The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-24
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY "a. 1900.
wHa SHOULD PORTO RICO LEG
ISLATlON BE?

ISLATlON BE?
II seems 10 us that there is a great deal
@. useless breath being expended and gal
Ions of printers ink being wasted upon
the question of Porto Ricos relation TO
the United States. 1t seems to us the case
is as simple and as clear as any case can
be.
II cannot be denied that Porto Rico be-
lonCcd to Spain before our treaty OF
peace, nor that Spain ceded the island to
this government by that same treaty.
Now. there are some extremists who
claim that the United States could not
acquire the island-that the cession is
simply void. in which case Porto Rico IS
still a Spanish province or else n waif
uuon the waters we don't think it
worth while 10 pay much attention to
these people. They constitute such petty
fraction of the American people that We
shall assume that the whole body polite
agrees that we acquired Porto Rico by
the treaty.
Very well. There are only two ways in
which we could acquire her. One as a
State of this Union TO stand upon an
equal footing With all the other States;
the other as a territory TO be governed
by such laws as the law-maliing power OF
the Union shall provide. But in what
spirit shall those laws be made when
Congress- enacts them? Shall they be in
the spirit which comedies to all citizens
of the United States, wherever they may
be. the same and equal rights. or shall
they be in the spirit that imposes upon
some citizens of the United States, who
happen 10 reside upon particular territory,
burdens that are not imposed upon other
citizens of the United States who happen
to reside upon other territory Let the
Supreme Court of the United States
answer the question.
in the case CT Csrandall Us. Nevada, 6
Wallace, that tribunal says:
The people of the United States con-
stitute one nation. They have a govern
ment in which all of them are deeply in
tcrestcd. This government has necessarily
a capital established by law. where its
principal operations are conducted. Here
sits its Legislature. Here resides the
President directing. through thousands OF
agents. the execution Of the laws over all
this vast country. Here is the seat OF the
supreme judicial power of the nation. to
which all its citizens have a right TO re-
sort 10 claim Justice at its hands. Here
arc the great executive departments adj
,niniStering the offices of the mails OF
the public lands, of the collection and dis
tribution OF the public revenues and of
our foreign relations Here all are es-
,ablished and conducted under the adj,
mit;cd power OF the Federal government.
That government has right to call to
this point any or ali of its citizens 10 aid
in its service, as members of Congress.
OF the courts, of the executive depart
nents an. TO fill all its other offices; and
this right cannot be made 30 depend upon
the pleasure of a State over whose terri
tory they must pass to reach the point
where their services must be rem
dered But IL the government has
these rights on her own account, the ciu-
zen also has his correlatire rights. He
has the right TO come to the seat OF gov
eminent 10 assert any claim he :nsy have
upon that government. or to transact any
business he may have with it. To seek
It's protection, TO share its Offices. to en-
gage Ia administering its functions. He
has right TO free access to its sea-
ports, through which all the operations Of
foreign trade and commerce are conduct
cd, TO the sub-treasuries. the land offices,
The revenue Offices and the courts Of JUS
ticc in The several States. and this right
IS in its nature independent of the will
sFof any State over whose soil he must
pass In the exercise OF IT."
That is the true breadth and scope of
American citizenship and it applies as
much to the citizen Of the United States
,yho resides In a Tertiary OF the United
stqtes. as to one who resides in one of
tho States of the Union. and there is no
difference whatever between the status
Of a citizen of the United States. who re-
sides In the Island Of Porto Rico. and that