Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-19
The Supreme Court Again Crowded
Today.
DISTINGUISHED SPECTATORS PRESENT
Argument on Status Of InsuIar
Possessions.
CASE OF THE GOVERNMENT

The United States Supreme Court again
was crowded today to hear the concluding
arguments in the cases Involving the status
Of Porto Rico and the Philippines. Among
those who secured points Of vantage in the
area reserved for the bar was Judge Day,
who as Secretary of State during the criti-
cal stages Of the war with Spain, and later
as head Of the American commissioners
who negotiated the treaty Of peace at
Paris was one of the most influential fac
tors in shaping the conditions now under
discussion before the court. Judge Day gave
attentive ear to the argument Of the At
torney General, which took UP the events
following the treaty of peace and maintain
ed the right of the government, pursuant
to that treaty and to the constitution to
follow the line of action which had been
taken in the cases relative to the Philip
pines and Porto Rico.
Near him sat former Secretary Carlisle
and other prominent members of the bar
and of the two houses Of Congress, while
the small circular area open to the general
public was filled with spectators.
The Attorney General Resumes.
Attorney General Griggs, who began the
governments presentation yesterday had
four hours remaining and the indications
were that he would consume practically the
entire day. leaving the close, by Charles II.
Aldrich, on the Philippine cass to be pre-
sented tomorrow. Mr.. Gr1ggs spoke in the
calm and argumentative style adopted yes
terday occasionally, however, throwing
great earnestness of voice and gesture into
the assertion Of the governments right TO
pursue the policy thus far taken.
Organized and UnOrsaHiEed Territory.
The Attorney General elaborated the
points enunciated yesterday. One Of these
to which special attention was given, was
the distinction between organized terri
tories and unorganized territory under the
jurisdiction Of the United States.
Justice Brewer had asked the Attorney
General to make clear his views on this
distinction.
Mr.. Griggs took up territory after terri
tory showing in each case that 1t (the ter
ritory) came under the operation of the
laws of the United States by an act of
Congress specifically extending the laws 10
the territory and not ex 5proprio vigore.
He said that while Rhode Island and Soutt
Carolina stood outside OF the Union they
were treated as foreign states, and when
they ultimately assented to the Union Con-
gress passed law extending the revenue
laws to them. =;
Vermont had, prior to It's admission as a
state, been q part of the territory belong
ing to the United States. If the revenue
laws were applicable to the territory OF
Vermont proprio vigore 1t was an act Of
supererogation to extend them to the state.
In the case of Louisiana, the Attorney Cen
of Jefferson were to the effect that in order
to come under the operation Of the laws Of
the United States those laws must be eX-
plicitly extended to new acquisitions. JEFF
ferson selected certain acts to be immed1-
ately extended and others to be extended
from time to time as might be found prac-
ticable.
Views of Three Presidents.
The Attorney General directed attention
In the instance Of the acquisition Of Flori-
da to the fact that three American states
men, Monroe, John Quincy Adams and An
drew Jackson, each of whom was elected
President Of the United States, united in
declaring officially that the Constitution
did not apply Of It's own force to territory
newly acquired by this nation by virtue Of
the act Of acquisition, but that such extern
sion must be accomplished by the action
Of Congress.
Mr. Griggs also specified the territorial
organization of Oregon. Missouri, Montana
and Wyoming, in each case showing that
Congress specifically extended the laws to
these territories.
Finally, as to the extension Of laws to
the territories, Mr.. Griggs said that by act
of Congress in 1874 Congress had expressly
extended the Constitution and federal laws
to the 'organized territories" and to every
territory hereafter organized" But the
act went no farther than "organized terri
tories" and could not be Interpreted to
mean that expanse Of country entirely I'M
organized.
The GuanO Islands.
Tie Guano Islands were cited In support
of the proposition that territory may be-
long to or be under the Jurisdiction of the
United States without being part Of the
United States. Over seventy different
Islands. keys and groups Of islands have
thus been taken possession of and made
for such special purposes the property of
the United States. They enjoy certain
States Supreme Court has recognized their
United States. @Ao