Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-04-06


now considering. Thus we are proposing to
| treat the possessions of other countries better
| than our own, and discriminating among our
own possessions Verify, the American PEG
pie will not stand indianapolis News
! Rep.
Senator Edmuntls on Porto Rico Tariff
During his speech in the senate last
week Senator Proctor had read the fol-
lowing letter received by him from for
mer Senator George F. Edmunds:
My DEAR SIR: have yours of the 2Oth
instant, and, both as an American citizen
and an original and constant Republican,
am very glad to learn that YOU are OPP
posed to legislation having the effect of
! imposing on the people of Puerto Rico
/ (whether we cali them citizens or sub
/ i .cts of the United States any kind of
revenue burden or benefit that is not
common to the whole people of the
( United States. Any such measure, If
enacted, will. believe, be unique in our
! whole history. 1t will initiate and par.
! allel the acts of the British Parliament
which forced our fathers to just resist.
ance and revolution, and led them to es-
tablish Constitution which in studied
! and explicit terms forbade any such dis.
/ elimination.
know that there are many gentlemen
| engaged in public affairs whose intelli-
gence and patriotism are above question
who believe that our constitution does
not embrace the territories, and that as
to them the president and congress pos
sess the same omnipotent powers that
the British crown and parliament have
always possessed over their possessions.
| v hIle think that position Is untenable
? of la no pH
action is still less defensble viewed in
the light of those principles of liberty.
Justice, and equality of rights we all pro-
fesS to believe in. and which. whether
we believe in and practice or not. are
still living and will live and bear fruits
more and more among men, in spite of
all the tyrAnts-V ell-meaning or other.
wiSe-in the world.
need not weary YOU by referring to
the often stated arguments on the gen
eral subject, but | will mention one AS
pect of it which. so far as have noticed
has not been particularly advPrted to-
Congress is the creature of the constitu-
ton and not the reverse. \ law passed
by congress is its creation. mere eX-
preston of its will, which it may repea
or change at pleasure. If. therefore as
Stunning that the constitution does not
exist in Puerto Rico, congress were tC
enact a statute declaring that the present
constitution shall be extended over anC
be in force In that island, the consttu
ton gets its only force there by the vir
tue of tn statute. 1t is statutory con
sti ution and nothing else, and a repea
of the statute would eXtinguish it.
But the constitution as such, ] suppose
all admit Is not subject TO the control @
congress. either TO enlarge or diminish
to expand or contract, or to be applied tt
or withdrawn from any people or place
. 1t is not movable thing. like the Ark o
the Covenant of the Israelites. 10 be Sc
up and moved here or there, as thu
tribes might wander. II is the actua
? event and condition and not the legsla
tive or executive will that must in tn
nature of things determine the status o
Il man or country under il.
The Instances in which congress In
} declared in statutes organizing territorie
l that the constitution and laws should b.
, ia force there are no evidence that the
were not already there, for congress am
all legislative bodies have often mad
: enactments that in effect merely declar
. existing law. In such cases they declar
a pre.eXiSting truth to ease the doubts o
casuists. Puerto Rico and it, peopl
came under the sovereignty of the Unite
md mini, sll will agrec thar If an
part of the people of the island levie'
war against the nited States or adhere
, to our enemies, etc, they would be guilt
, of treason. But treason is al eXclusivel
/ defined constitutional crime, and it ca
D t,,tio, ,hat dnG,os - !, 49, tor,. tioro
Anart bowaver from considnration
90 fr ,'' ANAL ia,( fnr an oh
ava aIIngionca IN dnr nag of Iihnrtv an
r. ;nsticn ,hern ara ~ soonHs to mo oth r
t ,or,, o,oiahtv and oon,nard;nn roason
',tty, wa sshn11ld ,raot tiinmn~'in',e p',ort