New-York tribune., 1901-05-28
SOLICITOR-GENERAL VIEWS.
INsULAR POLICY OF THE ADMINISTRATION
SUSTAINED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT.

SUSTAINED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT
Washington May 2T-solicitor- General Rich
ards of the Department of Justice who had
charge OF the insular cases before the Supreme
Court made the following statement tonight
containing his Interpretation of the decisions of
the coust to-day:
The important question involved in these cases
was Whether the CeSSOn of territory contained
IN ire treaty of Paris made Porto Rico and the
fnllpplneS an integral part Of the United States
within the meaning of that provision of the con-
Sttutlon requiring all duties. imports and ex-
cises to he uniform throughout the United
states The court held that the cession simply
nade Porto Rico and the Philippines domestic
territory of the United States subject to the
fuii control of Congress, which control could be
exercised without reference to those limitations
IhIS limitation, the court held. intended to
apply to the States of the Union and does not
apply 10 acquired territory unless by treaty and
by subsequent act of Congress it is incorpora ted
WITHIN and becomes integral part of the
United States
The decisions substantially victory for
the government They sustain to the fullest eX-
tent the sO-called insular policy of the admin
lstration. The government now has the sane
uon Of the Supreme Court for governing these
islands their needs require The court holds
that the constitution did not of its own force a I
once apply to those ceded territories, placing
their people, their products and their ports on
an immediate equality with ours, and CO1ferring
upon them all the rights. privileges and i'm
munities enjoyed by the people products and
ports or the several States. While their funda-
mental rights preserved by those underly-
Ing principles of the constitution which apply
everywhere the status of their citizens and the
nature of the customs and commercial regula-
uons are to he determined by Congress In the
exercise OF the power vested by the constitu-
ton in Congress TO make all needful rules and
regulations respecting territory belonging to the
United States. Obviously. what l have said re-
garding Porto Rico applies equally well to the
Fhllpplnes. so that the President is perfectly
free under the Spooner act TO govern the Philip
pines as their needs and our interests may
require
Al the same time that the court has sustained
70 the fullest extent the contention of the gov
efnnent in these cases, it has decided as a mat
ter or statutory construction that the DingIey
act could not be held TO impose duties on goods
brought from Porto Rico. because by cession
Porto Rico became domestic territory OF the
United States. and therefore ceased to be "a
foreign country"
The decisions Of the court call for no change in
the administration of the law The court did
not decide what is known the second Dooey
case, which involved the validity of the collec-
ton OF duties under the Foraker act goods
taken into Porto Rico from the United States.
While have no information on the subject. 1t
may be that the court thinks there Is involved
in that case another question as to whether such
duties would not amount to duties on articles
exported from State. The court also failed to
dispose Of what Is popularity known the four
free Of duty OF rings brought into the United
states by returning soldier from the Philip
pines There decisions affecting the
Philippines to-day, and l presume both OF these
cases referred TO will 90 until the fall term
OF the court.