The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1900-12-28
SOME PLAIN TALK.
Ex,Presldent Harrison Speaks on
Our insular Policy.
lMPERIALisM ATTACKED

= speach That Puts the DIS.
tlngu'shed Oentlaman Out It
Harmony With t4iss Patty
Ex. President Benj amin Harrison, at
Ann Arbor, Mich, Friday night, at.
5 taokod the M Klnley administration for
taking the position that the oonstitu.
tion appeals to tho United States, ex.
elusive Of Puerto Rioo and the Philin
pine Islands. Ho declared that these
islands aro a part cf tho United States,
\ and that tho constitution extends to
tn m in spite Of any treaties or CON
!. greesiOnal legislation. Gen, Harrison
spoke under tho auspices Of tho Loo.
turo' Association of tho University OF
Michigan, and 8, 900 porsons heard him
Ihe;Brbjeot of lia lecture was Tho
Status'of Annexed Territory and Of Its
Civilised Inhabi,ants." He disolaimcd
any intention Of making legal or auy-
thing but popular discussion OF his
suttoot He said that recent anucxa
tlon Of territory by tho United Statos
Was somewhat out Of limo with Ameri
can history, and proceeded AZ follows:
We havo now acquired inbular terri
tory unsuitable for American suttlors,
eVeR.if they "ero not populated as they
( ore. We have .takon on peoples rather
than lands. Tho native labor is choap
and threatens competition. We have
said that the Chinese will not anal
gamate, and tho Filipino will be- equal
ly'alow at least. II 10 not open to
question, ! think, that il wc had only
taken over the Sandwich Islands and
tho West Indies, the questions would
have been otherwise.
Tho Supreme Court has said that
constitution gsvos power to mako war,
and that carries with it tho power to
acquire territory. Tho people, then,
have delegated to congress and the
president tho power to acquire terri
tory; as we have acquired tho Hawaiian
Islands, Puerto Rioo, and the Philip
plnos. These islands havo boon. taken
/, oyer not for tho temporary purpose, .ss
We have taken Cuba, but to have. and
to hold,for ever. Indeed, we have moi
yot mado up our minds what We will do
with a, and only claim now that
they. Z part of tho United Statos and
itsipsbpio must obey our authority.
IL ID urged that Spain was not ii
possossion' when she sold the Philip
pines, but this is not proved. There is
no doubt that any international tribu
nal would affirm our title to tho Philip
pines. The question which troubles
nsijs their status. Arc those peoplo
oltiAons or. subjeots, whioh2 A recent
neWhpapor head .ng attracted my atten.
tion. "CltlSe6s Of Puerto RICO Not
properl gitlaens Of the United Statos."
kesahoy improperly oltlxens or oitizens
There seems to be some.
thing lmpropor about it.
IA treaty ls a part OF the law in tho
semq aonse that an act Of congress is,
and hOt as the constitution il. Ii the
constitution leaves tho subject open 90
to whether tho pcoplo OF puer.o .H.ou
6hal, be citiHenS after annexation, then
the president and congress may deal
with them a6 thoy see fit. If the con
stilutfon has lett no suoh controversy
then the constitution must stand no
matter what tho troaty may say.
There are two views to be taken:
First, ,'thet all governmental powers arc
doteRa,ed BY tho constitution, that
equal taxation applies 10 ovory man
and: oman within the nations so, or
elgrl,y; second, that tho term United
Slatcs.dehnes- only those regions and
people Wltnln tho organized States, and
that Tho gevoI4mcnt of the territories
10 an aosolu.e govcrnm ent and moi con.
nnl ora
Cation TO treat as citi1ons those living
in The terriLories. This idoa seems to
have found its birth within CONNER
clai necessity. The man who entlre ly
depend upon tho bonovolonoe of o another
ia 9 slave. A government Of unlimited
and absolute executive power is not an
Amerlcan government. For one, do
not believe the makers of our oonsti
tuition evor intendod to confer tho
power Of any suoh government over
any ono IN tho constitution. 1t is not
right TO lay that beoaaso Of slavery our
fathers did Rot m, an, all men. 1t is
o different thing TO allow an existing
soondIti0n to continue from creating an
|aAnLiteiy different condition to meot
s nmeroial necessity.
SS,srhapB it should be asked further
her the rulo Of equal taxation
apply toall people. The inbtruo.
Il OF tho president to the Philip
4 Commission scem to indicate that
y constitution muht apply TO any
B gnment That should bo established
Tho provisions our fathers
w at for wore Tor rights, not for
|sS iloger. No man can read that
heaulo Of rights which the pre- esidont
ave ,otho. Philippine Commission, in
lS inverse order, without horror. Did
XSou over read ono Of tho treaties mad Q
by the United States with an Old
World Power? % ono side thoy speak
Of the ''subjeoLs Of hor Majesty" and
on tho other Tho oi,izens Of tho Uni.
tod S,atos. Nov il these proyislons
guaranteed to seiiizcns Of the United
Statos do not apply to oitiSons OF the
Philippine Jslanas, it Ia time for us to
amend thoke treaties by adding ''and
snbjects" aftor tho words "oitizons OF
tho Unitod States.''
Tho constitutional provisions reeu.
lating the orine OF treason seom to an.
ply TO these ,peoplo. We have novor
had any trouble with this question 10
our government OF tho territories be-
fore.k Whath haye we been doing? Have
We acquired these territories that we
might hold them for clown colonies? Z?
TheY9 was only one door Of esoapo
from tho provision for uniformity Of
ts4asiot, IA. tho constitution, and that
was declared shat Puerto Rico was not
al "a .r>Rf TY =