Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-01-11
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.

COLONIES UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.
EXPIRES ident Harrson's speech at Ann
Arbor WAS clea" definition of the ma
ture of the problem which cOnfronts the
nation in its colonial posse sions. Mr..
Harrison spoke not as partisan nor as
the advocate of any given policy, but as
a lawyer. considering the pending ques-
lions IN their legal bearings.
In Mr.. Harrson's view but one of two
positions NAV be taken regarding the
future status of the islands-either the
island residents are citizens and entitled
to enjoy the constitutional guarantees of
liberty and uniformity of taxation, or
the Constitution can be applied ito
states and to people of states alone, Civ
ing congress the right to acquire terri
tory not authorized by the Constitution
and putting congress under no restraint
except what interest and benevolence
impose" The latter view Mr.. Harrison
holds to be shocking and in defiance of
American principles, since it assumes
that under the Constitution men may be
held subject to our government without
having a voice in it. Their sole salty
erning power, and "the man who has to
rely upon benevolence for his law is
slave" Mr.. Harrison, therefore, de-
nounced as mockery the act of uplift-
ing the flag in Porto Rico "while a
governor read proclamation declaring
the island to be outside the Constitution
and under congress-"
1t is apparent that in Mr.. Harrisons
opinion there is no middle course. If a
government of absolute powers is impos-
sible under the Constitution, then the
islands if they are retained at all must
be retained as territories, with the pos
sibility of eventual incorporation as
states. This means, also, that the re-
sidents of the islands must be regarded
as citizens, not as subjects; there can be
no discrimination in tariff laws nor In
the laws regarding the importation of
labor. The American citizen of Porto
Rico, if he is so disposed, cannot be
denied the privilege of coming to this
country unhindered and competing with
the American citizen of the United
States.
1t remains to be seen whether or not
the supreme court will take eX-President
Harrison's view. The court may hold
that the cession of the islands in itself
has placed them under the Constitution.
In any event the dangers involved in the
recent acquisition of remote territory
are beginning to make themselves mani
fest. If it be impossible to hold the
islands as subject dependencies, as
crown colonies are held, and as Mr. Nc
;,lo has 70 hold hn
nation confronts the peris of admitting
as territores-with the eventual posi-
bility of Observation-Disclosures containing
people totally dssimilar in character,
language and customs from the Ameri-
cans, and yet having the rights of
American citizenship. To make Porto
Rico with its dense population and the
Philippines with their many millions
territories of the United States is to
adopt policy which cannot be contem-
plated without the most profound appre-
hension. Yet this is the step to which
the administrations imperialistic policy
has brought the nation. EX-Presdent
Harrison puts the case plainly. The
United States must exercise imperial
control. at variance with the most vital
principles of the Constitution, or it must
take the Philippines to its bosom as an
integral part of the nation. The only
escape from one or the other of these
courses probably lies in relnquishlng
the islands. The decision of the supreme
court on this subject will be awaited
with the most profound interest by all
the people of the United States. Chi
cago Record.