The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-17

subjects? They must be one or the
other, or aliens, he argued. He invited
an inspection of the constitution, say
ing that that must be the final au-
SnOrity: that a treaty must be in &C
cordance win the provisions of the con-
stitGtion as well as a statutory law.
He declared that those men are wrong
who argue that treaties give certain
rights in respect to government of our
island possessions irrespective of the
constitution He said that the president
and congress would have the right to es-
tablish the status of the people of Porto
Rico and the Philippines if the constitli-
ton does not settle that question, and
if the c5nStitutiOn@laeS say they are
citizens then no one has lae right to de-
clare them otherwise, treaty or no
treaty.
General Harrison declared that the
constitution applied alike to the states
and to the territories, and that it must
apply equally to all people. He ridiculed
the argument that has been advanced
to the effect that only the direct prohi-
billions in the constitution are obliga-
tory on the United States government.
He said that affirmativeIy stated powers
were just as obligatory. If part of the
powers granted by the constitution are
carried out in regard to Porto Rico and
the Philippines, then all must be full
filed. Mr. Harrison said.
The lecturer read that section of the
constitution that provides that all gu
ties, taxes and imposts must be uniform
in the United tSateS, and said that this
is equivalent to saying that all duties
and taxes must not be unequal That
this provision in the constitution is not
an express and implied limitation will
not endure discussion.
Gen. Harrison declared that one of two
positions must be taken. That congress.
the executive and the judiciary were all
created by the constitution as the gov
erning agencies of the United States;
that their powers are defined and Imi-
%sa Nv hot
liberty, including that of uniform taxa
ton, is guaranteed to the widest sweep
Of national sovereignty. The other al
tentative was described as applying the
constitution to states and the people of
states alone. giving congress the right
to acquire territory not authorized by
the constitution and putting congress
under restraint except what interest and
beneEO1ence imposes.
This view Of the American constitu-
ton the former president declared to be
shocking. He said it is not enough to
offer these people the consolation that a
nation of free Americans could be trust
ed to deal benevolently with them; that
the tea tax was not oppressive to the
fathers of this country, but it was OBJ
jected to on the ground that there was
no right to levy it.
Arguing on the assumption that con-
gress could go outside of the constitution
in the government of annexed lands, Mr..
Harrison said that congress could make
laws for Porto Rico that would suspend
the right of habeeS corpus; declare tie
right of attaiuer against any one expos
in the Spanish flag; declare an act of
treason for disrespect of congress by a
Porto Rican; make the Presbyterian
church the established church; establish
censor and forbid public meetings pro-
hibit the carrying of arms; put garrisons
in private houses; confer the right to
search without warrants; try for life
without Indictment and twice on the
same charge; try in secret without wit
nesses or jury; deny the right to demand
trial by jury. and make the federal tax
es and tariffs so per cent high at San
Juan than at Ponce and Is per cent
higher at Ponce than in New York.
The man who has to rely upon benevo-
Harrison. He said he aid not like to be-
lieVe that the trainers of the constitution
were careful only Of their own liberties;
had broad views of liberty, believed that
it came from God 1t was left to a baser
Gods law to the white man.
He said that a. condition had been Gre
ated contrary to liberty for a commercial
profit; that he had been told that the
Porto Rican tariff law had been passed to
protect the beet sugar interests. He said
he hoped God would forbid the day when
in the American mind man as a consumer
of God, endowed with inalienable rights.
Al property rights are unprotected with
Harrison. 1t IS to be freedom or benevo-
lent slavery; rights and not privileges.
assume that the people of the Philippines
had no constitutional rights except what
were guaranteed them. He wanted to
know if there is to be one law of treason
for the states and one for the territories
and one tariff law for the states and one
for the territories. He asked if the policy
of the country was to be that of eoloni-
cation without regard to eventual corpo-
ration; whether there were TO be crown
colonies and crown laws and whether
this country wished to become a world
power.
General Harrison became sarcastic when |
he talked of the duties that Providence |
had imposed on this country He said !
that we are carrying the white mans bur
den, but that he had noticed that meant
to carry the black mans gold