New-York tribune., 1901-05-30

brought before them in Porto Rico. ana seeheu
intent on making that island an organized Ter
ritorv under the constitution and WITHIN our
tariff boundary A few representatives OF pro-
rected industries took alarm at any opening oL
the tariff door TO Porto Rican sugar, frult ana
tobacco but scarcely anybody appeared to
realize the necessity of forcing the constltu-
tional issue The Tribune. with the aid or
scarcely more than half dozen contemporaries
in the whole country. fought What Tor time
seemed almost a foriOrn hope, not to maintain
any petty duty on imports, but solely TO es-
tablish a constitutional doctrine with respect
10 the new possessions which would preserve
the integrity and homogeneity of this union of
Anglo-Saxon States unmarried by dangerous
and unassimilable elements.
We need not recall how bitterly the battle
ragged, what a small band at first had the cour-
age 10 stand against the storm of honest igno-
rance and dishonest misrepresentation. which
carried almost the entire press and large
body of we'll meaning people off their feet.
Finally the leaders In Congress We're forced 10
see the wisdom of testing the government
powers in Porto Rico by triing impost. which
raised no protective barrier against the island.
but forced the nation stop drifting and de-
eide whether the people of the United States.
10 be exclusively Americans. or should include
all sorts and races of men who might by the
chance of war or diplomacy for a longer or
shorter period be subject to its sovereignty. So
the Porto Rican law was passed BY The Trib-
une the law was defended frankly. without at
tempt 10 hide the issue from the people 1t
plainly avowed its belief in what its political
opponents called imperialism" 1t kept the
question before the people even when il was
shuffied ont of the Republican platform at Phil
adelphia. Now the Supreme Court has upheld
the view The Tribune advocated concerning the
plenary power of Congress as the true one, and
Justice White in his opinion points out that
the freedom for which it contended is essential
10 the preservation of our government, saying
that otherwise millions of inhabitants of alien
territory. if acquired by treaty, can. without
"the desire or consent of the people of the
United States. speaking through Congress. be
Immediately and irrevocably incorporated into
1.-The United States and the whole structure Of
"the government be overthrown. Justice
Brown likewise declares that different condi-
tions NAV force the annexation OF distant pos
sessions in which. IF those possessions are in
..habited by alien races. differing from us in
religion. customs. laws methods of taxation
land modes of thought, the administration Of
government and justice, according 70 Anglo
saxon principles may for a time he impos-
"sble"
As a pioneer in the promulgation of such doe
trines, and steadfast adherent of them when
they were not popular and few even of those
who were sympathetic cared openly TO avow
them in their full significance. The Tribune has
snecial reason 10 rejoice and be somewhat
proud of this victory. which makes II possible,
in spite of all expanding interests and world
wide obligations for the United States of Amer
ica TO remain forever the United States or
America