The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-21
THE CASES SUBMITTED
Court Allows Ten Days For Filing
Further Brief.
THE TERM UNITED STATES DEFINED
II Comprises, AIdrich Declares, Our Great Re-
Public Composed Of States and Ter
ritories and the Constitution
Covers it Throughout.
[By the Associated Press.)

Washington, Dec. 20.--The closing argu-
ment in the Philippines-Porto Rico cases,
was made in the United States Supreme
court today and the cases were submitted
for the final adjudication of the court. The
argument was made by the senior coun-
sci in the Philippines case, Mr. Charles
Fl. Aldrich, of Chicago, former Solicitor
General He said it was remarkable that
the Attorney General of the United States
over 100 years after the great struggle
which founded the American Government,
should come into this court and assert a
taxing power more extreme than had been
asserted by the most ardent defend u s
of England's taxing power over the colo
MES.
Mr.. AIdrich spoke of the decision of
Justice Marshall in Lougborough VS..
Blake as of decisive Importance and he
summed up that decision as bearing on
the present conditions as follows:
That the power to tax levy duties,
etc, extends to the entire United States.
That the terms United States en-
braces our great Republic which is COM
posed of States and Territories.
THAT it is not less necessary, on the
principles of our Constitution, that uni
formity in the imposition of imposts,
duties and excuses should be observed in
the one than the other.
1T follows from the above that the
rights and obligations of the Territory
thus a part OF the United States and the
inhabitants thereof are measured anG
tested by the Constitution"
AS to the contention that the Philip
pines we're not part of the United
States, Mr.. Aldrich said:
eff the islands ceded by Spain are for
eign Territory then our Government
would have as it's commercial representa-
tives therein consus who would perform
the requisite Official acts prescribed by
our customs laws regarding shipments of
merchandise from any of these Islands
TO any part of the United States. II the
Philippines are not American then they
must still be Spanish. for it is not pre-
tended that any other nation foreign TO
the United States has acquired any SOW
ereignty over them nor is 1T pretended
that the Philippine Islands in the eye of
international law, occupy the status OF an
independent nation The Attorney Cen
erals Interpretation of the word SOW
ereignty," Mr.. Aldrich said, was that this
Government had right to do what any
ether nation does. This word had be-
come most popular since we entered upon
colonial policy But Mr.. Aldrich de-
oIared that the sovereignty of the United
States was one exercised under the Con-
stitution. and that we are in possession
of the Philippines and Porto Rico. it is
because of the powers given by the Con-
stitut:on.
Justice Gray asked if counsel held that
the Louisiana acquisition was unconstitu-
tional. Mr.. Aldrich answered that he did
not so hold. but Mr.. Jefferson did. and
the arguments of that day showed how
political influences affected final results
Mr.. Aldrich concluded with pereora-
tion in which he contended that the ex-
ercise of an arbitrary power, in the very
government established as a result of
resistance to such power. was contrary
to our principles, traditions, liberty and
Constitution.
The court allowed ten days for the
filing of a further brief.