The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-31


of reasons why its distin-
guished proprietor Mr.. Ottendorfer,
who refuses to support Colonel Bryan,
will not support Major Mckinley:
The editor Of the Scranton Tribune says
in editorial of his paper, "Why Mr.. often
dorier cannot vote for Mckinley we do not
know, and should be glad to have him eX.
plain" The explanation is given in every num-
ber Of the New York Staatz.Zcitung referring
to the presidential campaign. 1t is in conse
qucnce of the entire disregard OF the Const.
tuition Of the United States as shown by the
policy OF our present administration-bccause OF
the attempt to subjugate foreign people 10y
force Of arms and make them subjects Of the
United States without regard to their Wishes
and thereby introducing despotism which can.
not be continued without destroying our lib.
critics and republican institutions. The latter be-
come an empty shell that will in the course
Of time be accommodated TO the eNigcncits of
events, the people of the United States may
enc day awake to find Themselves ers1yed as
much they try to make the inmates Of the
Philippines subjects to the will of the present
ruler Of the United States
Disregard of the constitution has
been charged against every admins-
tration in our history. When made in
general terms 1t means nothing more
than a convenient method of partisan
criticism. When made specifically
there is always a way to bring the
matter to a test. The Supreme court
of the United States has no more sac
red purpose than to safeguard the con-
stitution. Before 1t any act Of the ad
ministration involving a mooted ques-
tiOn of constitutional Interpretation
can be brought for review. This court
has not yet passed upon the constitu-
tionality, for example, of the Porto
Rican tariff. which involves the whole
question of the administrations au-
thOrity over the newly acquired island
territory, but it Is expected to do so in
regular order; and in view OF the con-
hicting opinions which have been pro-
nounCed by judges of subordinate fed
eral courts, this final word must be
spoken before any one can say authori-
tatively that there has or has not been
disregard of the constitution. Mr.. OF
| tendorfar is entitled to his opinion,
! of course, but it is the opinion of the
Supre court, as yet unspoken, which
will have determining power. We
don't believe that the present adminis-
tration has shown an "entire disregard
of the constitution" We don't believe
1t has shown any disregard OF it. It is
not given to disregarding It's oath OF
office. It's view of duty may differ
| from that held by the editor of the
| New York Staatz-Zeitung but 1t does
not follow, because Of this difference,
| that the administration has lost respect
for the constitution. Men may differ
in opinion and yet be honest.
Our German contemporary may also
| be inaccurate in its belief that there is
an attempt to subjugate foreign peo-
| pie by force of arms and make them
subjects Of the United States
without regard to their wishes.
This, too, is in dispute. The
| standing who have been to the Philip
pines and studied the conditions there
assert that by far the larger proportion
of the native inhabitants, and nearly
the whole number of property owners
|
and men of substance, want the kind
of administration involved in American
sovereignty in preference to the kind
involved in Aguinaldo's plan Of a
| Tagalo dictatorship. Their testimony
would, in any court of justice outweigh
the testimony of those who assert 70
the contrary. The foreign people
| W hn sc,I ittCr tali nc
the people who recently plotted to
massacre every white inhabitant OF
| Manila. They are the people who
turned on our soldiers without cause
and tried to drive them into the sea
| Technically they are not foreign peO-
pie" no more so than the inhabitants
| of AlsaCe-IIOrraine are foreigners to
the people of Germany. BY all the
rules of international law the title OF
the United States to the Philippines
will compare favorably In respect tC
validity and to ethics with the title
of Germany to the -ro provinces taker
over from France Q the conclusion OF
the Franco-Prussi-n war These re-
sisting Tagalos are men who need q
generation or two of American fret
schools 10 fit them to express an in.
telligent wish In the matter OF thell
government.
The possibility of the American peo
pie awaking some day to find them
selves enslaved is hardly worth worry
ing about at this time. Sufficient untC
that day is the evil thereof. We imag
inc that upon this score the proprietor
Of the New York Staatz~Zeitung is un
necessarily perturbed.