The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-12-07

leauef, ana ne quotes the opinion OF
lone Of the greatest of our imperial
statesmen" to the effect that he is the
ablest parliamentarian in the present
House of Commons.
ANOTHER SUPREME COURT DECISION.
Last Monday Chief Justice Fuller of
the United States supreme court rem
dered a decision which holds that the
Philippines are territory of the United
States and therefore that imports from
and exports to the islands are free from
duty. AS usual, four of the judges dis
sented from the decision of the other
five. The acrobatic Justice Brown voted
first with the four judges who are for
uniform laws and free trade, and then
he voted with the four judges who
would give the administration at Wash
ington arbitrary power over our colonial
possessions. He seems to be the pivot
upon Which the supreme court hinges
The Philippines, however, will remain
tariff free only so long as congress re-
Trains from imposing duty ON goods
shipped back and forth. Until congress
passes law dealing with the Philip
pine tariff there will be absolute free
trade between the United States and
tie islands, and the customs duties hith-
erto collected will be refunded. This de-
cision makes the Philippine question the
dominant issue before congress.
The case in which the decision was
rendered is known as that of the -four
teen diamond rings" A North Dakota
soldier named Pepke, who fought in the
Philippines, brought the rings from the
islands, and they were seized by the
customs officers for non-payment of
duty under the claim that the islands
were foreign territory. Pepke carried
he case to the supreme court at Wash
ll!Eton and claimed it WAS contrary to
tie United States constitution and i'm
violation of his rights as citizen to
impose duty OH the articles. In render
ing the decision the chief Justice said
among ether things:
"By treaty Spain ceded to the United
States the archipelago known as the
Philippine islands. The treaty was rati
fled; congress appropriated the money,
the ratification was proclaimed. The
tlcaty-making power, the executive
power, the legislative power, concurred
in the completion of the transaction.
The Philippines thereby ceased, in the
language of the treaty, to be Spanish.
Ceasing to be Spanish, they ceased to
DC foreign country. They came under
t'le complete and absolute sovereignty
and dominion of the United States. over
which civil government could be estab-
lislled."
That decision shows that the Philip
pines are part of the United States
and that the constitution follows the
flag. The majority of the court has
made the Philippines American and not
foreign territory. The Republicans in
congress will try to impose tariff on
the ground that like Porto Rico. the
Philippines are "appurtenant" territory
II is the duty of the Democrats to op-
pose them to the utmost of their
strength, and favor free trade as now
exists according to the supreme court
decision. Hawaii has free trade, why
not the Philippines? The reason is that
the American trusts have gobbled up
the products of Hawaii and want a free
market for them to escape the payment
of tariff. The cormorants have not vet
obtained control of the Philippine prod
ucts, and hence their representatives in
congress will fight free trade with the
oriental islands as they did in the case
of Porto Rico, notwithstanding the
''llain duty" message of the late presi-
dent
The decision in the Pepke case is of
fnr-reaching consequences, and the
whole Philippine muddle will be dis
cussrd in all its phases before congress
aliourns. We hope and trust that i'm
prriaism will he rcbulied and that the
chosen representatives of the American
people will discharge their duty in an
.onorahc and patriotic manner, and for
the hest interests of our beloved coln-
try.