Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-12-27
HARRISON'S GREAT SPEECH.

New York Evening Post.
"What shall we do with our ex-
Presidents?" This much mooted ques-
tion received practi,a answer from
one of them last night In carefully
prepared sneech Benjamin Harrison
utilized the dignified and influential
position which he holds as an ex.
President to reassert the fundamental
principles of the government which he
administered Tor four years, and to
recall the nation to a sense of Its
obligations as u republic.
MIR. Hari ison's speech, which was
delivered in the Michigan University
town OF Ann Arbor, was upon the re-
lation of "our new possessions and
their inhabitants to the United States,
and especially upon the question
whether the Federal Constitution ap-
plies to Forto Rico and the Philippines.
We publish elsewhere q report which
gives its salient points, and we do not
need to urge It's careful perusal. Every
intelligent man is interested to know
what an ex- President thinks about o
policy pursued by President III office
when it involves such important issues
as that ad Jpted by the Mckinley Ad
ADMINISTRATION toward Porto Rico and
the Philippines. Mr. Harrison was
perfectly frank in the presentation of
his views, which were expressed with
great clearness and force.
AS to the legal questions involved,
Mr.. Harrison holds that the Consti-
tuition follows the flag; that as Porto
Rico and the Philippines are parts of
the United States, the fundamental
law of the republic applies to them an
much as to any other parts of the
United States. The ex President is as
able Constitutional lawyer, who has
the faculty OF making his points 80
clear that everybody can see them
and his argument that the Constitution
applies as whole everywhere, not such
| portions as a President or Congress
may choose to apply in one or another
| section, appeals irresistibly to the
mind of the candid layman.
The ex-Presidelt does not minoe
words in combating the theory that
the Constitution applies only to the
the States, and not to the Territories
a theory which consistent Imperialistf
have carried to its logical conclusion
by claiming that Arizona and New
Mexico, like Porto Rico and the
Philippines, are outside the protection
of our great national charter, anc
subject to Congress acting, as Mr..
Harrison puts 1t, under no restraint
except what interest and benevolenct
impose" This view Of the American
Constitution the ex-President fatty
declares to be shocking. ~
The theory that the Porto Ricani
and the Filipinos will be sufficient,
protected by the "benevolence" o
their rulers at Washington-in othe
words Mr.. McKinley's policy o
benevolent assimilation treatet
with oontelnptuous ridioule ant
righteous indignation. 1.-THE man VIII,
has to rely upon benevolence for hi
laws is a slave" bluntiy says Mr.
Harrison. He points out that the tel
tax against which our forefathers pro
tested was not oppressive, but tina
they objected to 1t on the ground tina
the British government had no right t,
levy it. He asserts that it was
mookery to raise the flag in Porto Rio
while the governor stood under it an,
read proclamation that the island /
outside the Constitution and unde
Congress,
The hypocrisy OF the pious claim tina
has been put forth in behalf of th
policy OF conquest il exposed with re
lentless severity. Mr.. Harrison assert
that condition has been created con
trary to liberty for commercial profit
and says that he has been told that tn
Porto Rican Tariff Law was passed t
protect the beet.sugar inter ests. H
wakes sarcastic when.he talks of tn
alleged duties that Providence ha
imposed ON this country" remarkin
that we are carrying the white man
burden, hut that he has noticed tina
this means to carry the black man
gold.
1t is,hardly too much to say that thi
is an epoch making speech. Everything
consEires to give the utterance dignit
and weight. 1t comes from an OK
President, who is reserved by natur
and who has spoken on public ques
tions but seldom since his retiremen
from office. 1t is solemn, earnest an
indignant protest against the policy @
a Republican Administration from
man who is by instinct strong parti
san. and who has always been loath I
Condemn the political organization
with which he has acted ever since il
origin. This ringing Cry for the main
, tenance of the republics principles
forced from BENJAMIN Harrison beeaus
he is a patriot, the descendant Of a ma
who fought to establish the Constitu
tion, himself soldier in later war {
maintain that Constitution, and a
much believer in the principles {
, that instrument as his ancestor was |
the last century or he himself genera
, tion ago.
Mr.. Harrison's deliverance ia by "a
/ the most effective gun that has bee
| fired in the campaign against Imperia
! ism since the development Of Nc
kinley's policy began to arouse apprt
! tensions among thoughtful men.
! assures more vigorous prosecution {
j the warfare against that policy tina
a was possible while a Presidents
election was pending. Mr.. Harrison
, like Congressman Mccall, Senate
Hale, and other leading Republican d
, we'll as hest of lesser men in the part
/ and large number of Independent
' equally opposed to Imperialism, fe
4 constrained to make an end of Bryar
ism in the recent campaign. The
abated not one whit their opposition 1
Imperialism, and as Mr.. Mccall
speech in Congress the other day ha
s alrs Idy shown, they mean only to n
: double their efforts against this rel
t nicious and dangerous system, now tht
9 Bryanism is disposed Of.
: No question Is ever settled until 1t
settled right. The great question befoI
|, this nation will never be settled unit
I - l.