The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-28
Court Has Decided the Constitution
Porto Rico, Mr.. Richards Says.
VIEWS OF SENATOR FORAKER
CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE MEAN
ING OF THE DECISIONS.
Three Distinct Phases of the Porto
Ricnn Situation-President and
Cabinet Well Pleased.

WASHINGTON, May 27.-Solcitor Cen
eral Richards, of the Department OF JUS
tice, who had charge of the insular cases
before the Supreme Court, tonight made
the following statement containing his In
terpretation of the decisions of the court
to-day:
1.-The important question involved In these
cases was whether the cession of territory
contained in the treaty of Paris made Porto
Rico and the Philippines an integral part
of the United States. within the meaning
of that provision OF the Constitution re-
quiring all duties. imposts and excises to
be uniform throughout the United States
The court held that the cession simply
made Porto Rico and the Philippines do
mestic territory of the United States sub
ject to the full control of Congress. which
control can be exercised without reference
TO those limitations. This limitation, the
court held, was intended to apply to the
States of the Union and does not apply
to acquired territory unless by treaty and
by subsequent act of Congress u is in
corporated within and becomes an integral
part of the United States.
THE decisions are substantially vic
tory for the government. They sustain to
the fullest extent the so-called insular
policy of the administration. The govern
ment now has the sanction Of the Supreme
Court for governing these islands as their
needs require. The court holds that the
Constitution did not of its own force at
once apply to those ceded territories, plac-
ing their people, their products and their
ports on an immediate equality with ours
and comforting on them all the rights, privi-
leges and immunities enjoyed by the people.
PRODUCTS and ports of the several States.
While their fundamental rights are pre-
served by those underlying principles OF
the Constitution which apply everywhere,
the status of their citizens and the nature
of the customs and commercial regulations
are TO be determined by Congress in the
exercise OF the power vested by the Consti-
tuition in Congress to make all needful rules
and regulations respecting territory belong
ing to the United States. Obviously, what
1 have said regarding Porto Rico applies
equally we'll TO the Philippines, so that
the President is perfectly free, under the
Spooner act, TO govern the Philippines as
their needs and our interests may require.
AT the same time that the court has
sustained to the fullest extent the conten-
ton of the government in these cases it
has decided, as a matter of statutory con-
struction, that the Dingley 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
as the second Dooley case, which involved
the validity of the collection of duties un-
der the Foraker act goods taken into
Porto Rico from the United States. While
L have no information on the subject, 1t
may be that the court thinks there is in
volved in the case another question as to
whether such duties would not amount to
duties on articles exported from a State.
The court also failed to dispose of what
Is popularity known as the fourteen -dia-
mond-rings case. involving the entry free of
duty of rings brought into the United
States by returning soldier from the Phil
ippines. There were decisions affecting z
the Philippines to-day. and presume both
OF these cases referred to will go over until
the fall term of court