The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-26
PORTO RICo's POSITION.

The anti-cOn6titutiOn party winch
happens to be in the ascendancy at
present, contends that the flag repre-
ssnts the president rather than the peo-
pie, and insists that the emblem of our
government should be allowed to re-
main where the constitution is not per-
mitted to extend. The name upon the
doorpIate is of greater importance to
this administration than is the founda-
ton Of the national structure.
The flag is but a symbol, a token OF
our government. 1t has been raised in
foreign lands and taken down from
fields which the blood of American he
roes had moistened. 1t has been raised
without dishonor and taken down with
out disgrace.
But the constitution cannot be tramp
led down with impunity even by those
who cheer the flag. The flag and the
constitution must go together and
stand together. That was the intention
of the founders of this republic. It is
the wish and will of the American peO-
pie regardless Of party lines. And the
doctrine, promulgated by the Hanna
school Of craftsmanship, that the con-
stitUtion is for the states and the flag
is an excuse for an outside dominion to
be ruled over by a chief executive elect
ed by the states, tc be governed in a
manner not contemplated in the con-
stitutiOn, to be held as colonial depend
encies Of an imperial power delegated
by the heirs to the declaration Of 1776,
is not an American doctrine.
No wonder Republican, leaders in
every state bat Utah are alarmed at
this fragrant exhibition Of imperial dis
regard for the constitution-the Porto
Rican tariff bill-which ex-President
Harrison, ex-Attorney General Miller,
General Lew Wallace and a hundred
prominent leaders of the Republican
party admit justiffes and. verifies the
charge of imperialism which has been
made against the administration.
The constitution provides that "con-
gress shall have power to collect taxes,
duties, imposts and excuses to pay the
debts and provide for the common de-
tense and general welfare of the Unit
ed States, but all duties. imposts and
excuses shall be uniform throughout the
United States"
If congress levies duties in Porto Rico
for the purpose Of a general revenue
or to be used in Porto Rico itSeIf-it
must do so on the theory that the ISL
and is now a part of the United States
just as is Arizona or New Mexico
and such duties should be uniform with
those levied in all other parts of our
country.
Imperialists tell us that these ter
ritOries are not part Of the United
States. Yet the ones who make such
claims are we'll aware Of supreme court
decisions declaring Utah to be a part
Of the United States, when a territory,
and subject to the federal constitution,
They know that amendments to the
constitution have been made to cover
the territories as well as the states,
and surely an amendment can not ex-
tend over more territory than is cover
ed by the jurisdiction Of the document
amended
If trade between Porto Rico and the
United States can be restricted, the
constitution is a dead letter.
The United States" means ali the
country so-called, and has been SO held
b.r all our statesmen and jurists down
to and including the first two years OF
the Hanna regime. The Standard die
tionary. says that the United States in
cludes "the whole territory within the
jurisdiction of the federal government
Of these states, including the terrific
ries."
Our national congress, acting under
the constitution and by virtue of tht
constitution, cannot legislate for any
purpose in disregard of that organic
law. However, as Senator ingalls, re-
Gently said. whenever the constitution
and the Republican party come in con-
nict, so much the worse for the cOnsti-
tuition" The same may be said of the
people for the constitution is the bull
wark of their liberties, the foundation
of their free and popular government.
The secret Of this unconstitutiona
procedure in reference to Porto Rice
has been admitted by Senator Hanna
He has discovered that the constitution
cannot follow the flag into the Orient
and ne wants to destroy the constitu'
ton in this hemisphere that his policy
OF imperialism may not be hampereC
with it in the eastern hemisphere. TIL,
administration has recognized the i'm
possibility of extending our constitu
tionaI guarantees and political princi
pies to Asia, so it has begun to curtai
that instrument in the West Indies
Administration leaders feel that th'
constitution is no chart for empire
builders. and between that INSPIRED
document" and these fresh pastures fot
trusts and carpet-baggers they lean t
the latter as a matter Of course.
General Merritt expressed the senti
.,,ent of the administration very con
cisely when he said that I'VE have out
grown the eonstitution'-have reached
the point where George III stood Wher