The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-15
SUNDAY. APRIL Is, 1900.
Tu1, T1;UE VIEW oFTHE CASE.

We doubt very much if the Supreme
Court of the United States will permit
the Porto Rlcan. tariff act TO remain a
law, although II is nov on the stature
book and as much law as 1t is possible
for Congress TO make ii. This beng SO,
II may be thought a waste OF time 10
saw anything more about it. but now that
The money standard is established it in
wolves the most important considerations
that have been before the American peo-
ple since the issues of the civil war We're
1,ntier consideration. The question really
is, whether we are to remain consdtu-
tional republic. or whether we are to
pass under the sway Of imperialism when
a dictator or an oligarchy may brush the
Constitution aside at pleasure. The sur
!irisinE thing 10 us is that the true con-
sidcrations involved in this matter are
not appreciated by the people at large
These considerations are crystallized in
that great imminent of our rights, the
Fourteenth Amendment 10 the Coastitu
ton OF the United. States, but sad though
II be, the people of the United States have
never come TO have the faintest appre-
citation OF the nature and character of
that Magma Charter Of the citizens rights
and liberties. Whilst that amendment
PIT Into definite language the rights and
inlmunities of citizens of the United
States, these rights and immunities had
really existed by virtue of inherency from
~ i,a,,,,.,;,,, ~ aor ,ont,l,lin I. &c trI1n
That prior to The civil WAR eminent states
men and jurists had protested that there
was no citizenship of the United States.
except as an individual was a citizen Of
his State. But that theory had been just
as resolutely denied by statesmen and
iurists. and there had been no decision
of the controlling authority. the Supreme
Court of the United States. The bred
Scott case had decided that no person
of African descent should or could be-
come a citizen Of the United States; that
such 2 person was, In effect. a chattel and
not human entity, but it did not hold
that white men were not citizens of the
United States, and the very judge who
delivered the controlling opinion in the
bred Scott case, that great jurlst, Chief.
Justice Tancy, had already declared that
every white man In America. wherever
nc resided. whether In Territory or in a
State. was a citizen of the United States,
endowed with certain inalienable rights
and privileges as such citizen. In the
1.aggeneer eases. 9TH Howard. he had
said: Living. as we do under common
government, charged with the great con-
Germs OF the whole Union. every citizen
Of the United States from the most re-
mote States or Territories is entitled to
free access. net only TO the principal de-
l.artments established al Washington, but
also to lis sudiciel tribunals and public
offices. in every State and Territory of
the Union: and the various provisions in
the Constitution of the United States
such. for example, as The right 10 sue in
Federal Court sitting in another State,
The right 70 pursue and reclaim one who
has escaped from service, the. equal priyi-
ieees and immunitics secured 10 citizens
OF other States, and the provision that
vessels bound 20 or from one State to
another shall nc, be obliged 10 enter and
rlear or pay duties--all prove that j; in
tended to secure The freest intercourse
Z betwee,i the citizens of the different
States. for all Of the great purposes for
which the Federal Government was form
ed. we are one people with one common
country. We are all citizens Of the
United States. and as members of Gle
same community. must have the right to
pass and repass through every part OF it
Nd.hon; interruption as freely as in our
own States And a tax imposed by a
State for entering its territories or har-
bors lis inconsistent with the rights which
belong TO The citizens of ether States as
members OF the Union. and with rhe OBJ
5eess which that Union was intended 10
All ai,,.s. This was from the Beginning
seandation principle Of our insil,u-
s-io- vii tina every American. wl,er-
cser he resided a,pon American SOIL had
AZ, fiYpda ,,1o ,.txyy,ts,