The times., 1900-12-22

/ sense OF reverence 10 lead one 10 refrain
from curbing the extravaganza of harm
! full system because it is dubbed Chris
/ tian."
Nr. Harrison aud the Constitution.
The Hon. Benjamin Harrison objects to
/ the reports of his Ann Arbor lecture
which have appeared in the American
/ press and thinks that they do not do him
I sufficient justice in showing that it was
not legal argument he intended to make,
! but only popular and academic discus
! sion of a matter very much in the public
mind. to which he desired to contribute
his views.
General Harrison is entitled to assume
whatever position he pleases in the mat
! ter, and we shall not find fault with it.
/ He will not forget, however. that. as an
I ex-President of the United States. and as
a man who, we think, is justly regarded
as one of the foremost constitutional law
yers of the country, anything he may have
said or may say will be regarded by the
American public as of more Importance
than ordinary moot court debates or com
students.
There are several reasons for this con-
ception. General Harrison presents in
his personality an illustration of the fact
that a leading citizen may be thoroughly
respected by the mass of his fellow-coun-
ytrymen without being liked. He is a man
of narrow prejudices in some directions.
When he was President he was RESPONSE
BILE for a great wrong in fostering the
Lodge Force bill, the very menace of
which ruined untold thousands of Ameri-
cans in all parts of the country by de-
stroying financial confidence in the just
then awakened industrial movement in
the South. Nevertheless, his Administra-
tion, as far as he personally was con-
cerned, was free from scandal, and he re-
tired to private life with the reputstio
of an honest man. Neither directly nor
indirectly could he ever be said to profit
from his position, save in his saving what
he could of his lawful salary. His man
ners were offensive. He made social en-
emies of the people with whom he came
in contact; but we have never heard OF
anyone however offended or incensed by
his hillary manifestations who did not
give him credit for being straightforward
and patriot according 10 his lights.
General Harrison's lecture at Ann Ar
Dor speaks for itself. We do not see any
material difference between its text as
wired to The Times and the version
which he has now authorized. He is
anxious, it appears. TO have it known
that he suppressed his opinion in
connection with the effort of the Admin
istration to abrogate the Constitution of
the United States in our new possessions
until they could be no longer effective in
creating sentiment which might be dis
astrous TO his party in the recent Presi-
deatial election. How far this attitude was
consistent with conscience we-shall not
stop to enquire al this time. 1t is obvious
that General Harrison believed the Han
ma Mckinley Administration TO be de-
parting from right principles" and that
it had fagrantly violated the Constitu-
tion. Still he would not make any for
NAL remarks in public which might in
jure the chances OF the same Constitu=
ton -trampling Administration in its ef-
fort to secure a new lease of power.
Understanding the mental process of
General Harrison as well as we do, we
are not surprised at his position; but
that is a matter OF small moment Il is
as cool, scholarly, and completely com
petent master OF constitutional law that
we wish TO regard him. From that view
point We are able to give his utterances
the respect that the Administration does
with fear and shame.
What the subject of this article said
at Ann Arbor can be reviewed In a few
words. His argument would have passed
without comment or the shadow OF dis
approval four years ago. He only took
that stand upon the Constitution that
every American sehoolboy was taught 10
take before the Spanish %ar. He held that
the civilized Inhabitants of the Territories
were citizens OF the United States, no |
matter whether they happened TO live in |
the District OF Columbia, in Porto Rico |
Alaska Arizona New Mexico, or Okla |
hardly be classed as the ex-Presiden;s |
peer al tnt DAT, thhts q uldmetTlcally pp- |
posite view, and contends that only citi- |
zens OF States are citizens of the United |
States and that whatever rights or privi- |
leges inhabitants OF territories may be |
endowed with by Congressional enact
ment are extended TO them by the volun-
tary grace OF the legislative and execu- |
tive branches of the Government, and, |
therefore, may be withdrawn at will by |
the granting powers.
General Harrison took the only ground |
possible-with any respect for sense or |
logic-in declaring that it is now too late |
to argue the question whether the racial |
or other characteristics of the Philippine |
natives make them desirable additions to |
the population OF the United States. They |
are within the territory and under the |
flag. sovereignty. and jurisdiction of the |
United States, and hence under its Consti- |
tuition, which shows us no way TO get rid |
of peoples once shadowed by the Stars and |
Stripes The Treaty of Paris, General |
Harrison asserted, and all other treaties |
were subject TO the Constitution, and |
could not impair II, and '1f these islands |
became part OF the United States. in the |
sense OF the Constitution, their people be- |
came citizens. and the revenue clause. !