The sun., 1900-12-16
strange TAR From Gen. Harrison

We regret 10 .av that the intellectual
reputation of the Hon. BENJAMIN HAhkf-
son, which n has been lnE suns pleasure
always 20 look upon rs among the first in
the land. has been damaged by hls address
OF FRIDAY a. Ann Arbor University on the
relation, ug the Constitution TO the nag.
We say tI., IN the spirit with which Gen.
HARRISON discussed the legal status Of the
Philippines. that is. without regard TO the
merits Of expansion.
Gea HARRISON thinks that the Con-
srtution follows the flag by its own yigor.
and that. therefore, the Fihpinos, being
,rizens Of tar United States. must have
the citizens rights But what i, the weight
uf Judgment that arises from this pas
sionQte reasoning;
80 man can read that schedule ot rgAE which
N. Pres cent gave to the Philippine Couiniss.on
m ~ inv,tsf order. without horror. Dd you ever
read our uf the ttratss made by the Tinted States
with an old World Power on one SIDE they speak
The subjects oi her Majesty and Oh the other the
,t,zen. OF the United states, Now .itht>c provisions
guaranteed TO c'unns of the Cnltd States Do no,
apply to ct,sns Of the pm ppnr Islands. It Is umr
for as to amend these treaties by adding and subjects
after the words citizens Of the United States
Gen. HARRISON has been President
and SO has been the ucgotiator of treaties
In the name of the nted States: yet in
not single treaty ever sent before the
Senate 10y him. OF 10y any other President.
ior that matter. have the inhabitants Of
the Territories OF tn. United States ever
had the slightest part They had no
voice in the choice OF either the President
Il, l,,
Toward the treaty they were as truly sub
jeCts IA are the fllipinos whose subju-
cation now afiicts Gen. HARRISON with
horror.
subsequent paragraph Of the Ann
Arbor address contains evidences Of even
greater mental excitement:
But don't you see thai there is a graver peril hang
ing us1 Are the rights Of the people upon tue
mainland secure when We exercise arbitrary power
over people from whom We demand entire obedience
There are to-day within the strict bor-
ders of the United States four communities
over whom practically arbitrary power is
exercised and from whom entire obedience
is demanded. In the Territories Of Arizona,
New Mexico. Indian Territory and Oklahoma
they vote neither for Members OF Congress
nor President. In the distant part Of the
continent that is subject To our jurisdiction,
Alaska, II Is tho same. We will not con-
sider the other portions Of the country
where for time the authority OF the Presi-
dent was as arbitrary as IL Is to-day in the
Philippines. nor will We discuss the power
of Congress to remove the restrictions which
in It's discretion it has put upon that au-
thority. Neither will Wa review the history
Of the North American Indians.
The Ann Arbor address gives one the
impression that Gen HARRISON took
the first convenient opportunity to vent
his feelings about the Philippine question
giving to them the dignifed outlet Of
An apparent argument as to the law
Nevertheless. az the close Gen. HARRr-
son found that he had reached tho con-
clusion that waits for all orators on the
subject: These Constitutional questions
will soon be settled by the Supreme Court"