The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1900-09-20
IS A FALSE ISSUE.
DEMOCRAT 8 HAVING TROUBLE
ABOUT IMPERIALISM

An Interview with Judge eEcAtee, o,
the o.kiahorna suprezns Court-Lsgal
Aspect of the QuestIora-Treaty OBJ
legations = DIshonorabie Inconsistency
An interesting and instructive inter
view with Judge John L. McAtee, as
sociate justice of the Supreme court of
Oklahoma, was recently printed in the
St Louis Globe Democrat Judge Nc
Atee has given close study to the legal
aspects of the issue of imperialism
as related to national history and the
past and present attitude of political
parties He has searched the records
of Democratic presidents and shows
that their position is distinctly OPP
posed to that taken by Bryan in his
speech of acceptance. Bryan's theory
is traced to Calhoun, and the South
Carolinian invented it to carry slavery
into the territories. Benton denounced
1t as new dogma. Judge McAtee's
exposition OF the subject is clear, log
zeal and convincing Judge McAtee
says that there were great many
declarations in the Bryan speech of
the principles of liberty with which
all Americans sympathized. but that
they were not applicable to the CON
ditions which had been presented TO
the government in the Philippine and
POSto Rican questions, but they We're
direct and logical application to the
subject When Mr.. Bryan undertakes
to deal With the facts = the judge said,
he does not include a consideration of
all the things which should be consid-
cred, and he omits to include some
things which should be included, and
he includes some things which are not
correct
Bryan-s False Position.
The reporter ITO what mar
ticularly. do you refer?s'
Well. take his proposition that the
Porto Rico tariff law asserts that it is
the doctrine of the Democratic party
that the operation of the constitution
is confined to the forty-fve states.
The Democratic party Mr.. Bryan says,
disputes this doctrine and denounces it
-as repugnant to both the letter and
spirit of our organic law
IF Mr. Bryan-s view is correct the
consequences would be very serious
and embarrassing to the government
because it would result that the inhab-
itants Of those territories, whether
cannibaI otherwise, would have to
be admitted to citizenship and the
right of suffrage 1t would necessarily
follow, also, that large portion of
our federal revenue would disappear
without remedy, by the frae admission
of vast quantities of the products of
very cheap labor, to which the ports
of the United States would, by such
an Interpretation, open, and would
cone into Immediate competition with
the products of American labor.
The United States, if this view We're
in fact correct. would probably have to
drop the islands, no matter what mo-
tiVes of duty or obligation. to other
lions or to the Filipinos who have been
friendly to us would dictate
<'Neverth eless, all the great leaders
of the Democracy are on record on the
other side of this question. Several
acts OF congress were passed, in 1903,
1904 and 1905, providing a territorial
government for Louisiana. 1t was pro
vided that the military, civil and jul
dicia1 power shall be vested in such
person and persons and be exercised
in such manner as the president should
direct for maintaining and protect
ing the inha bitants OF Louisiana in
the free enjoyment of their liberty,
property and religion The acts Of
congress passed for the territorial or
ganization of Michigan and Illinois, in
1905 and 1909, were in like terms
jefferson Against Bryan.
These acts, all approved by Thorn
as Jefferson as president. excluded the
idea that the people of the territories
were entitled to any constitutional
guarantees. The same course was pur-
sued under the administrations of
in 1872 1917, 1919 and 1922 acts were
passed for the establishment of terri
toria1 governments for the territories
of Oregon and Florida. The first act
of congress organizing the territory of
Florida provided that all military
civil and judicial powers shall be vest
ed in such person as the president
should appoint In 1886 con gress
passed an act providing government
for the territory of Wisconsin 1t was
thought that the laws of the United
States. so far as they were applicable
might be extended to that territory,
and this was accordingly done Presi-
dent Jackson approved the act of or
ganization-
Acts were afterward passed provid-
ing in like terms governments for the
| territories Of Iowa and Minnesota, dur
ing the terms of President Van Buren,
and President Polk, who approved and
signed them in 1S4S and 1849.
Consultation and Territories