The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-28

a large sum. which We understand un-
der the supreme courts ruling will have
to be refunded"
New York. May 2s.-Former Attorney
General Griggs. in an interview upon the
supreme court Porto Rican decision
said;
1T is a splendid victory for ehe ad-
ministration in the vital principle of ex-
pansion. 1T is unnecessary for me to
say that I am thoroughly satisfied with
the result 1t is a clear cut victory for
the government on the only really i'm
pOrtant point involved. Three distinct
classes of action were involved; one pro-
testing against the collection of tariff
upon imports from Porto Rico after the
date of our armed occupancy of the ISL
and and before the date Of the ratifica-
ton of the treaty of peace; another pro-
testing against tariff charges on inn
ports between the ratification and the
passage of the Foraker act and a third
attacking the Foraker law as unconsti-
tutiOnal.
''The decision scores a. victory for the
administration in the first of these class
es and upon the all-important third
'TThe anti-administration party wins
in the second class That triumph is a
mere matter of dollars and cents. I'M
porters viii get back the money. paid in
tariff between the ratification and the
passage OF the Foraker act. Importe,
who paid without protesting will not get
their money back.
1.-The court decides that the Foraker
act is constitutional, that this country
has the legal right to govern it's new
possessions as territories to make special
laws for them and to tax their products
This has been the contention of the ad-
ministration frcm the very start. 1t was
the principal issue in the last campaign
for president Our Porto Rican Iegisla-
ton was selected by Mr. Bryan as the
main point of attack in his Indianapolis
speech The decision puts a CuIetuS up
on that sort of thing and takes the mat
ter out of politics for all time
This decision is final. There can be
no appeal. The decision win not hurt
Porto Rican trade in the least
BRYAN'S COMMENT.
Lincoln, Neb., May 2S.-Mr. Bryan'S
only comment on the decision in the
insular cases was that it seemed to up
hold the contention of the Republicans
in some respects and that of the Demo-
Gratis in others He said he would not
commit himself further on the effect of
the opinion until he had read the full
text. He hoped the constitution would
follow the flag.
WILL CAUSE SOME EMBARASS-
MENT.
New York, May 2S.-Secretary Root
is Quilted in a Washington dispathc to
the Tribune as saying OF the supreme
courts decision In the insular cases:
'unquestionably the decision of the
court sustains the contentious theories
and the policy adopted by the admins
tration in conducting the affairs of the
Spanish islands since the ratification of
the Paris treaty The uphOld1nS OF the
Foraker act signifies that congress has
the power to legiSlate without being linn
tied by the provisional contingencies of
the constitution For instance, the con-
StitutionaI provision setting forth that
uniform duties must be collected does
not apply to the islands. The general
result of. the decision j. certainly very
.-Of course there win be some little en-
barrassment caused by the holding that
no duties can be collected except by
congressional legislation, but it will be
only a temporary embarrassment"
NO CHANGE IN PHILIPPINES
POLICY.
Washington, May 28.-The treasury
officials discussed with much interest
today the decision of the supreme court
yesterday in the insular cases and the
conclusion has been reached that moth
ing in these decisions is conclusive upon
the government to change its admins
istration Of the customs laws as to the
Philippine islands and therefore duties
will continue to be collected on imports
from those islands as heretofore and un-
til the court shall have decided specifi-
cally that the islands are in the same
situation with respect to the United
States as Porto Rico.
LONDON COMMENT
London, May 2S.-The London news
decision OF the United States supreme
court in the insular cases. The few
comments made deal principally with
the confusing nature of the judgment"
1t is. however, agreed that the practical
result is obvious-that it leaves con-
gress free to deal with the annexed ter
ritories as IL pleases.
The St. James Gazette says: 1T is
one of those legal fictions which had
so much to do with the development of
our own institutions. 1t is certainly a
convenient judgment for President Nc
kinley's government. and Will probably
clear away many difficulties bequeathed
to American statesm en- by the Spanish
war"
ENGLISH EDITORS MIXED.
New York, May ga dispatch to the
Tribune from London says:
More or less contradictory accounts
have been received here of the decision
of the United States supreme court
The Standard considers that America
can now govern her conquests as wholly
separate territory, while the Daily
Graphic takes the view that the SUI
preme court has given it's sanction to
the imperialist policy Of the Mckinley
administration The Posts dispatch
from Washington, on the other hand,
holds that the court has decided that
Imperialism" is contrary to the con-
stitution.
COURT AnTOuRNS