The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-20
Justices Brewer and Harlan Asked
Speaker Number o Questions.
DISAGREE ON A DEFINITION.
the United States tho
Acknowledgement Held, Referred
Only to the States of the Union,
hit Justice Harlan Pointed
Out the Contrary-BriI-
liant Peroration.
(Rv Associated Press. }

(By Associated Frcss.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-The United
States Supreme Court again was crowded
10 its full capacity to-day to hear the
concluding arguments in the case involv-
ing the status OF Porto Rico and the Phil
ipDines.
Attorney General Griggs concluded the
presentation Of the Government case'
celebrating the points he enunclated yes
terdav. one of these was til~ -,inction
between organized territories and llnor-
ganized territory under the jurisdiction ol
the United states.
Justice Brewer had asked the Attorney
General to make clear his views ON TINS
distinctions.
Mr.. Griggs took up territory after
territory, showing in each case that II
came under operation CT the Jaws ol t'.e
United States by an act OF Congress spec,-
ficallv extending the laws to the terri
torv. and not ex proprio viSore. He SAID
thar while Rhoae Island ana south Caro-
lima stood outside Of the Union, they were
treated as foreign States.
Tn the case Of Louisiana. the Attorney
General pointed out that II tho de- . =
tons of Jefferson were to the erect thaI
in order to come under the operation toL
the laws of the United States those t5l"s
must be eXpIICiLiS eAtCiiuCt ~ 4iS''
uuisitions.
FLORIDA ACQUISITION.
The Attorney General directed atten-
+;on in the instance Of the acquisition
of Florida to the fact that three Amer!-
Gun statesmen. Monroe, Jonn Quincy
Adams and Andrew Jackson, united in de-
caring officially that the Constitution oio
not apply of its own force to territory
newly acquired by this nation. put tna'
such extension must be accomplished os
the acton of Congress
Mr. Criegs a,so specified the territorial
organization of Oregon, Missouri, Mon
tana and Wyoming. in each case sho"!n5
that Congress Specifically eXIcLued tAts
laws to these territories.
FINALLY, as to the extension OF laws 10
tha territories, Mr.. Grigg:s said that py
act of Congress in 1874 Congress hhd eN-
oressly extended the Constitution ana
Federal laws TO the organized terri
rr,,ieS', and to every territory hereafter
organizad - But the act went no further
than "organzed territories ana couIo not
1,a interpreted to mean that expanse OF
country entirely unorgnnized
Justices Brewer and Harlan asked
number of questions. JusticetBreWer ask
ed if the Attorney General held that as
Congress extended the Constitution and
laws to the organized territories. congress
also could take them away from the Terri
tories.
most serious question. but he thought 1t
safe 70 say that when the laws were
onre extended to territories an inviolaoie
contract was crented and could not be
broken.
SEARCHING QUESTION.
Justice Harlan asked the attorney-Sen-
eraI to state later on to what eAteNI
Congress could impose tariff to De col
lected against goods coming from Ne"
Mexico. Arizona and Alaska
T,lstice Brewer also reminded Mr.. Griggs
that Oklahoma was not included IN ule
treaty taking in Louisiana and Mexican
territory. and was an apparent exception
70 the rule stated by the attorney-general
Mr.. Griggs said that Congress, at It's
last, session. in effect declared uhst the
existing tariff laws were applicable against
the goods OF Porto Rico. ms was IA
the act OF last March, renting to Porto
rico certain duties collected under eX-
listing law
Justice White asked the attorney-gen-
era1 if he claimed that Congress couio
50 exempt territories from the laws as TO
give them privileges not enjoyed by the
States. ala ca
claim that in fact the Territories had
been ,tyor years exempted from lii'ei ii@'A
revenue ana direct taxes.
CELEBRATED CASE.
The attorney general referred 10 the
celebrated case Of Loughboroush vs.
RIakc. whereupon Justice Harlan, reading
from what decision, asked Mr.. G.lsss
what Chief Justice Marshal meant IN
SAVING. ..the power to lay and collect ou-
ties, inlposts and excises may be exer-
css,i. and must be exercised, throughout
Mr.. G1iggs SAID throughout the United tea
States referred to the states OF tne
Tnfcn, but Justice Harlan pointed out that
= ,.aferred also to the DistriC4 OF Co!um- :
hin and the territory west of the Mis-
~ NJ, Griggs closed his five hours speech
v.;.h ! v,~'''iant ard e'nr'''ent N'r1ra <'H',
Mr.. Aidrich will close for the plalhtlll
in the philippine case tomorrow anu
~. cases then will be submitted.