The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-12-29
SPECIAL LAWS MUST BE PASSED
FOR THEM.
Before They Come Under the Opera
tior of United states statutes-Ar-
gument Of Attorney General Griggs,

WASHINGTON, d. c., December p.
In his argument yesterday on the
Porto RiCan case Attorney General
Griggs elaborated upon the various
points. raised during the previous ar
gumem. one oi these t0Twhich special
attention was given was the distinction
between organized territories and un-
organized territory under the jurisdic-
tion Of the United States. Justice Brew
er had asked the Attorney General to
make clear his views on this distinc-
tion. Griggs took up territory after
territory, showing in each case that it,
the territory, came under the opera
tion of the laws of the United States
by an act of Congress specifically eX-
tending the law of the territory and not
eX propria vigore. lie said that while
Rhode Island and South Carolina stood
outside of the Union they were treated
as foreign states and when they ul-
timately assented to the Union, Con-
gress passed a law extending the reve-
nue. laws to them.
Vermont had, prior to it's admission
as State, been part of the territory
belonging to the United States. If the
revenue laws were applicable to the
territory of Vermont eX propria vigore,
it was an act of supererogation to eX-
tend them to the State. In the case Of
Louisiana the Attorney General pointed
out that all the declarations of Jeffer-
son We're to the effect that in order to
come under the operation Of the laws
Of the United States, those laws must
be explicitly extended to new acquisi-
tions. jefferson selected certain acts
to be Immediately extended and others
to be extended from time to time, as
might be found practicable
The Attorney General directed atten-
tion, in the instance of the acquisition
of Florida, to the fact that three Am
ercan statesmen, Monroe. John Quincy
Adams and Andrew Jackson, each of
whom was elected President of the
United States, unite in declaring Off
cially that the Constitution did not
apply of its own force to territory new
ly acquired by this Nation, by virtue
of the act of acquisition, but that such
extension must be accomplished by the
action of Congress.
WASHINGTON, December 20.-The
closing argument in the Philippine and
Porto Rico cases was made in the Unit
ed States Supreme Court today and the
cases were submitted for the final adj
judication of the court.
Wa FINGTON. December H.-Does
the Constitution follow the flag?
The United States Supreme Court is
divided on the question, and it is be-
lieved that to Chief Justice Fuller,
casting the deciding vote, will ulti-
mately devolve the honor of making
this most important decision, involv-
ing as it does the destiny of the ma
ton.
The line of division in the Philippine
Porto Rican tariff cases is believed to
be:
Justices understood to believe the
Constitution does not follow the flag:
McKenna, Gray, Peckham and Shiras-
4.
Justices understood to believe the
Constitution does follow the flag:
Brewer, Harlan, White and Brown
The determining factor-Chief JUS
tice Fuller.
The administration processes to be
very confident that the decision will be
in favor of the continuance of its poll
cy. It's followers in Congress have had
their confidence rudely shaken by the
attitude of Benjamin Harrison and
Grover Cleveland, both of whom have
great weight with the Supreme Court
and by the fact that Attorney General
Griggs during his argument on We'd
nesday was piled with apparently hos
tile questions by Justices Brewer, Har-
Ian, White and Brown.