Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-02

gress, gave 1t its life and power and action.
controls Its authority and directs its ener-
gies. Congress can do nothing not author
lied by the Constitution. In no section,
either by grant or implication, is there any
authority for two classes of people-citi-
zens of the states and subjects of the Con-
gress. - v''c4
The experience of the republican marty
in the art of reconstruction between 1865
and 1S70-between the acquisition of Alaska
and the Philippines. taught lessons which
were not forgotten when the treaty of
Paris secured the islands from Spain The
exploitation of the southern states by car
petbag governments was an experience for
which the acquisition OF Porto Rico and
the Philippines offered opportunities which
were provided for in the treaty itself. A
tariff for Porto Rico, that Subject of Con-
&reSs-Whch protects certain interests in
the United States and denies to all other
people in the states the benz oft CT competi-
ton-creates a virtual trust on cigars cigar
cites and tobacco, and helps the actual
trust in sugar for the benefit of manufac-
turers at The cost of cons uTlers in the states
and producers in Porto Rico. While 300 900
tons Of sugar in Hawaii the property of
the trust king in the United States enter
tree of all duty, the 60,oo9 tons of sugar
produced by the Impoverished planters of
Porto Rico are taxed under the power
which the treaty of Paris was MANIPULATED
so as to give to Congress the power which
has been thus abused
The omnipotcnce of Congress over the
civil rights and political status of ten mil
mons or peoples Is grated on a treaty. and
the treaty is now alleged to supercede even
the Constitution, and to have become the
supreme law of the land. Against a claim
SO monsrous and shocking to every sense
OF constitutional law the people of the states
In the Union will enter their solemn and
eihclent protest. They will never assem- ia
me new republican dogma that the execI-
i've, through his diplomatic agents can ne
Sotlate a treaty which shall be ia mount
10 10 me constitution; and that the State De-
ITCrh
hccus-pocus of diplomacy can convart +bis
iePupiic OF republics into an imperialism
more despotic than the absolutism of mar.
Lament. "a pal
opposed to Holding the islands.
l was opposed to acquiring the islands of
spain, and for that reason voted against
'he ratiiication of the treaty of Paris
am opposed to the retention of those isIa nds
moment longer than is necessary to re-
estabiish order and security. But so long
as the islands under our control and ca
long as our flag floats there, the ropresan,oo
1--WE or our authority. shall, as far as nav
pe "lthln my power, advocate and supnort
me extension to those people of every priv
1ege. right and immunity which the necoIo
of the states enjoy.
1T may be a debatable question with
some persons whether the Constitution fol-
lows tne nag but there ought not to be
any doubt that the Constitution dominates
Inc congress and imposes upon it's leeisla
tlon each and every restriction, whe,her
me laws be enacted for the states, terri
tories. provinces or colonies. The flag may
outsail the Constitution but Congress can
not get away from the Instrument. nor
from under any Of its restraints Its rev
ehue laws must be uniform throughout all
territory over which the Congress assumes
to legislate; there are, in the Instrument
neither exceptions nor. provisos-nor any
place for 'eXpediency.'"
IN the course of an extended discussion
of expansion. in which he maintained that
the democratic party was the original party
OF expansion along lines which added
strength to national resources" Mr. Pc
said: ~
THE acquisition of territory with the pur-
pose and qual1flcation of admission, in the
future, into the Union of states is no pre-
people are disqualified by every cirtu,m-
stance and fact in their character and ma |
ture from ever becoming citizens of a state |
in this Union" |
The Proposed Tariff.
Adverting to the proposed tariff on Porto |
Rican products, Mr.. Bate declared that the |
original bill provided for free trade, but |
the trusts took alarm and the long and |
Shiny tentacles of the octopus soon reached |
into the committee room and all was lost
The demand Of the octopus-the sugar
interest-was compiled with, and the Presi-
dents recommendation was side-tracked- |
free trade in 10000 tons of Porto Rico
sugar the property OIL planters without in !!
huence with the committee was subjected |
to the tax. while 100000. tons of Hawaiian |
sugar, the property of sugar king, is adj |
mitted free of all duty
The sugar trust takes 3aereciprocity view
OF politics, and contributes money where IL |
will do most good but shuts its purse with |
a snap when the party would obey the Com
sttution or allow constitutional privileges
to bar the way to corporate gain The
House committee took the hint from Mr.
Oxnard. turned the cold shoulder to the
President. discarded. as he expressed it in
his message, the plain duty overthrow