The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-18
TUESDAY DECEMBER is. 1900.
WHEN THAT DAY ARRIVES,
WHaIo


Bouldin. OF the Supreme Court OF Appeals
Of Virginia. say that no Congress ever
made such a radical change in the laws
of a conquered people as the Fourteenth
Amendment t. The Constitution of the
United States adopted after cur Civil War.
made in the institutions of the American
people This is true. That amendment is
a wonderful piece of constructive leSis-
lation that condcnses into a very brief
space more important principles of Cow
eminent than can be found IN the same
space anywhere else in the world
Amongst other things that it does ii fixes
and establishes the citizenship Of Ameri-
cans, both national and State-what had
been in a most uncertain condition before.
1T declares that '.all persons born or natu-
rallied in the United States and subject
10 the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of
the United States and of the State wherein
they reside"
When the Congress of the United States
enacted legislation after the Spanish war
that Disseminated unfavorably against the
inha5itants Of Porto Rico compared
with the inhabitants of the mainland OF
the United States. The Times at once took
the ground that Congress was attempting
TO enact legislation repugnant TO this
amendment to the Constitution, and we
had a number of articles pointing this
out. Our articles made little or 10 I'M
preston. however, because the people gen
orally have obstinately refused TO take
any cognizance whatever of the Four
teenth Amendment, and, although il is a
part Of their Fundamental LAM, in whose
name the Supreme Court Of the United
States in constantly avoiding and undoing
the work Of their Legislatures, they still
refuse TO make themselves acquainted
with 1t and learn that it is a Very magma
charta of their liberties and their personal
rights.
Some thoughtful men see the matter as
il is, however. Ex-PreSident Harrison
who is q lawyer of great ability and
thinker also. has Just delivered an address
To the Michigan University in which he
lays down precisely the propositions for
which The Time has been contendinc He
Saia AHas th0 ~ VI tdhlllS zorro IllCO
from Spain Incorporated the inhabitants
of the island with the population of the
United States and made them citizens of
the United States. entitled to every priv
ilege and immunity that any other citi-
zens OF the United States have, and tha,
IL was therefore, beyond the power of
Congress to enact any legislation what
ever that placed these citizens Of the
United States upon a footing less favora-
bile than other citizens of the United
States stood upon. This is the broad
Congress in respect to Porto Rico is TO
be condemned, except that much is TO be
said in behalf Of it as a temporary eXpe-
dent incident TO placing Porto Rico fairly
IN her position in the Union. while holding
the main principle steadily in view. That
this main principle will be announced
sooner or later by the Supreme Court of
The United States as fundamental Jaw we
have not the slightest doubt, and. when it
Is, we are anxious To see how those most |
anxious TO acquire The Philippines " IL re-
ceire it. For Il will mean that the ten
millions OF Ma!ays there may come and
go as they please TO and from the United
states and have all the privileges here
that any other Americans have When
anxious TO see and hear what will be done.