The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-11-28
Of Tremendous Importance.
Tariff Decision May End the
Philippine Question.

SSo'e0 w AsSyS CuHW
man OF the house committee ou judiciary
Wbo was one Of the leaders 10 the hshl
for the Porto Ricao tariff bill. said
yesterday at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
that until tue test case brought ia
determine the constitution ality Of the
Porto Rican tariff was decided by the
Uoited States suprema court there
would be 90 Legislation by congress for
the Philippines
THAT deoisiou," he said, evil! show
us whero We stand aud We can then
proceed inselligeusly. II the court
sustains the republican contention tba,
Porto Rico is not q part of the United
States. bot territory belong,og 10 the
United States, aod that. therefore, the
constitutional provisions for uniform
taxation throughout the Uoi,ed States
does oos apply to Porto Rico, of course
the same will bold good with regard TO
the Pbilippices, We can then franc a
tariff bill! for the Philippines wbich will
provide the necessary revenue for tho
government of the Philippines on
progressive lines. and also sfford the
necessary Profession to on. own manu-.
faoturers aod labor 4"
"What II the decision of ,be court
sbould DO that the Porto Rica1 tariff is
unoonstitutiooal and that Porto Rico is
. part Of toe Uoited States? 2"
III suoh should be the decision Of
the court it might neoessitste our bav.
ing TO give up the Philippines. We
are bound to the open door 10 the
Philippines. That means that the
products Of oil nations osu como into
the Philippines on the Same basis a.
our own. II We cannot raise o tariff
against Philippine products coming into
the United States. then our labor
would be brought into oom petition With
the chssp labor Of the Orient. II that
coalition should come about we might
feel that our interests would demand
oas wishdrswal from the Philippines
"Fcr myself l have no doub. % to
What the decision Of the Supreme Court
will be. ! am confident that the court
will sustain the contention that the
sonstitusioo does not 90 toto Porto Rico
and ths Philippines Of its own force, |
Aod that they can be held a. s,ri,ory |
Belonging to the United States. II the |
decisioo shsuld be sgainsi us I feel |
'ertsiu II will be BY Q divided COURT"
"Do you think the result Of the
sesss election will have sny influence
10 tho court 10 its dstsrmina,iou of the
ase Z"
"WslI. thors 10 always . tendency to
upport The popular oonstitusiop--ihst
humao nature. Bot, of course. the
ourt will not allow itself to be swsyed
y the popular verdict 10 favor of keep.
e the Philippines II is for the
ours to pass upon the eonssitutiooali,y
laws passed BY congress, snd the
os't osopos delsRste It's authority to
be people. II it did ibe people might
sverse their verdict st the ncxs election
I'd tie court would have 10 change
itb them. procasdiOg WHICH. il fol
wed often. would not add TO The gen.
rsl respect for tho court as . judicial
ibuasl.
''lt Vas the Philippine problem
hiob se saw looming up 10 the future
bieh led us to frame ibe Porto Rico
'ri6. IL We had not taken the posi-
OF &c did with regard to our oew
when We did. No would
ave bad TO make the same 6ght wbeo.
YER We started TO legislsts for the
'bilippines. Nov, it the Supreme
ours sustsins the Porto Riosu tariff
70 will know just where vs. stand with
ssard TO the Philippines aad can scr