, and
he includes some things which are not
correct"
Bryan's False Position.
The reporter asked. ITO what, par
ticularly, do yon refer?'
well, take his proposition that the
Porto Rico tariff law asserts that it is
the doctrine of the Democratic party
that the operation of the constitution
is confined to the forty-five states.
The Democratic party, Mr.. Bryan says,
disputes this doctrine and denounces it
as repugnant to both the letter and
spirit of our organic law.
IF Mr.. Bryan's view is correct, the
consequences would be very serious
and embarrassing to the government,
because it would result that the inhab
itants of those territories, whether
cannibal or otherwise, would have to
be admitted to citizenship and the
right of suffrage. 1t would necessarily
follow, also, that a large portion of
our federal revenue would disappear
remedy, by the free admission
of vast quantities of the products of
very cheap labor, to which the ports
of the United States would, by such
an Interpretation, open, and would
come into immediate competition with
the products of American labor
The United States, If this view were
in fact correct, would probably have to
drop the islands, no matter what mo-
lives of duty or obligation to other ma
tons or to the Filipinos who have been
friendly to us would dictate
Nevertheless. all the great leaders
Of the Democracy are on record on the
other side of this question. Several
acts of congress were passed, in 1903,
1904 and 1905, providing a territorial
government for Louisiana. 1t was pro-
yided that the military, civil and jul
ticial power shall be vested in such
person and persons and be exercised
in such manner as the president should
direct for maintaining and protect
ing the inhabitants of Louisiana in
the free enjoyment Of their liberty,
and religion The acts of
passed for the territorial Or
ganization of Michigan and Illinois, in
1905 and 1909, were in like terms.
jefferson Against Bryan.
These acts, all approved ny Inom-
as jefferson, as president, excluded the
dea that the people of the territories
we're entitled to any constitutional
The same course was pur-
sued under the administrations of
lanes Madison and James Monroe, for
n 1912, 1917, 1919 and 1922 acts were
passed for the establishment of terri
.orial governments for the territories
If Oregon and Florida. The first act
If congress organizing the territory of
Florida provided that all military,
civil and judicial powers shall be vest
ed in such person as the president
should appoint In 1886 congress
passed an act providing a government
or the territory of Wisconsin. 1t was
thought that the laws of the United
States. so far as they were applicable
might be extended to that territory,
md this was accordingly done. Presi-
lent Jackson approved the act of or
yanization.
Acts were afterward passed provid-
NO in like Terms governments for the |