The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-09
The Philippines and the Territories.

The Philippines and the Territories.
1t is singular that the Democratic
leaders, who are so much worked up
over the threatened infection OF an
American territorial government on the
people Of the Philippines, have never
thought to rebuke or remedy parallel
condition of things which has existed at
home for the past one hundred years
For example, Senator Caffery says: at
Is absolutely assured in my mind that
these outlying possessions cannot be
governed by the caprice or the unre-
stricted voiition of congress. They
must be governed in accordance with
the constitution, or Congress will have
to usurp powers of government"
Leaving entirely to one side the pure
ly gratuitous and offensive assumption
that the legislative acts OF the repre-
sentatives in congress will ever be ac-
tuated by pure caprice, It may be
pointed out that considerable portion
of the territory Of the United States is
now. and has been for many years past.
governed by 'the unrestricted volition
of congress- and that about the only
provisions of the constitution of the
United States which have ever directly
affected the people OF the territories are
those relating to the collection OF taxes.
duties and imposts for the benefit of the
federal government: that In all other
respects the territories Of the United
States have been and still are governed
In manner parallel to that pro-
posed for the Philippines: and that,
as far as relates to the levying OF du-
ties. the propositions proposed for the
Philippines are In the nature of an en-
largement and not an abridgment OF
their privileges.
Why does not the Democratic minor
ity in congress extend some of Its su-
perabundant sympathy. for example, 10
the people of the territory OF New Mex
leo. They are largely of alien birth or
parentage. the territory which they in
habit was acquired by the United
States, under a Democratic administra-
ton, without their consent, and for the
past fifty years they have been gov
erned by the unrestricted voltion Of
congress" The chief executive officers
OF the territory are appointed by the
president, as are the judges who ad-
minister the laws. Their legislature has
not the powers of a city council. for all
the laws which II can pass are not only
subject TO veto by the governor. IN
whose selection the people have no
voice. but they may be annulled by
congress In its discretion, or are held
void II they conflict with a federal
statute. Neither have the people OF the
territory any voice In the election Of a
representative TO congress who can vote
for or against the laws by which alone
they are governed In the government
Of the territory Of New Mexico. accord
ing to the present Democratic argu-
t'af+AAt 'ffAf RtAAtAtftT " AHN AStt
OF Independence has been subvertsi
and the constitution Of the United
states rent into ribbons. yet the people
ot that and other territories seem II
have survived and prospsred under the
inhIetion. as Gid the people Of Wash
ington during the thirty odd years when
they were under lden,icaIly the same
form OF government
4 still more striking case 10 which
the attention % these sympathetic
Democratic orators Sc especially 81
rected. is that % Alaska. Here Is a ter
ritory which before the close OF the
present year win have a greater resi-
| dent white population than there was
in Mr.. Canery's state when Il was ad-
mltted into the Union. Yet Tor years
this territory had no pretext Of any
form Of government At all; the only res
ident eivl officials being those charged
with the collecting of taxes. and the
| only machinery for the preservation of
order platoon Of marines from war
| ship, At present II has neither a leg
stature a code OF laws or even a DEL