Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-21

10Y Telegraph TO Nirginidn- Pilot.)
Washington, Dec. 20--The closing ar
gument in the Philippines Porto Rico
cases was made in the United States
Supreme Court to-day and the cases
were submitted for the final adjudica-
ton of the court. The argument was
made by the senior counsel in the
Philippine case, Mr.. Charles II. Aid
rich, of Chicago, former Solicitor Gem
eral He said II was remarkable that
the Attorney General of the United
States. over one hundred years after
the grent struggle which founded the
American government, should come in
10 this court and assert taxing power
more extreme than has been asserted
oy the most ardent defenders of Eng
lond taxing power over the colonies.
JUSTICE MARSHALL'S DECISION.
MI. Aldrich spoke OF the decision Of
Justice Marshall i'll Loughborough VS..
Blake as OF decisive Importance and
he summed up that decision as bearing
on the recent condition as follows:
1nat the power to tax levy duties,
etc. extends to the entire United
States. That the term Omitted States
embraces our great republic. which is
composed of States and Territories"
That IT is not necessary on the
principles of our constitution that uni
iormity in the imposition of imposts.
duties and excuses should be observed
in the one than in the other. and 1t fol-
lows from the above that the rights
and obligations of the territory thus
part of the United States aud the
inhabitants thereof are measured and
tested by the constitution"
a CONTENTION ANSWERED.
AS to the contention that the Philip
pines were not part of the United
States Mr.. Aldrich said:
IF the islands ceded by Spain are
foreign then our country would have
as its commercial representatives
therein consuls, 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 If the Philippines are not
American then they must be still
Spanish, for it is not pretended that
any other nation. foreign TO the Uni
ted states has acquired any soyer-
eighty over them, nor is it pretended
that the Philippine Islands, in the eve
of international law, occupy the status
of an independent nation.
THE CONSTITUTION.
The Attorney Generals interpreta-
ton of the word Sovereignty" Mr..
Aldrich said, was that this government
has right to do what any other nation
does. This word had become most
popular since we entered upon a colo
NAL policy. But Mr.. Aldrich declared
that the sovereignty of the United
States was one exercised under the
constitution. and that If we are in the
Philippines or Porto Rico it is because
of the powers given by the constitu-
ton.
Justice Gray asked If counsel held
that the Louisiana acquisition was un-
constitutional.
Mr.. Aidrich argued that he did not
so hold but Mr. Jefferson did and the
arguments of the day showed how
political influences affected final re-
suits.
CONCLUSION
Mr.. Aldrich concluded with a peroa-
ton. In which he contended that the
exercises of an arbitrary power. in the
very government established as n re-
suit of resistance to such power, was
contrary to our traditions. liberty and
constitution.
The court allowed ten days for the
filing of further brief.