Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-06-29
Flag and Constitution.

There has been much discussion during
the last few months in crspcct IL. the extent
of the power of this country TO deal with
Porto Rico and our other possessions. and it
has been frequently commended by the Dem
ocracy that as soon as we become the own
crs of any of these islands the Constitution
of the United States ut once extended over
them, or. in the oratorical bus misleading
phrase. The Constitution follows the flag
The argument is specious. but it will not
bear investigation. The same question was
raised in 1903. Mt the time of the Louisiana
purchase, and the doctrine then established
by Congress that we could acquire foreign
soil by purchase, that Congress had the
right to establish there such government as
1t saw fit, and that the Constitution did not
of its own force extend over such territory.
The doctrine was never questioned until in
Calhoun's time 1t was sought to he denied
in the effort to extend human slavery into
the territories.
The Supreme Court of the United States
has more than cnce determined the question,
and the contention concerning it now by our
opponents is not because anybody believes
eminent of the island are unjust, but in
order to embarrass the administration in
dealing effectively with our new posses
sions. The flag went to Mexico in 1913, the
Cuba and was carried into Santiago, and is
there yet. But our Constitution not only Is
not there. but we are busy encouraging
Cuba to prepare n Constitution of her own.
NV hAy VI 0hA AAbNo oClVllCS IL
sovereign state, then Is our Constitution it's
corner stone. In the territory of the United
States not included within state boundaries
Congress alone determines the extent to
which the provisions of the Constitution cx-
tend.
In regard to Cuba, lie declared the Re-
publican party still adhered to the pur-
pose to leave the government and control
of the island to'its people. He continued:
And in this connection 1t is fitting to say
that the POPULATIONS and frauds mmit
in Cuba by subordinate officials have made
every American blush with shame. and until
the Inst guilty man Is arrested and convict
ed and sentenced that sha lie will know no
abatement. 1t is no more to be charged
to the party than wouh a theft by a trusted
cmploye he charged against the character of
n merchant who employed him. The party
that shields and protects dishonest officials
~forfcits public confidence. not the party that
exposes and Furnishes them. The Republican
party has been rarely the victim of mis-
placed confidence in its otiicials. In this
instance the appointments were made with
the greatest care, many of them from the
classified service. Whenever fraud has been
discovered the guilty have been pursued I'M
sparinsly and with the greatest publicity.
So has 1t been with these thleving postotiicc
officials, so has 1t heon always.
We are dealing Wit Tuba In a spirit not
absolute unseltishness, and whenever the in
habitants of that island evince and declare
their ability to take over its government and
control. that day they shall receive 1t: ana
until then we shall continue to administer its
affairs under II rule salutary and satisfactory
to all good citizens In Cuha and creditablc
to the administration Mt Washington, under
whose orders the government is conducted.
Will Not Give Up Philippines.
When the war ended and we faced our
victory In all its completeness we found
5000, 600 people living upon uncounted ISL
ands delivered into our hands. We are told
that the islands are rich in all the products
possibilities Of their future development.
So much the better. But II they were as
barren as the Libyan desert we would have
taken them Just the same.
We haven't been there long. but long
enough to reach two conclusions. One ID
that the first thing we intend doing is to SUP.
press the Tagal insurrection and to establish
law and order throughout the archipelago.