Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-12-20
Ex-President Harrison on Our
y Insular Policy.
OPPOSES POSITION OF M'KINLEY
Porto Rico and Philippines Part
of United States,


pine Islands. he declared that these
islands are part Of the United States,
and that the Constitution extends to
them in spite of any treaties or Con-
eressional legislation. Gen. Harrison
smoke under the auspices Of the Lecture
Association of the University OF Miohi-
gan, and 5000 persons heard him. The |
subject of his lecture was 1.-THE Status |
OF Annexed Territory and of Its
Civilized Inhabitants. He disclaimed
any intention of making legal or any
thing but popular discussion Of his
subject. He said that recent annexa-
tion of territory by the United States
was somewhat out of line with Ameri-
can history, and proceeded az follows:
We have now acquired insuiar terri
tory unsuitable for American settlers.
even If they we're rot populated as they
are. We have taken on peoples rather
than lands. The native labor is cheap
and threatens Competition. We have
said that the Chinese will not amalga
mate, and the FiliEino will be equally
| slow at least. It is not open tc ques-
tion, think, that il We had only taken
over the Sandwich Islands and the
West Indies, the questions would have
been otherwise.
The Supreme Court has said that the
Constitution gives the power to make
war, and that carries with it the power
to acquire territory. The people, then,
have delegated to Congress and the
| President the power to acquire terri
tory, as we have acquired the Hawaiian
Islands, Porto Rico, and the Philip
pines. These islands have been, taken
over not for temporary purpose, as we
have taken Cuba, but TO have and to
hold for ever. Indeed, we have not yet
made up our minds what we will do
with them, and only claim now that
they are part Of the United States aad
Its people must obey our authority.
1t is urged that Spain was not in
possession when she sold the Philip
pines, but this is not proved. There 10
| no doubt that any International TIL
bunaI would affirm our title to the
Philippines. The question which
troubles US is their status. Are these
people citizens or subjects, whiohY A
recent newspaper heading attracted pa.sa p ny
Not Properly Citizens Of the United
States. - Are they improperly citizens
: or citizens improperly? There seems
to be something improper about IT.
A treaty is q part Of the law In the
J same sense that an act Of Congress is,
and not as the Constitution is. II the
> Constitution leaves the subject open as
3 to whether the people of Porto Rice
, shall be citizens after annexation, ther
. the President and Congress- may dea
9 with them as they see fit, IL the Con
I stitution has left no suoh controversy
then the Constitution must stand nj
matter what the treaty may say.
There are two views TO be taken
? First, that all governmental power:
|, are delegated by the Constitution, tina
|, equal taxation applies to every man ant
: woman within the nation sovereignty
: second, that the term United State
= definiss only those regions and peopl'
. within the organized States, and tina
the government of the Territories Is al
q absolute government and not constitu
a tional, and we are under no obligation
= to treat as citizens those living In tn
= Territories. This idea seems to hav
i found it's birth within a commercia
necessity. The man who must entirel
depend upon the benevolence of anothe
is a slave. A government Of unlimite'
o and absolute executive powers is not q
!. American government. For one, d
g not believe the makers Of our Constitu
n ton ever intended to confer the powe
4 of any such government over any on
!. in the Constitution. 1t is not right t
4 say that because Of slavery our father
i: did not mean all men. 1t Is differen
r. thing to allow an existing condition {
, continue from creating an entirely dill
!. ferent condition to meet commerce.
necessity.
Perhaps IL should be asked furthe
whether the rule of equal taxatio
ut must apply to all people. The ir
le structions Of the President to th
or Philippine Commission seem to ind
I'd cate that the Constitution must appl
Ve to any government that should
0, established there. The provisions oil
q fathers fought for were for rights, nj
is for privileges No man can read thu
i'd schedule Of rights which the Presider
th gave to the Philippine Commission.
an inverse order, without horror. Di
you ever read one Of the treaties mac
~ by the United States with an Old Wofl
IN Power? On one side they speak
u, the SUBJECTS of her Majesty" and {
sa the other "the citizens of the Unite
10 States.n Now ii theEe provision
re guaranteed to citizens of the Unite
o. States do not apply to citizens of I'll
Philippine Islands, it is time for us
amend these treaties by adding 'ar
oe subiects' after the words "citizens
re the United States"
he The Constitutional provisions reg
m lating the crime of treason seem
t. apply to these people. We have new
had any trouble with this question
our government of the Territori
before. What have we been doin
rrh Have We acquired these Territori
an. am that we might hold them for croy
49, colonies? There was only one door
sssedi escape from the provision for Ut
frh formity of taxation in the Constit
ng. tion, and that was to declare that Por
Ely Rico was not a part OF the Unit
States. 1t would seem that regi
where the educational and sanitary Al
' other regulations are OF interest to t
United States is of itself portion
the United States. 1t would seem th
we should seek to find way to COVE
this territory that Providence b
thrown upon us, for which we pa
$40, 100000.
But don't you see that there |.
graver peril hanging over uss Are
Fights Of the people upon the manila
secure when we exercise arbitra
power over people from whom we {
~, msnd entire obedience? The flag canr
stand for the benevolent policies Of I
administration. 1t must stand for n
manency. Is 1t not a nockery to ra
the flag over the people of Porto ri
and bid them respect IL, and then iss
TO them an absolute power Of govel
n,ent from the staff beneathY If
act of annexation does not carry
Constitution | can think of nothi
that does. The Constitution goes