The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-09
Constitutional Safeguards.

II b a singular contention that unless
the constitution Of the United States
extends OF its own inherent force
over the new island possessions of
the country, there will be no safe
guards OF securities for personal lib
erty there. and that the only alterna-
tive for the extension OF the constitu-
tion's provisions is the establishment of
tyranny. This Is making of the written
constitution a tetich. II puts II in the
light OF being the sole charter OF the
liberties Of the American people. char
ter of privilege not heretofore possessed
by the people who inhabited the original
colonies.
The position. when analysed, is alb
surd. 50 far as the constitution passes
upon the rights and liberties OF the
Individual at ALL II simply reafrrms
principles which are ana for centuries
have been observed relisIously In Eng
land. which were taken with them by
the original settlers to the original col
onies. and which have the same recog-
milton ana force In the colonies OF Great
Britain as they have where the Ameri-
can flag floats, Tn. war OF independence
was caused by and found its reason in
the violation of these fundamental prin-
ciples which were not secured 10 the
colonies by written constitutions and
charters so much as by the force of
nature. justice and long continued
usage.
Where the rights SO guaranteed did
not exis, primarily. where they were
not part of the heritage Of the people
constitutions, which pretended to inst
tate them ana preserve them for the
people. have proved to be mere paper
The constitutions of the various Span
ish-American republics are based one
and all upon the constitution OF the
United states, Taking them. collective
~. they are admirable documents. Tn
der those constitutions. the liberties Of
the individual should. In theory. be as
amply safesuarded and protected In the
Spanish American states as under the
shelter of the American flag. Yet all
the formallties. all OF the pledges and
all Of the restraints Of written consti-
buttons have been no more than waste
paper In any 81 those countries. when
they came Into conflict with the desires
Of the particular dictatorial despot who
had temporary control Of the executive
machinery
Constitu' nnal rights Of individuals
are sacrealy regarded IN this country.
no, because they are put down on payer
end formally adopted as part 81 the
written organic law. but because they
have been claimed and possessed BY our
people fer generations back. They are
reaninsless Ia spanish American re-
puhlics because they owe their force
and erect 10 nothing hut the organic
law which rSCites them It ls a matter
OF common. every day experience that
laws which are not In accord with the
popular sentiment are impossible Of en-.
forcement There Is 70 public sentiment
in Sas ntsh-Amcrica % resent an lnrrac-
tion ~ the written constitution so that
such documents have become meaning.
less.
As 20 the new island possessions. It
may be assumed with absolute security
that such system q government as
may be framed for those ISLANDS viii
carry with It all the fundamental doc
,rlpes which are the heritage % the
race. and that because congress has
absolute power TO prescribe any laws
which Il may DESIRE for the government
Of those islands. Il does not by any
means follow that It would dare 10 at
tempt TO deprive the people there Of any
OF the safeguards Of liberty which are
possessed by the people 81 this country.
The new possessions win be governed
strictly in accordance with the genius
OF our institutions.
A census OF Manila has recently been
completed. ana shows that the populN-
ton Of the place is considerably below
x,hat a. haa uaaaails bpen credited with