Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-04-07
FROM ARMY AND CAPITOL.
Governments Attitude on Puerto
Rican Question E'iAed-Notes.


tice has filed brief in the supreme court
which fixes the attitude of this govern
!nent on the question of whether the con-
stitution extends to the new possessions
of the United states. The department
of justice says 1t does not without act of
congress.
The case is that of Ramon Baez, a
native Lorn inhabitant of Puerto Rico,
who apples for leave to file petition for
writs of habeas corpus and certiorari to
secure his release from further inn
prisonment under a judgment of the
United States provisional court of Puer,o
Rico sentencing him to two months I'M
prisonment for illegal voting at a mu-
nicipal election held under the military
order. The prayer Is that the writ of
habeas corpus be directed to Samuel c.
Boutwell,, marshal of the provisional
court at Humacoa, p. r., commanding
him to produce Baez before the supreme
court, and that the writ of certioIaii
issue to the provisional court of Puerto
F.icO commanding it to forward to the
court transcript of the proceedings in
this case.
After reviewing the case the solicitor
general makes the following argument:
rs this military court and it's trooper
marshal within the territorial jurisdic-
tion of this court? Both are in Puerto
Rico. While that island has been ceded
to the United States, congress has as yet
taken no action toward organizing the
territory or applying to 1t the constitu-
tion and the laws of the United States.
The ultimate disposition and govern
ment of territory thus acquired rests
with congress under the power granted
it to dispose and make all needful rules
and regulations respecting the territory
or other property belonging to the United
States
Congress has not yet acted. The
president is therefore still in control,
acting through the war department. The
occupation is military occupation. The
so-called courts are the mere agencies
of the military power. Everything is
provisional and temporary. The depart
ment of justice of the United States is
not in operation in Puerto Rico. The
court has no jurisdiction of the case pre-
sented.'
Washington, April 5.-The senate yes
terday decided to take up the Quay case
today under the unanimous consent
agreement made on March 16. In ac-
cordance also with that agreement the
Spooner bill was made the unfinished
business, thereby bringing the Philip
pine question to a direct issue in the
senate.
There was an exciting scene in the
house as the climax of a discussion of
the Kentucky situation when Mr..
Wheeler, Kentucky Democrat, and
Mr.. Pugh, Kentucky Republican,
faced each other from opposite sides of
the main aisle and INDUCED in a wordy
duel. Mr.. Pugh charged Mr.. Wheeler
with misrepresenting facts. He was
laboring under great excitement. Mr..
Wheeler showed admira BILE temper. and
though quick to resent the fancied in
suit awaited the explanation of Mr..
Pugh, in which he disclaimed any in
tention Of imputing to him, personally,
IA desire to distort the facts. Through
out the debate, which was precipitated
by speech Of Mr.. Boreing, the other
Republican member from Kentucky,
there was an air Of suppressed excite
ment. 1t was the first time the subject
had been brOached in the house, and in
tense interest was manifested. Mr..
Lacey of Iowa concluded the debate with
a general denunciation of the Goebel law.
Washington, April 5.-To set at rest
stories that have been in circulation to
the effect that Captain Leary is to be
relieved of the naval governorship of the
island of Guam, because Of dissatsfac-
ton with his administration Of affairs,
the navy department says that the Of
ficer is to be relieved solely at his own
instance. 1t is also stated that the de-
partment Is more than satisfied with the
manner in which Captain Leary has dis
charged the difficult and delicate duties
conf1ded to his care.
Washington, April 5.-Juige Taft,
president of the Philippine commission
had a long conference with Secretary
Root yesterday and received the final
instructions to the commission. In cas- e
it becomes necessary to modify or add to
the instructions to the commission, such
changes will be forwarded to Judge Taft
at San Francisco. The instruction viii
not be made public until after they have
been finally submitted to the commits
sion in complete form.
Ponce p. r., April 5.-The Republican
municipal council has asked Governor
General Davis to cable to President Nc
Kinley a request for communication of
sentence passed by the Puerto Rican
supreme court on five murderers con-
demned to be garrotted. Three of the
five are Republicans. The people gen.
orally are in favor of having the sentence
carried out, owing to the revolving ma
ture of the crime, but the public execu-
toner refuses to act.
New York, April 5.-According to the
Washington correspondent Of The
World, the navy department has bought
the submarine torpedo boat Holland for
$3.50, 200, and will ask authority from
congress to obtain from eight to ten
Ponce, p. r.. April 5.-Much satisfac-
ton is expressed at the news that the
Puerto Rican bill has passed the United
States senate. Many are opposed to the
terms of the bill, but welcome any set
tlement that will tend to relieve the
present distress.
Verdict Was Quickly Reached.
New York, April 5.-The jury in the
case of James b. Kellogg, formerly OF
L. s. Dean & Co., last night returned
verdict of guilty as charged In the in
dictment. Kellogg, who has been on
trial for over two weeks, was accused
of grand larceny in connection with the
E. s. Dean case. The jury was out only
20 minutes. Kellogg was remanded for
sentence until next Monday