The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-05-31
COMMENTS ON DECISIONS.
Various Views Expressed ON the
Findings of the Supreme Court.

Various Views Expressed ON the
Findings of the Supreme Court.
New York, May 29.-Secretary Root
is quoted in Washington dispatch to
the Tribune as saying of the supreme
court decisions in the insular cases:
Enthusiastically the decision Of the court
sustains the contentious, theories and the
policy adopted by the administration IN
conducting the affairs of the Spanish is
lands since the ratification of the Paris
treaty. The upholding of the Foraker act
signifies that congress has the power to
legislate without being limited by the pro-
yisional contingencies, of the constitution
For instance, the constitutional provision
setting forth that uniform duties must be
collected does not apply to the islands
The general result of the decision is GER
tainly very gratifying.
"Of course, there will be some little en-
barrassment caused by the holding that
no duties can be collected except by con-
gressional legislation, but it will be only
temporary embarrassment"
Calls 1t Splendid Victory.
New York, May 29.-Former Attor-
ney General Griggs, in an interview
upon the supreme court Porto Rican
decisions, said:
at is a splendid victory for the admins
1t is unnecessary for me to say that am
thoroughly satisfied with the result. 1t is
q clear-cut victory for the government on
the only really important point involved.
Three distinct classes of action were in
voived; one protesting against the collec-
ton of tariff upon imports from Porto
Rico after the date of our armed occupancy
of the island and before the date of the
ratification of the treaty of peace; another
protesting against tariff charges on i'm
ports between the ratification and the
passage of the Foraker act, and a third
attacking the Foraker law as unconStitu-
tional.
THE decision scores victory for the ad-
ministration in the first of these classes
and upon the all-important third.
1.-THE anti-a6ministratior party wins in
the second class. That triumph is a mere
matter of dollars and cents. Importers
will get back the money paid in tariff be-
tween the ratification and the passage of
the Foraker act. Importers who paid with
out protesting will not get their money
back.
1.-The court decides that the Foraker act
is constitutional, that this country has the
legal right to govern its new possessions
territories, to make special laws for
them and to tax their products. This has
been the contention OF the administration
from the very start. 1t was the principal
issue in the last campaign for president
by Mr. Bryan as the main point of at
tack III his Indianapolis speech. The deci-
sion puts quietus upon that sort of thing
and takes the matter out of politics for all
time
''Tcis decision is final There can be no
appeal. The decision will not hurt Porto
Rican trade in the least"
Mr. Bryan's Comment.
Lincoln, Neb., May 29.-Mr. Bryan's
only comment on the decision in the
insular cases was that it seemed to
uphold the contention of the repub-
licans in some respects and that of
the democrats in others. He said he
would not commit himself further
on the effect of the opinion until he
had read the full text. He hoped the
constitution would follow the flag.
Brief Notice by London Papers.
London, May 29.-The London news
papers have paid scant attention to
the decision of the United States SUI
preme court in the insular cases. The
few comments made deal principally
with the confusing nature of the
judgment" 1t is, however, agreed
that the practical result is Obvious
that it leaves congress free to deal
with the annexed territories as it
pleases.
The ST. James Gazette says:
'It is one of those legal fictions which
had so much to do with the development
of cur own Institutions. 1t is certainly a
convenient judgment for President Nc
Kinley's government and will probably
clear away many difficulties bequeathed
to American statesmen by the Spanish
war"