Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-19
COLONIAL ISSUE
y
Western Sentiment Supports
the Administration.
Power Of Congress to GOvern-Belief
That Rights of People at Home
Should Be Considered,

Special correspondence Of the Boston
Transcript.
st. Louis, Mo-, June 2.-While there will
be considerable indignation from the po-
lttical platform this summer a. the treat
ment of Porto Rico by the United States,
1t will not make very much impression or
change very many votes. That the Com
stitution follows the flag has been adopt
ed as a democratic shibboleth. This will
be accepted in its broadest sense by
nearly everyone, SO far As it guarantees
life and liberty of those over whom floats
the American flag, but it is not accepted
in it's narrower meaning by the residents
OF any of the present territories of the
United States or those who are familiar
with the history of newly acquired
American territory during the past one
hundred years.
When General Grosvenor asserted in
the house of representatives that. in his
opinion, ongress had the power to place
a discriminating tariff pon goods i'm
ported into the United States from New
Mexico or Arizona. his words created a
sensation on the democratic side; but not
only has he a precedent for this state
ment, but for even more extreme opin-
ions in regard to the power of congress
over territory not included in the states
Of the union. The citizens Of Oklahoma.
New Mexico and Arizona recognize that
they are taxed without representation.
i dllI lId lllSy ~ SLoiSF Aos A~AA
fedged citizens of the United States, with
a voice in the general government. The
white people, to the number Of 3OO,O.O,
who reside in the Indian territory, lived
for years without even the adJuncts 81
citizenship which fall to the lot Of resi-
dents in regularly organized territories.
They have had no public schools for their
children, no public institutions for the
! care Of the insane or otherwise detclent,
and, until recently, their liberty mas peen
-.A.aa4 ~ %ho xxyhirro nf nnrrJ1nf nO1lrfS.
presided over by Indians who We're Tar
from being their peers.
Regardless of what party the voters
may belong to, and not IN n way sug-
costing hat this matter VIII lnnuence
their ballots next November, it can be
stated that a majority Of the people llv-
ing west of the Mississippi accept rne
idea without prejudice that the constitu-
ton gave to the congress oI the Onlleu
States, composed as 1T IS 81 representa-
tiyes from zach full fledged state, power
to govern other territory as " ~mlsnl
deem proper. The people q the terri.
tories have daily evidence at the present
fine of this fact. The people OF the IN
dian territory have no reason 70 Ieel tiat
thew are citizens of the United states DIS
compared with those VINO llve ~ n 49,.
already admitted to the union. lhose
faniliar Wit the history of Texas are
n,,ick TO note the difference between the
rights they now possess ana the rights
enioyed under previous conditions. w
one familiar with the evolution OF the
government of the territory west OF the
mississippi questions for a moment the
constitutional right of congress 10 GOV
ern according to the condltlons preVal-
ing at the time of legislation.
THE plea that 'the constitution follows
the flag" does not appeal to the lnteill-
gence of the people of Missouri and Kan
sas who are at all we'll read in the his
tory of their own states. One of the most
distinguished lawyers in Kansas, SPEAK
ing of this matter recently, said that
Porto Rico had been given a more ia
recent law than any acquisition of the
United States has ever been accorded,
with the exception of Hawaii.
In 1904 the territory of upper LOUIS
lana was separate from the territory OF
Orleans, and the former included the
present states of Missouri and Kansas.
This territory was given over for pur-
poses of government to he governor OF
Indiana. The act creating the territory
read as follows:
'The executive power now vested in
the governor of the Indian territory Shall
extend to and be exercised in the district
of Louisiana. The governor and judges
of the Indian territory shall have power
to establish in said district of Louisiana
inferior courts and prescribe their jur-
isdiction and duties and to axe all laws
which they deem conducive to the good
government of the inhabitants thereof"
Under this law four men We're given
the power to make all the laws for the
government of the present states Of Mis-
souri, and Kansas In pursuance of this
law Governor Harrison of Indiana came
to st. Louis with his three judges, stud
led the situation and then went back to