The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-29
WHAT THE DECISION WILL, CARR

WHAT THE DECISION WILL, CARRY
As the time for rendering a decision
on the expansion questions now before
the United States supreme court comes
closer, the speculation increases concern
ing the probable purport of that decision
So far has this disposition gone that the
view has found expression in more than
one intelligent and respon sible newspaper
that the court will not even though its
members SO believe, decide in favor of the
contention that the constitution does fol-
low the flag. Others again are heard
pointing out that the majority of the
court are the appointees of Messrs. Clsve-
land and Harrison, and are certain to
agree with the known views of these gen
tlemen
OF course there is not the slightest
foundation on which to rest this specuIa
ton. There is not even a possibility that
the court will be influenced by the opin-
ions of others besides its members. or
that it will be deferred from rendering
its decision by any fear of consequences
which may impress themselves on those
who are to be regarded as having some
interest, either political or otherwise in
the event.
The entire case is not yet laid before
the court. During the coming month
other cases involving the same and other
questions will come before the court; and
it is entirely improbable that any decision
will be even considered by the court I'M
til the final arguments have been made
on all the cases before it during the pres
ent term which involve any phase of tie
great national question involved.
A matter of much more concern is tha
one whether, if tie supreme court should
decide in accordance with the views and
policy of the present administration the
decision viii be accepted by the county
as final on the great issue involved. 1t
is in great measure, if not entirely. a
political issue. 1t is of the nature of
those issues which are never settled
have never been settled and never will he
by judicial decree or act of congress
There is more in it than the collection
of duties by the United States government
officials on goods coming from the Philfp
pines, Porto Rico or any of the smaller
islands. Such a decision will in effect de-
clare that this republic can hold political
dependencies, and that the natives ard
residents of these dependencies. not
claiming allegiance to any other govern
ment, may be held In a state of political
subjeetion, if the congress of the United
States so wishes.
Such conclusions as these will never
pass unehailenged by the American peo-
pie. no matter what the Judgment of the
supreme court or the will of congress
may be. All the declarations, compro-
misses and decisions made for twenty-five
years in the direction of fastening Afri-
can slavery on American society were
brushed aside as so many cobwebs when
the people proceeded to consider that
question for themselves. 1t viii proba-
bly, be SO in this ease Chief Justice
fancy decided that, no matter what con-
gress desired, the constitution did not
apply to the negro slave. The admins
tration has decided that it does not ap
ply to the Filipino or the Porto Rican I'M
less congress declares that # may. The
doctrine in the one case was held by the
American people to involve monstrous
peversion of the national conceptions of
liberty Whether they viii give their
assent to the other in the last event, or
whether they will ever be called on to
do so, the future alone can determine.
There were many elections held the re-
suits Of which were in concurrence with