Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-11-28
#iseellaneous 8eaaing.
OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.
Tariff Decision May End Philippine Question.
TO BE CONTINUED.

IdIIh peCis'on Mdy IHu fHiHPPHe Vuestion.
Congressman George w. Ray, chair
man Of the house committee on judici-
ary, who was one Of the leaders in the
fight for the Porto Rican tariff bill,
said yesterday at the Fifth Avenue ho-
tel, that until the test case brought to
determine the constitutionality Of the
Porto Rican tariff was decided by the
United States supreme court, there
would be no legislation by congress for
the Philippines.
THAT decision" he said, twill show
us where we stand and we can then
proceed intelligently. If the court sus-
tains the Republican contention that
Porto Rico is not a part Of the United
States, but territory belonging to the
United States, and that, therefore, the
constitutional provision for uniform
taxation throughout the United States
does not apply to Porto Rico, Of course
the game will hold good with regard to
the Philippines. We can then frame a
tariff bill for the Philippines which will
provide the necessary revenue for the
government Of the Philippines on pro-
gressive lines, and also afford the nee
essary protection to our own manufac-
turers and labor"
What If the decision Of the court
should be that the Porto Rican tariff Is
unconstitutional and that Porto Rico Is
a part Of the United States?"
IF such should be the decision Of the
court it might necessitate our having
to give up the Philippines. We are
bound to the open door in the Philip
pines That means that the products
Of all nations can come into the Philip
pines on the same basis as our own. If
we cannot raise a tariff against Phil
States, then our labor would be brought
into competition with the cheap labor
of the Orient. If that condition should
come about we might feel that our in
terests would demand our withdrawal
from the Philippines.
"For myself have no doubt as to
what the decision Of the court will be.
l am confident that the court will sus-
tain the contention that the constitution
does not go into Porto Rico and the
Philippines of it's own force, and that
they can be held as territory belonging
to the United States. If the decision
should be against US I feel certain it
will be divided court"
"Do you think the result Of the re-
cent election will have any influence on
the court in it's determination Of the
case?"
"Well, there Is always tendency to
support the popular construction-that
is human nature. But, Of course, the
court will not allow itself to be swayed
by the popular verdict in favor Of keep
ing the Philippines. It Is for the court
to pass upon the constitutionality of
laws passed by congress, and the court
cannot delegate It's authority to the
people. If it did the people might re-
verse their verdict at the next election
and the court would have to change
with them, a proceeding which, II fol-
lowed often, would not add to the gen.
eral respect for the court as a judicial
tribunal.
1T was the Philippine problem which
we saw looming up in the future which
led us to frame the Porto Rico tariff.
If we had not taken the position we did
with regard to our new possessions
when we did, we would have had to
make the same fight whenever we
started to legislate for the Philippines.
Now, if the supreme court sustains the
Porto Rican tariff we will know just
where we stand with regard to the
Philippines and can act accordingly
New York Times.