Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-14
Declares That the Government Can
Hold Colonies.
RIGHTS AND POWER OF CONGRESS
Does Not Regard Porto Ricans
as Citizens.
COWHERD ON EXPANSION

value of money of the United States. The
measure then went to the President for his
signature.
Mr.. Turner CWash.). who began yesterday
. speech on the Porto Rlcan bill, yielded
the floor to Mr.. Teller (Col), who expects
to leave for Cuba tonight.
Mr. Teller said the constitutional ques-
ticns involved in the discussion OF the pend
ing bill had been thoroughly elaborated and
discussed, but he believed them of sufficient
Importance to be further considered. His
only purpose today was to say in a general
way that he had no doubt OF the power of
the government to govern the possessions 1t
had acquired.
Mr.. Teller declared he could find ample
authority for legislation relating to our
insular posse ssions-authority not derived
from the Constitution.
"And I do not believe" said Mr.. Teller,
that the Constitution is in force In any
of our new possessions. Congress, l be-
lieve, Is supreme, so far as the making
Of legislation for acquired territory is con-
cerned. OF course, in enacting such legis-
lation Congress is bound by certain funda-
menatal principles that underlie this free
government.
After careful examination of all SUI
preme Court authorities, have been able
to find only one case that will support the
own vigor into the acquired territory"
Right to Hold Colonies.
My own belief Is that we can make the
acquired territories a part of the United
States or not, as Congress may See fit If
we do not make them a part Of the United
States believe We may hold them as col
onies-that We have the same power to
hold them as Great Britain has to hold
colonial possessions"
Mr.. Teller did not believe that 1t was
necessary to make the acquired territory
a part Of the United States in the sense
that 1t should be regarded and governed
as inctpient states of the Union. Porto
Rico might, he thought. be held under the
sovereignty Of the United States and the
people. subject to our dictation. might mako
the laws of the island, and the United
States might determine what the inhabit-
ants should or should not do. He found TO
legal difficulty in dealing either with the
acquired possessions or their inhabitants.
II do not want to make Porto Rico and
The Philippines part of the United States,
and l do not want TO make their inhabi-
tants citizens Of the United States" said
Mr.. Teller.
He added that the relation he would es-
tabiish between the United States and the
acquired territory was entirely consistent
with the history and traditions and prin-
ciples of this country. If he had time, he
believed he could prove that the fathers of
the country contemplated the acquisition
and the holding of colonies by the United
States.
Mr. Teller said that difficulties might
grow out of the problem presented. but he
kn. W that the American people would deal
with the problem with fairness with JUS
lice and with courage"
IF any body he continued. can show a
better way out Of the trouble than the
holding of the possessions We have acquired
] am willing to consider it.
Il would great deal rather make Porto
Rico and the Philippines colonies or prov
inces than to make them a state. which
would bring all their inhabitants under the
flag as citizens of the United States. These
Islands are not part Of the United States
today
islands to be made citizens Of the United
States That IS what this bill does. and if
there were nothing else against 1t that
alone would induce me to vote against it,
Mr.. Teller said he desired all possible and
reasonable advantages and privileges TO be
extended to those people. but he would not
have them participate in the election of a
President OF the United States, nor would
he give them representation in Congress.
Tariff Depends on Citizenship.
The tariff question involved in the pend
Ing measure. Mr.. Teller said. depended for
solution wholly upon the relation of the
Inhabitants of the Islands TO the United
States. II they were citizens we could not
legally or constitutionally levy a tariff on
their products: If they are not citizens then
this government might do as it saw fit
about levying duty on those products.
The latter view raised only a question OF
policy.
If Porto Ricans were not citizens of the
nited States then they had no right to
demand That they be given free trade with
thu United States.
IF the people Of Porto Rico are citizens
OF the United States then We are doing
them great injustice If We levy tariff
on their products. II they are not citizens
then We have the same right to levy a tariff
on their goods we have to place a tariff
on the products OF Great Britain"
Mr.. Teller reiterated his own opinion that
the people Of the inSIlar possessions are not
now citizens Of the United States
Two Different Questions. ~
In conclusion Mr. Teller said: 'I have no
patience with a senator who holds that
We shall do the same thing in Porto Rico
a. We do in the Philippines or that we must
b. bound to afford the Philippines the same
legislation We give Porto Rico. The ques-
tlpn Of the treatment OF Porto Rico and the
Treatment OF the Philippines are entirely
different and distinct. The great question
i how can We do justice to the inhabitants
OF those islands and do justice 10 ourselves
al the same time. Bad as this bill is. it is
infinitely better than anything the people
OF Porto Rico ever had before"
After deprecatlng the newspa per clarnor -
which. he said indicated that the United
States was about to take some illiberal and
unjust advantage OF the Porto Ricans Mr.
Teller concluded with the statement that
lH' DILL as presented. was inCpngruOuS
proposition, and he had little hope of its
being materially improved before It's enact
rIrnt.
Mr.. Turner Resumes.
Mr. Turner (WashD then resumed his
discussion of the Porto Rican measure.
Taking Up the line OF his argument where
he dropped it yesterday, he continued the
citation of constitutional authorities in sup
port Of the contention that the Constitution
followed the flag into all territory acquired
by The United States with the idea of being
held permanently
Mr. Turner challenged any senator to
produce decision of the Supreme Court
holding IL to be necessary that the Consti-
tuition should be extended by act of Con-
gress over acquired territory or that the
Constitution did net extend ex-proprio
Yigore over such territory.
In conclusion, he declared the pending bill
was manifeStly unconstitutional 1t was
nndemocratic, unrepublican and an unau-
thorized exercise Of power over the in
haSitants of Porto Rico. and he thus warn
Ell the powers in the majority, Beware I'M
less you betray the hopes Of the future in
the eXigencies of the present"
The Senate then. at pm, adjourned
THE HOUSE.
The House today entered upon the con-