Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-03-01

the pleiue court put the matter above
question. John Marshall. as great a
jurist as ever sat upon the bench, de-
clared in the case OF Loughborough vs.. |
Blake that the rule of uniformity in |
the imposition of duties extended to the
territories. The fantastic theory which !
has been discovered by some modern
jurists within eighteen months holds
that this opinion Of Marshalrs was 2 |
mere dictum, and that the District of !
Columbia, in regard to which the deci-
sion was rendered, got under the con-
stitutiOn by some process which made
it different from mere territory. 4 third
Of century after the Loughboroush
case the supreme court again, when
California became territory. decided
that the rule of uniformity would ap-
ply to it. Here are two different decj-
sions, a generation apart, by our high
est court, each rendered when the
court was composed of entirely differ
ent justices, specifically holding that
the rule of uniformity in imposts ap-
plies to territories and those decisions
stand absolutely uncontradicted. And
yet in the face OF those decisions We,
who have taken an oath to protect and
defend the constitution, are asked to
| levy duties against an American terri
| tory. If congress is not bound by these
limitations against taxing unequany. it
is not bound by any limitation upon
its power in the constitution. The case
! Is conclusive so far as judicial author
| ity is concerned and when we regard
the circumstances out of what our gov
| eminent and constitution sprang. the
words of the taxing power and direct
| adjudication of their meaning, long
line Of authorities which deny the ex-
istence of absolute power in congress,
it is clear that the theory Of despotie
power is absolutely repugnant to our
| institutions. But we are asked to pass
! this bill because somebody has called
in question our constitutional right to
do it. But if you are going to pass I'M
! just measures merely to show your
strength, why not begin by shearing
your wolves, New Mexico, Arizona, and
Alaska, instead of shearing this poor
| little pet lamb of Porto Rico? We
have had one decision Of the supreme
court rendered in times Of great polit-
| lcal distress, that the black man had
no rights which the white man was
| bound to respect and this country was
deluged with blood to wash that deci-
sion from our laws. Now we are asked
to lay the foundation for moot case
with the weight Of congress behind 1T
and ask for another decision that the
white man and brown man of Porto
Rico are merely our chattels and that
the cOmmOnest constitutional right Sc
cured to the men that tread our soil
does not belong to them although they
are under our flag. We impose by this
bill certain per cent. of duties upon
goods passing to and fro, between that
island and this country How long will
1t be before some powerful interest
will demand that they be recognized
Representative of these interests vote
and elect members of congress- Porto
Ricans do not vote; they are merely
our subjects. Can there be any doubt
that the tax to be levied will be more
and more for the benefit of great inter-
ests in this country and the hapless
people that were told by our generals
that they were to receive the glorious
blessings Of American liberty, who
crowned our soldiers with wreaths, will
become the victims Of eXtortion rather
than sharers in our rreedom?" Mr.
Moody (rep., Mass spoke in favor OF
the bill. Mr.. Parker rep, n. j. made
legal argument in support of the reg
ularity of the proposed tariff and also
urged that it would prove of substantial
advantage to the island. Speeches were
made by Mr.. Wilson (dem., S. c.,
Lewis (dem., Ga.) and Spight (dem.,
Miss.) in opposition to the bill
| Washington, Feb 23-The senate
decided to take up the Quay case by a
vote of "a to o. At the conclusion of
Mr.. Daniels speech in favor of seating
Mr.. Quay, the Hawaiian government
bill was taken up and Mr. Morgan re-
sumed his speech. The following pairs
are announced: Clay with Lodge
lodge voting in favor of seating Quay
but against taking up the case now !;
Deboe with Mallory mo statement of
pOSItiOn); Frye with Berry (nO state
ment of position); Mcbride with Money
Mcbride against, Money fOr); Italia
feTro with Scott (both in favor Of
Quay; Taliaferro vOted); Thurst0n and
Allen (no statement); Seweli and Wei
lington (SewelI for); Plat of New
York and Heitford (Platt for).
Washington, Feb. 23-The debate
upon the Porto Rican tariff bill was re-
sumed in the house.
Washington, Feb. 24-Throughout
the session the senate had under
consideration the Hawaiian govern
ment bill. The discussion took
a wide range but the basis Of it was an
amendment offered by Senator Platt
(rep., Conn., as to the appointment and
tenure of Office of the judges of the
courts Senator Tillman
(dem., S. c. embraced the opportunity
to make a characteristic speech, in the
course of which he made an attack up
On Senator Morgan (dem., Ala, and |