The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-08
TUESDAY, MAY s, 1900.
A DISASTER FOR THE REPUBLI-
CAN MACHINE

Judge 41ochren a United States Judge
nor the State lof Minnesota. decided a case
last week which involved the status of
Porto Rico and the relation of the island
ITO this country. He held that our ae-
QUESTION of the island under the treaty
with Spain made 1T an integral part of
the United States 10 which the tConstitu-
sion sof The United States extended through
its own force and vitality, and that Porto
Raco and the Porto Ricans We're as much
U part of the United States as any other
part of dts terlitory and population This
rs no surprise whatever 10 The Times. as
its readers well know. We have con-
tended from the beginning that this was
the true theory of the lease. and we have
never been able TO understand how in
view tao THE Fourteenth Amendment iof
the CONSTITUTION OF the United States,
any one could come TO any other con-
clusion. We have not the slightest Doubt
that the supreme Court of THE United
States Will lrold exactly. Tire same thing,
and then we shall have this vaNed uues-
5ion settled in accordance with Justice,
right and our constitutional law.
1T tcornes out from Washington that The
administration Us very much disturbed
because of this decision of Judge Loeb
ren's, a Republican Judge. We cannot
understand why 1t should be- We should
rather have supposed that IT would feel
greatly relieved. 1t WAS plainly held
aIn'' E,y The protected interests and forced
TO take THE position in respect to Porto
Rico that lit did take. If it is now able
to say 10 these protested interests that
they must hold the Judicial Department
of the government responsible for their
loss of profits; it will square its accounts
with them and at the same time enable
MIR. Mckinley TO return to his first posi-
lion, which was the position dictated by
common sense and common justice.
The serious question which will arise
from this ruling. If ii be maintained by
the Supreme Court of The United states.
relates, however, so far as the great
body OF the American people are con-
cernea, not TO Porto Rico. hut 20 the
philippine Islands. There was no demand
u discrimination against Porto Ricam
products, except from few selfish and
protected interests. Blu: Judge Lochren's
ruling. il 1t be affirmed by the Supreme
Court of the United States. makes an
open door between San Francisco anu
Manila. 1T makes the Malays aud Hot
1entnts of the philippine Islands citizens
OF the United States. and entities. them
10 come by inc millions into the United
States With the same freedom that any
other citizen of the United States can
Gene within their borders. when once out
of them This Is a most serious matter
no All OF US. and it is condition Which
ts not to be tolerated. We are not, how
ever. 10 give ~ our CONSTITUTION because
we haye placed ourselves III a fix that will
canIront Us with such an evil as this.
When the alternative is presented OF
whether we wllt give up our Constitution
or the Philippine Islands, then we say,
5et tine Philippine Islands SO. and that IS
exactly the ssosiilon which We ought To
Giawe had the good sense to take from
ehe beginning. Our commissioners should
riaFe taken the position that as we had
ove.rhrown Spanish rule In The Philip
pine Islands, we would restore peace and
order There. keep the islands under our
protection until its people We're sufei-
riera educated in government 10 rule
themselves. and ;fiea let them go on and
work out thes.. sisstsny In their own way.
This is the positioa which Was dictated
by The war for hurnanlt,.s sake. which.
NE ssofessea to tina world that we were
s~asing, and II IS TIE poat;Eon which our
own Sense OF dignity should have dictated
- as from the beginning.
@aserthsaess. ne have an abiding faith
IN the good sense of ta,e American poo
sie, and this matter viii came out adj
ex d the end The supreme Court win