Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-06-26
IMPERIALISM REALIZED,

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IMPERIALISM REALIZED.
The Supreme Court does no halfway
work in sustaining the Administrations
foreign possessions policy. 1t goes
even beyond the administration, for the
latter had unintentionally weakened its
position somewhat by contending that
Porto Rico was foreign country until
the Foraker bill was passed. The Su-
preme Court holds that 1t was foreign
no more after the treaty Of cession, and
therefore the Dingley tariff law did not
apply to 1t, for 1t levied duties only on
imports from foreign countries" This
was the decision in the De Lima case.
1t means only that Congress had not
acted. In the Downes case the court
comes to the question whether Con-
gress may levy tax ON imports from
this Porto Rico, which is not foreign
country-a tax different from what is
levied anywhere else in the United
States-and here the Supreme Court
sustains the very dreams of the admin
lstration. 1t fairly revels in its new
doctrine. 1t indorses Judge Taney's
bred Scot decision. 1t sustains Beve-
ridge. 1t holds up Imperialism as the
destiny of the country. AT the outset
1t announces the technical legal decis-
Ion, In its effect, as follows:
I'VE are of opinion that the island of
Pore Rico is territory appnrtenant
and belonging to the United States, but
not part of the United States within
the revenue clause of the Constitution;
that the Foraker act is constitutional
so far us 1t imposes duties upon imports
from such island"
10 reach this conclusion 1t has to
steer around the clause of the Consti-
tuition that 1.-THE Congress shall have
power to lay and collect taxes, duties,
lmposts and excuses to pay the debts,
and provide for the common defense
and general welfare of the United
States; but all duties, imposts and ex.
cises shall be uniform throughout the
United States" 1t evndes this by the
theory that the second "the United
States" means the several States In
their Individual capacities, and gravely
proceeds to argue that Porto Rico is no,
a state. 1t puts no construction on the
first "the United States' of this clause
In this connection, and very wisely, fol
Ii would call attention to the ahsurdity
of the decision. AS matter Of course
Porto Rico is not state. Nobody eve,
claimed that 1t was. But the Supreme
Court holds that it is neither foreign
state nor part of "the United States
And the court does not restrict itself tt
tue matter before 1t. 1t shows its com
plete subseryiency to the executive ant
Its adoption of Imperialism in the full
est sense by its concluding words, a.
| follows:
"A false step at this time might BIZ
fatal to the development of what Chic
Justice Marshall called THE AMERI
CAN EMPIRE. Choice in some cases
the natural gravitatlon of small bodie
toward larger ones In others, the re
suit of successful war in still Others
may bring about CONDITIONS
WHICH WOULD RENDER THE AN
NExATION OF DISTANT POSSES
SIONS DESIRABLE. If those posses
sions are inhabited by alien races, diff
fering from us in religion, customs
laws, methods of taxation and mode
of thought, THE ADMINISTRATIVE
OF GOVERNMENT AND JUSTICE
ACCORDING TO ANGLO-SAXOs
PRINCIPLES MAY FOR A TIME BI
IMPOSSIBLE; and tile question n
once arises whether LARGE CONCES
slONS ought not to be made for
time, that ultimately our theories ma.
be carried out and the blessings of
free GOVERNMENT UNDER TIL
CONSTITUTION BE EXTENDED TT
THEM. WE DECLINE TO HOLI
that there is anything in the constitr
ton to forbid such action"
/ Here is the explanation of the court
action in nutshell: 1--WE decline t
hold" anything that will interfere wit
the imperial program. We make .cor
cessions." Concessions from what an
to what? Obviously from tile const
tuition to the President. We will M
hold Congress not only in n tax that
not uniform, but also in withholdin
1.-The administration of government an
justice according to Anglo-Saxon pri1
ciples." This was not before them
1t is gratuitous-it is as completed
obiter rs the bred Scot decision. An
why this decision? Because ''the M
nexation Of distant possessions" ma
be desirable in the formation of 18th
/ American empire" What worse en-
happen? The Supreme Court reIir
pushes its guardianship of the const
tuition at the demand Of the executive
If this be not Imperialism realized i
all but form, what could be?--Indiar
apolis Sentinel.
i Leaving the Protection Ship.
Il When 81 phrnpip npd hide HOUND