Arizona daily citizen., 1901-06-10
IT IS YET AN ISSUE.

There is very noticeable tendency on
the part of the adherents of the admin
istration to claim that the Supreme
Court decision finally disposes of the
colonial policy as political question and
binds the country to follow the lead OF
Mckinley in that regard Senator For
aker says:
The decision is a complete yindication
OF the position held by the Republican
party with respect to the power of Con-
gress to legislate for Porto Rico and the
Philippines, and settles at once ami for
all that the United States is the equal in
sovereign power OF any other indepen-
dent Government.
Former Attorney General Griggs is
even more explicit and makes this asser-
tion:
1t was the principal issue in the last
campaign for President. Our Porto Rican
legislation was selected by Bryan as the
main point OF attack in his indianapolis
speech. The decision puts quietus up
on that sort OF thing, and takes the mat
ter out of politics for all time.
We imagine that these sanguine gen.
tlemen will find that it takes the ques-
tion out OF politics very much as the
Dred Scot case took the slavery question
out OF politics. 1t will more probably
have the effect of convincing thinking
men that Imperialism is something more
than q mere bugaboo, and that this
country is confronted by the most seri-
Gus question of the preservation OF con-
stitutional liberty that has ever confront
ed it. The danger is the greater because
it comes from within and because the
blow is struck by that body of men, un-
der oath to support the Constitution, to
whom the people have been taught to
look for the maintenance of Constitution
al integrity. Justice Harlan says:
Itake leave to say that If the principles
now announced should receive the sane.
ton OF majority of this Court, the re.
suit will by radical and mischievous
change in our system Of Government.
We will, in that event, pass from the
era of Constitutional liberty, guarded
and protected by a written Constitution,
into the era of legislative absolutism, in
AC0pCNk OA AhAuy rights Liiht are ucdE W
all people who love freedom.
That is true as to the decision OF the
court, but it is no more true than it was
that slavery could not be prohibited in
the territories after the Dred Scot deci.
sion. The people are still here, and it
remains for them to say whether they
will elect men who will obey the COM
mands Of the constitution-notwith
standing the decision of the court-or
will follow the court and the admins
tration into the destruction OF constitu-
tional freedom, as stated by Judge Har-
Ian. Supreme courts do not finally dis.
pose of great moral questions in this
country, cpd especially not by five to
four decisions, in which the recognized
brains are with the four, and the five
are badly divided as to the reasons for
the faith that is in them.
Moreover, the Democratic party may
be in a very much better position to dis
pute this advance to Imperialism in 1904
than it was in 1900. 1t is well-known
fact that there were many who agreed
with Mr.. Bryan's indianapolis speech in
1900 who were deferred from supporting
him by other considerations, and it is
well known that there we're many who
did not believe that imperialism was
material danger then who are convinced
of it now. And certainly the duty of
the Democratic party is not changed. II
it was it's duty to oppose Imperialism. it
must be more so now that it is settling
down like black cloud upon the ma
tion. The party will not be deaf to the
call of duty.