The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-06-05
STATES AND POSSESSIONS
SUPREME COURTS IMPORTANT
DECISION.
Congress Has Power to Impose Tariffs
Between Territories and States-Ter-
ritories are of Inferior Rank.

/
ritories are of Inferior Rank.
The full text of the decision of the |
United States Supreme Court in the |
island cases was received by the Anne |
RIGA Maru yesterday and IL bears out
the forecast before published, placing |
the territories, Hawaii among them, i'm |
the rank of possessions" rather than
of part of the union. While the Ha-
waiian organic act provides for extern
sion of the constitution to Hawaii, there
is no obstacle, it is stated, under the
decision Just given, in the way of
amendment of the organic act SO that
there might even be tariffs between
Hawaii and the mainland, should Con-
gress so desire. The organic act is
easily amended by Congress, it is ar
gued, while the Supreme Court deci-
sion Is an Interpretation of the national
constitution giving Congress right TO
govern the possessions that are not
included in the union of states.
The following dispatches tell of the
decision:
WASHINGTON. May 27.-In the
United States Supreme Court today
opinions were handed down i'm all but
two cases before that Court involving
the relations of the United States to its
insular possessions.
The point of the opinions considered
collectively is that Porto Rico was
never, after the acquisition of that ISL
and, foreign territory, that until Con-
gress acted upon the question no duty
could be collected, but that as soon as
Congress outlined a method of con-
trolling the islands revenues, that ac-
ton became binding, in other words
that Congress has power under the
Constitution to prescribe the manner of
Of ha SC
insular possessions and has the right to
lay duty on goods imported into our
inSular possessions from the United
States or exported from them into the
United States to the extent that goods
shipped between their ports and the
United States are entitled to the same
treatment as though they were shipped
between New York and New Orleans.
SAN JUAN, porto Rico) May Is
The decision of the Supreme Court was
received here with general feeling of
disappointment The consensus of
opinion of the matter seems to be that
the Porto Rican Legislature should be
convened in extra session to declare
Porto Rico self-supporting without the
collections of customs on exports be-
tween Porto Rico and the United
States. 1t was generally expected that
the Courts decisions would grant Por-
to Rico free trade and her citizens full
leges. When told that if the latter
privilege had been granted the internal
revenue laws of the United States
would be applied to the islands and
that all funds and customs Hereunder
collected would be deposited in the
Federal Treasury, all Porto Ricans
questioned in the matter acknowledged
that this would be bad, and that their
present status was preferable, as they
did not believe that the island would
stand the collection Of the United
States internal revenue. and that such
corrections, II attempted, would neces-
state an even heavier property tax
for the maintenance of Porto Rico
Only few Porto Rican business men
understand the Importance of the Su-
preme Courts decisions. This who
are bankers predict an immediate re-
vival of business, now that the status
of the country has been decided
The main points of the decision are
as follows:
"First-Constitution does not follow
flag, but did follow it during transit IN
period.
'Second-Congress has plenary mower
to legislate for territorial posse Saions of
United States.
Thirt-Customs taxes We're vronc-
FULLY collected on imports into United
states from Porto Rico after ratifica-
ing effect of Porto Rican act anl on
imports from Hawaii into United
States after annexation and before taxi
ing effect of Hawaiian territorial gov
eminent law.
'Fourth-All duties collected on i'm
ports from Porto Rico between ratfica-
ton of treaty of peace and taking e.
rect OF Porto Rican law, all duties col
lected on imports from Hawaii between
annexation and taking effect of terri
torlal law, If paid under protest must
be refunded by Government.
'Fifth-That where the Constitution
has been once formally extended by
Congress to territories, neither Con
gress nor the Territorial Legislature
can enact laws inconsistent herewith"
The San Francisco Chronicle saws of
the territories: LAS to domestic affairs
1t is held that they are an integral part
OF the United States in the sense mat
Arizona and the other territories are
contained in it, but not in the sense
that the states enjoy that privilege
The states are superior. The territories
are inferior. The states are the COVER
nors, the territories are the governed.
The states are on commercial equality
one with another. The territories may
be so dealt with commercially as shall
be deemed most profitable to the power
which controls them. The Constitution
uoes IolloW the nag. SO much is de-
finitly settled, but it follows IL only so
tar as to assure personal liberties
When the Constitution reaches the
point when one step farther would
make the connection as profitable to
the subjects as IT is to the lord IL halts.
The flag goes on. but the Constitution
stops short. We may exploit the ISL
ands, but they need not be allowed to
exploit US"
0D[l0N'0 [N0INE IIlrNV