The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-01
Fusioni.ts rake Notice.

Fusionists Take Notice.
The attempt OF the Democratic state
committee and its organs to raise false
issue on this coast. by pretending that
Asiatics could come in from Hawaii and
the Philippines. gets another deadly blow
in a decision Of the supreme court OF New
York state. which Is contained in yester-
days dispatches. An inhabitant Of Puerto
Rico applied y the courts for writ OF
mandamus to compel the board OF regis
try to register him as a voter. The ground
OF action was precisely that alleged to be
valid by the Democrats: who claim that
not only Puerto Ricans. but Chinese Jap
apese. Malays and all others in the Phil
ippines and In Hawaii are now citizens
of the United States. and have a right
to come and 90 anywhere within Its bor-
ders at pleasure. So this man claimed
that he became 4 citizen of the United
States by virtue OF the cession of Puerto
Rico to this country by Spain.
Justice Freedman. OF the supreme court
Of New York. denied the application for
a writ He decided that the treaty taking
over territory from Spain did not make
the inhabitants citisens Of the Uni
ted states He holds that II left the de-
termination OF their civil rights and their
political status to the future action OF
congress. That body not having acted.
such people are not citisens OF the Uni
ted States. and have no right to vote.
They are, therefore. subject to such legis-
iation a. congress may in future pro-
vide: ana in that legislation. undesirable
immigration to this country will GER
tsinly be forbidden. just as It has been
forbidden from Hawaii
There Is not. and there never has been.
the slightest doubt that this would be the
position OF the courts. They have really
no option In the matter. The constitution
itself Is behind them. 1t provides that
this constitution and the laws Of the
United States, which shall be made in
pursuance thereof. and all treaties made
or which shall be made under the au-
thorfty Of the United States. shall be tho
supreme law Of the land" That ~ the
ultimate word OF our fundamental law.
The treaty OF Paris. which was undoubs-
edly contracted with due formality. and
for whose ratification Mr.. Bryan labored
earnestly, therefore became an insepara-
BILE portion OF "the supreme law OF tho
land In that treaty :, 10 distinctly pro-
vided that the status OF the Inhabitants
of the territory ceded shall be determined
by congress-"
This follows line OF unbroken prece-
dents covering every particle OF territory
that we have acquired since the forma-
tion of this government The provisions
OF the constitution have applied 10 them
only In as far as was specified In the trea-
ties OF acquisition or as far as provided
by subsequent legislation. II Is preceden,
and II is also necessity. For the language
Of the constitution. which we have quoted.
and the language OF the treaty. which we
have quoted. is explicit and insi. Judge
Fteedmsn's decision could be no other
than II was, the decision OF the supreme
court OF the United States. when It comes,
cannot be different. The rights and privi-
leges OF the people OF Puerto Rico and
the Philippines VIII he what congress de-
;ermines, no greater and no less. Among
those privileges win not be the right OF
free immigration 10 the United states II
Is prohibited in Hawaii. & Will be pro-
hieised in oil ether territory recently sc-
quired
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