The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1901-06-01
OUR lsLANDsNor A PART OF US
~----------Ns =.
They Are Only Territory Appertaln-
ing to the United States. Therefore
They Must Pay for the Privilege OF
Doing Business With Us.

tions ii' Tue ConSulhr cases the
Government wus today sus stained
by the Supreme Court of the
United States.
The first Of the opinions, hand
ed down by Justice Brown were
that Porto Rico is territory" of
the United States; that in every
respect it must be considered MS
such; that in no sense is il
foreign"
The decision was in the DeLima
case, involving duties collected on
goods imported into the United
States from Porto Rico after the
ratification Of the Paris treaty, and
before the taking Of Porto Rican
Temporary tariff law. The same
points held IN the Goetze and
Armstrong Porto Rico cases.
Justice White was the first to
throw n bombshell among those
who believed that the Government
forces had been routed. He an
nounced in handing down u mi-
nority opinion, that further along
the court would hold that Con
gress has the power to pass laws
imposing duties on goods from
Porto Rico for the United States.
Solicitor General Richards re-
celyed this announcement smiling
ly, altering an III told you so"
70 his.neighbor.
The courts later decision in the
Bowncs case sustained MIR. Rich.
ards view more thoroughly. He
is perfectly content with the out
come. Divided into three pa rts
the decisions mean:
|. That Porto Rico was a
foreign territory under the origi-
nal military occupation.
2. 1t became domestic by the
cession provided by the treaty of
Paris. but not yet subject to Ame-
rican tariff duties.
G. That it became subject to
American tariff duties by the net
of Congress, known US the Porto
Rican tariff act.
The interest taken by the public
in the case was intense. The
court room was crowded and hum
dreds were compelled to remain
outside. Many distinguished men
took seats in the space allotted to
the bar. Among them were Sec
rotary of War Root, Senators
Lodge and Mason and ex-senator
Chandler. They noted every
point decided with intense inter
est, not TO say excitement, and
hurriedly interpreted every utte-
rance that seemed to possess spe-
cial significance.
Secretary Root declared himself
most thoroughly satisfied with the
outcome, The reading of the
opinion in the first case began at
1925 o'clock and it was not until
nearly 3 o'clock that the decision
in the Downes case, which decid-
ed the point Of the Governments s
contention, had been concluded.
This is the most exhaustive and
carefully prepared opinion of the
day. Under it the constitution
does moi follow the flag in the
sense that all of the provisions
apply over our recently acquired
insular possessions the same as
over the As States and Territory
appertaining to, but not part Of
the United States and Congress IL
held to be empowered under the
constitution to pass specific laws,
including tariff measures, for their
government.
The assessment Of duties upon
goods from the islands after the
ratification of the treaty of Paris,
but before the passage of the par
ticular tariff legislation was held
to be without authority. The col
lection of duties became legal only
upon the enactment Of Il law pro-
viding for such collection, but as
stated above this was the Govern
ment's main contention. The
only dissenting views of this judg-
ment of the court was by Justices
White, Shiras and McKenna.
The previous minor cases were
dissented Co by Justices White,
Shiras, McKenna and Gray.
In the Downes case suit was
brought to recover duty on oran-
ges shipped from Porto Rico to
the United States, after the pas
sage of the so-called Foraker act.
The court decided that Downes
can not recover.
The island is not a foreign coun-
try ia any sense Of the terD, it is
held, but it is by no means a part
of the United States. Congress
had the power to legislatc for
such taxation that might be found
necessary for the island and its
people.
now THE COURT DE 1IDED.
On political lines in the Porto
Rican case the court divided as
follows:
Majority-Brown, Harlan. Gray
and Brewer, Republicans; Fuller
and Peckham, Democrats.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and Shiras,
Republicans; White, Democrat.
COURTROOM CROWDED.
Long before court opened The
room was crowded with specta-
tors, who had come to hear the
decisions so long expected.
Among them were Secretary Root,
Senators Lodge and Mason, and
ex-SenatorC Chandler. Many law
yers. who had argued the cases be-