Evening star., 1900-02-08
Republicans in Congress Not Fright
sned by It.
POLICY As 10 INSULAR POSSESSIONS
Discrimination From Other Por-
tons Of U. S. Territory.
EFFECT IN MPAIG

1Ae cry OF tmpeftallSm no longer mas
any terror in it for the republicans in Con-
gress. There is no longer anything tenta-
tive in their policy with respect to our
island possessions. There has heretofore
been much that was uncertain, if not cha
ottc, as to the exact form the policy should
take. With an agreed purpose to maintain
the sovereignty of the United States over
all the acquired islands, conflicting inter-
ests and opinions as to the manner in which
this should be done have delayed that open
forward movement which would relieve the
situation of all doubt. The most disturbing
question in the formation of a policy of
perpetual sovereignty has been what could
be done with the new possessions under
our system of government set down in
the Constitution. Very decided objections
nave been raised to the extension of consti-
tutional rights and privileges to the new
possessions as to other parts of the territory
OF the United States. There has been con-
melting counsel on this subject, some OBJ
Jecting that neither the conditions of the
islands nor the character Of the people
suited them to revenue laws uniform with
those Of the rest of the country nor quali-
ned the people for the enjoyment of full
citizenship, while Others holding that the
Constitution would apply alike to all terri
tory of the United States, argued their
fears that If an attempt were made to dis
territory it would give some color of JUS
uce to the assertion of the democrats that
the expansion policy of the administration
also involved imperialism.
The Policy Declared.
After discussing the matter from every
point of view the party in Congress has
decided to deal with 1t in a way to recos-
nize the distinctive character of the ac-
qutred possessions and to assume that
there is no constitutional inhibition. The
small customs duty between the United
States and Porto Rico decided on by the
committees of both houses of Congress is
designed simply as precedent to establish
the prlrclple OF discrimination that it may
be applied. to whatever extent deemed ex-
pediert, in fixing the status of the Philip
pine Islands. 1t is a recognition that the
conditions existing in the Philippines do
not admit OF their being put upon the same
footing with territories on this continent.
The wisdom of raising this question at
this time is doubted by many who believe
mat the PRESIDENTS policy of avoiding it
oy giving Porto Rico free trade as a con-
cession, without raising the question of
constitutional right would be far wiser
under the circumstances; but at the same
time, there will probably be no resistance
from republicans of the policy decided on
The democrats and all the anti-adminis-
tfaton forces are quick to take adyan-
tage OF the opportunity, offered and are
preparing to argue before the peonIe IN
support of their policy of Limitation. that
the republicans find it necessary to abro-
gate the Constitution in order to expand,
and that the government of acquired ter
r:tory as colony or possession outside the
provisions of the Constitution, is imperial
ism. This will be the foundation for the
position recently indicated by Mr.. BRYAN
ana which is to be generally assumed by
democrats, that there must be discrimina-
ton between Expansion and Imperial
ism,' and that they do not oppose expau-
SION except where 1t is impossible without
mouiIy1ng constitutional construction and
adopting system of imperial colonial gov
ernment.
The Democrats Rejoice.
Some feel that it is a blunder in tactics
to give the anti-expansionists an oppor-
tunity to get from under the policy of op-
posing progress and to accentuate their op-
position to imperialism as a distinct thing
aboVe and beyond the question of acuuir-
ing territory, remote near. The demo-
crats nave heretofore found great difficulty
IN showing wherein expansion involved i'm
perlal1sm. Therefore, they are rejoiced to
point to the proposed Porto Rican legisla-
ton and say that the republicans want
to make 1t a possession of the United
States yet not part of the United States,
and that they disregard the Constitution
and the principles Of this government in
doing.
sustained that it is a violation of the Con-
stitution to collect customs duties between
the United States and any of it's territory
after civil government has been established.
the movement to establish the right gives
the democrats chance to make an argu-
ment more popular than opposition to the
acquisition of territory.
The republicans, however, are clearly de-
termined not to evade the question, but to
boldly contend that the Constitution cannot
interfere with our holding and governing,
with complete sovereignty, territory which
does not come within the terms of the fed
erai compact between the states of the
Union.
1t was not necessary for them to raise the
question now, since the small duty proposed
to be collected on Porto Rican goods is too
Insignificant to have in it any of the quality
of protection. Free trade with the island
could easily have been established as a
matter OF policy, as suggested blythe Presi-
dent and Secretary of War without com
promising any contention for the right
to discriminate between the Philippines and
other territory of the United States 1t has
been determined, however, to declare the
principle at this time, and in doing SO the
expansion question in the campaign this
fall will be broadened greatly beyond the
acquisition of territory, and the constitu-
tional question may even become overshad-
owing.