The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-20
THE STATUS. OF PORTO RICANs.
Important Question Raised In c BAL
timore Registration Omcc.


BALTIMORE. Nd. Sept. 4. Eth. ques-
tion OF the registration of two citizens OF
Porto Rico. Or. Francisco Vale and his
son, VINO have lived in Maryland for the
required twelve months. is exciting much
interest in legal and political circles
DR.. Vale presented himself for regis
tration in Baltimore yesterday In the
Sixth precinct of the Thirteenth ward.
He lives at 1913 McCulloh Street. and the
registration officers refused to register
him because ne had not heeE aaturalized,
although he filled all of the other-State
requirements for registration.
Mr.. Charles II. Carter. President of the
Board OF Election Supervisors, said today
that 1t was in no wise matter for the
board to settle and that before DIR. Vale
could be registered he would have 10 file
his petition in court and have it passed
upon Mr.. Carter said that the matter of
DR.. Wales registration involved very mo-
inentous questions and that he did not
think they could be passed on lightly or
oy courts or bodies of inferior jurisdIc-
tion.
Briery stated. the points are these: Is
d former citizen of Porto Rico citizen
OF the United States? The Constitution of
Maryland provides that a citizen of the
united States may become voter in
I
Tor one year. DIR. Vale has fulfilled the
latter requirement, and the question is
whether or not he Is citizen of the
United States, or does he have to declare
MS intention of becoming a citizen and
go through the naturalizing process like
all other aliens?
There are several points in the case
which are already under consideration by
the Supreme Court of the United States
tuga
whole question of the validity of the Porto
Rican tariff, and the other is the case
of citizen of Porto Rico who claimed all
the rights of citizen OF this country
before the custom house of New York.
II is hardly likely that any court will
attempt to decide the matter until the
Supreme Court renders a decision for on
this will depend the whole status of citi-
zenship OF Porto Ricans. There are three
important Supreme Court decisions which
bear on the subject Ore is the famous
bred Scott decision. delivered by Chief
Justice fancy on the status of the citizen
ship Of the negro after the emancipation;
another is the collection of cases known
as the Slaughter house cases." which
came Up from Louisiana. and the third is
the Indian case of Elk VS.. wilkins, in
which an Indian who had severed his tri-
bal relations and had gone 20 live in a
white settlement sought 10 be registered
without naturalization.
Lawyers generally in Baltimore reeeg-
nized what important complications were
brought up by DR.. Valles demand to be
registered, and were unwilling to give
curbstone opinions on the subject. Attor-
ney General Isidor Raynor. when seen to-
day, declared that the case was one Of
the most interesting which he had ever
known. He said.
The whole Porto Rican question. both
OF citizenship and the operation OF the
custom laws within its borders, is one OF
the greatest and most important contfo-
yersies which has ever been taken TO the
Federal courts The whole question will
be before the Supreme Court on the con-
stitutionality of the late act of Congress
and the status of the Inhabitants of Porto
Rico.
There is line OF Supreme Court au-
thorities, particularly the bred Scott de-
cision and the case Of Elk vs. wilk!n.
which bear eollaterally on the subject OF
course, If the two men who offered them
selves yesterday for registration are citi-
zeus of the United States, and have lived
in Maryland for twelve months, they are
entitled to registration: but whether they
are citizens of the United States or not
No one can tell until the Supreme Court
gives its decision and determines their
status.
Il am pretty veil satisfied in my own
mind of what they ought to be. They
ought to be counted as citizens of the
United States | do not believe in the
acquisition of foreign territory except IN
der the principle that il must be uiti-
mately brought under the law and.Con-
stitution of the United States. l follow
in the line of Chief Justice fancy in the
bred Scott decision. and il is just as sound
constitutional Law as it is sound Demo-
cratic doctrine The profession in this
country will await with anxiety and sus-
pense the decisions in the cases now be-
fore the Supreme Court in order TO see
whether the Institutions of this country
viii be revoIutionized or no."