The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-13
FRIDAY, APRIL Is. 1900.
THE EVIL DEED.

Tho bill establishing the Porto Rican
tariff has now passed both branches OF
Congress and become "a law as far as
Congress is capable of making II one.
We siorIbt. however. II the supreme
Court of the United States, when the
net is brought to the test of judicial de-
cision, will uphold such diagrant IN
vlsion OF the elementary principles OF OUT
Institutional and constitutional law. The
second article of the treaty OF peace be-
tween Spain and the United States, signed
ut Paris on December 10. 1S9S. reads as
follows: Spain codes to the United
States the island of Porto Rico and other
islands now under Spanish sovereignty
in the West Indies and the island OF
Guam in the iMarianas or Las rones. The
United States. therefore. acquired Porto
Rico absolutely and Internationally with
its million OF Inhabitants. ii, upon THIS
acquisition, these people did not become
citizens Of tlle United States, what did
they become? To whom do they owe
allegiance, if not to the United States?
Their allegiance to Spain has been SUM
nered and ended. They owe no allegiance
10 Porto Rico except In Its capacity as
part OF the United States. Their ale
glance. therefore. is due to the United
States. and where there Is allegiance
there must necessarily be citizenship;
the two are reciprocal. The individual
owes allegiance TO his government. the
government owes him the protection due
10 citizenship. But the case does not
rest here. The fourteenth amendment
10 the Constitution Of the United States
declares that ..all persons born or
natnralized In the United States are cit-
zens OF the United States and they
have certain privileges and immunities
Of (which they cannot be deprived by any
power. as was held by the Supreme Court
OF the United States In the slaughter
mouse cases, 10th Wallace. The pro-
vision of the treaty incorporating Porto
Rico and its Inhabitants into the United
States was an act naturalizing all Of the
people in Porto Rico as citizens OF the
United StaA, wllereupon instantly the
fourteenth amendment clothed them with
these privileges and immunites as citi-
zens which the Supreme Court has said
no power can deprive them of. In de-
timing the privileges and immunities
which inhere in the citizens Of the United
States, in virtue of their citizenship of
the United States, the Supreme Court has
said that the right OF absolutely free ac-
cess 10 the ports of this country is one
,i,.;so {s,,,,o n
power can intervene TO stop such cih-
zen Of the State Of Nevada when he
wishes to so from Nevada to the port
of New York. Equally. then no power
should be permitted to intervene no stop
such a citizen of Porto Rico in going
to the port of New York. when he de-
sires to go there. The prohibition As
just as complete rs to property which
the citizen of Nevada wishes to be car
ricd 10 the port OF New York as It IS
in respect 10 his person. II. then, the
citizen Of Nevada is to. r,e permitted to
have this free access to the port of New
York with his person and his property.
but the citizen OF Porto Rico is to be
charged a heavy tax when he wishes
to so to the port OF New York with his
property, then discrimination is shown
between citizens of the United States and
ono sc, As bnrdenea where the other IS
allowed to SO free. This Is in direct
contravention OF the letter and the spirit
OF the fourteenth amendment.
We are doth to charge bad motives
where action is taken of which We dis.
approve, but these elementary consider
atoms arc SO paipable and plain that y
b hard to resist the conclusion. that the
protected Interests in his country have
demanded the enactment Of this unjust
ana unmise law rs a condition 70 con.
4ribnting TO MIR. Hanna's campaign fund
the money which ne st,inks necessary {
carry the next Prcsid Dental election.
THE FAME Ole LEE.
Vs print elsewhere Aacaa11snlnicatior
III So, MIR flsla,, IN N 43NxHamssf II