The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-03

long as they are under oar control. AMI So
long as the flag floats there. he should sd-
vocate the extension to hose people Of
every right and immunity which the Iu-
habitsnts Of the States enjoy.
IT may be a debstable quest ion. h.
continued. with some persons whether
the Constitution follows The flag bu;
there ought not to be any doubt that the
Constitution dominates the Congress and
imposes upon its legislation each and
every restriction. ether the laws be
enacted for the States Territories. prov
inces or colonies. The flag may outsail
the Constitution. but Congress cannot get
away from he instrument nor from IN
der any OF its restraints. Its revenue
laws must be uniform throughout all ter
ritory over which the Congress assumes to
leEislste, there are in the instrument
neither exceptions nnr prOyiscs-n1r any
place for 'expediency'
Mr.. Bate maintained that the Demo
cratic party originated expansion along
the lines which added strength 10 our
national Resources. 90 and in the discussion
OF this sub ect said
The acquisition Of territory with the
purpose and qualification OF admission. IN
the future. into the Union Of States. is no
precedent for the acquisition Of territory
whose people are disqualified by every cir
cumstance and fact iu their character and
nature from ever becoming citizens Of a
State in this Union
Referring TO the subject OF the proposed
Porto Rican tariff Nr Bate said:
The debate Cu this bill has unveiled
the fact tha The Treaty OF Paris has given
Spain the same trade privileges that the
United States may use-free trade if there
lie f-s,sa - FaT III
States, while the favored nation clause
In our treaties with many foreign ma
lions stands ready 10 open wide the Phil
ippine door into the United States In
that dilemma this bungling treaty Il mean
no disrespect 10 its framersl has placed
the Republican party lt was that discov-
cry which FASTENED the sugar and tobacco
interests as advanced ccuriers to the COM
mittee room with the ultimalum OF m
more money for political campaign unless
q barbed wire fence Of duties was placed
around the industries which heretofore
have put so much money where it would
do the most good
Mr.. CuIlom's Argument.
The next speaker was Mr.. Cullom who
argued in support Of the bill After a
brief outline OF the events Of the past
three years. he expressed confidence in the
President and in The Commission about to
depart for the islands. and said that i,
would be time enough after peace was
fully restored in the Philippines. the COM
pleJe supremacy OF the Government Of the
United States recognized and after the
people had been guided IN their conduct OF
affairs for time. for Congress under the
Constitution, to step in and provide a civil
government FOR the people Of all the isl
snds OF the archipelago
'But.' he continued with Porto Rico
it is different. Its people are poor ig
norsnt and unfortunate their properly
having been largely destroyed or swept
away hr a great storm
Taking up provisions OF the Paris
Treaty giving Congress power to deter
mine the civil rights and political status
OF the native inhabitants Of the Ceded
islands. Mr. Cullom said that Congress had
as yet fixed no territorial OF other per
manent form Of government for Porto
Rico The island had been placed under
military government until Congress
should fix its status and establish d per
maneut government The pending bill pro-
vided civil government for the island
without extending the Constitution over
it, Ihe Constitution, be claimed could
not 60 there and enforce itself. He quoted
from the platform Of the first convention
of the National Republican party in 1856
the declaration that the Constitution con-
fers on Congress sovereign powers over
the Territories OF the United States for
their government and that Of the second
convention. THAT the new dogma thar the
Constitution of It's own force carries
slavery into any or al Of the Territories
of the United States is a dangerous po-
IFfHs4I nara-F z Variance FNfrh
plcit provisions of the instrument itself"
There was. he said. probably no more
explicit enunci8ton of principle to be
found anywhere than in these two plat
forms. lt was well 20 recall them now for
the reason that again the doctrine was
being urged shat the American Constitu-
tion hy its own force" extended over
every foot of soil owned by the United
States
That assumption he continued. was
q step toward the Justification Of improper
methods In Government and for years il
furnished the basis OF the arguments in
favor of the continuance and extension Of
human slavery in this country.
The Constitution has clothed the Con-
gress with The powers necessary for estab-
fishing Territories and TO make all need
full rules and regulations respecting them
and has given that body sufficient scope
within which TO exercise such powers.
Congress. not yet having determined the
status of Porto Rico. nor having enacted
a form OF government for it, and not
having made it a territory Of the United
States nor any form Of dependency. the
island has no defnahle status and possesses
only such municipal governmental quail
ties as may have been conferred upon il
by order OF the President Of the United
States under the War power. By this bill