Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1901-05-29
THE INSUUAR CASES.

In sustaining the administration s colonial policy the following questions !#ave been settled by the United Y tas supreme court:
 Congress has plenary power to Itzs slate for the territorial possessions ef the United States.
 ; Validity of the collection of customs taxes by the military author ties in Porto Rico both before and fter the ratification of the treaty of faace and before the taking effect of the Porto Rican act. is sustained.
 ,. Customs taxes were Wrongfully collected on imports into the United states from Porto Rico after the rati- .eation of the treaty of peace and be fHe the taking effect of the Porto Riean act: on imports into the United states from the Philippines since the F stification of the treaty of peace, and en imports from Hawaii into the Unit aa States after the annexation and be 4eee the taking effect of the Hawaiian territorial government laW.=
 ]. The validity of the duties ee1- leeted Rtth in theIss.- l States and ia Porto Rico under a1to Ricaa aet < sustained. and ti#afiosaIizE 9f that IaW is sasfa
 3tl duties eolie,t imports from PaHfo Rico hHtWeez gatifiea- ion =the treaty of peace aa#= =the fal5ina effect of the Porto Bican law. if paid under protest. must De refund sa by the government.
 Tnder these decisions territory can be held indefinitely as colonies under such form of government as congress shall see fit to prescribe They may be given complete territorial govern nents. snch as that of New Mexico and that which was given to Hawaii during the last session of congress. They may be given limited territorial governments such as that which was conferred upon Porto Rico, or their government may be put entirely in the hands of the president as was done in the case of the Philippines by the Spooner amendment to the army ap- Pfopriation bill
 NIT. Justice Harlan in his dissent ing opinion in one of the cases. says: aI take leave to say that. if the principle announced should ever re- ceve the sanction of majority of this court. the result will be 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 written constitution. into an era of legislative absolutism, in respect to many rights dear to all peoples who love freedom. In my opinion. congress has no ex- istence and can exercise no authority outside of the constitution Still less is it true that congress can deal with new territories just as other nations have done or may do with their new
 
 This nation is under the control of written constitution which is the s, preme law of the land and the only source of the powers which our gov ernment or any branch or officer of it may exercise at any time or at any place
 The idea that this country may ac quire territories anywhere upon the earth by conquest or treaty and hold them as mere colonies or provinces is wholly inconsistent with the spirit and senins, as we'll as with the words ot the constitution
 II will be an evil day for the Anlel. ican liberty if the theory of a govern ment outside the suprel law of the land finds lodgment in our constitu tional Jurisprudence