Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-06-01

Washington. May 29.->Thr latest dan
ger OF an extra session of congress has
been avoided by the adjournment OF
the supreme court for its summer re-
cess. Members of the cabinet and
others in the administration circle who
expected the court to pass upon the Phil
ippine question yesterday have been
considering the possibility of Il call be-
ing issued immediately on the prcsi-
dents return, Siucr the decision that the
Philippines are still in the same Situa-
ton as was Porto Rico between the rati
iication of the treaty of Paris and the
enactment Of the Foraker law would
have opened the door for an immense
food of speculative enterprises until
congress could have got together and
passed IN act similar to that organizing
Il civil government for Porto Rico.
There are some cOnirovcrsialiSts in
Washington who still cling to the idea
that the president may call congress to-
gcther in order to put the Philippine
question finally and rrevocably out of
the way. but the cooler heads incline to
the belief that matters will be allowed
to take their course at least until the
court rcconvcncS in October. Even
then. il is considered doubtful whether
an extra session will b: deemed ncccS-
Sary. in view of that passage in the
army appropriation act which provides
that 'all military. civil and judicial
powers necessary to govern the Philip
pine islands shall, until otherwise pro-
vidcd by congress. be vested in such
person AMI persons, and shall be cN-
ercised in such manner, aS the President
Of the United States shall direct"
In the administration circle the ophl-
ion is general that these sweeping pow.
crS embrace the right to regulate tl,"
tariff duties on imports. This wonld br
Il delegation of Legislative powers, bat
by way of analogy the ease is cited of
The tariff act of 1890. which gave the
president Il wide discretion in the ap.
plicatiOn Of the reciprocity provisions
OF that act to the countries with which
we We're trying to cultivate relations.
1t is feared here, by the stronger pro.
tectionists, that the interval between
now and the rraSscmhling of congress
may be seized by spectators to intro
duce into the Philippines, at the mod
crate rates of duty in force there, guam
titles of European products. against
Which We have built up II high tariff
wall in this country. assuming that il
the supreme court applies to the Phil
tn, ,t.
they will bc enabled to bring these goods
from the Philippines into the United
States free of duty. But it is answered
that the president can block this game
us soon rs he SCrs Il sign that it Is to
DE played, by proclamng Il new tariff
for the Philippines equal to the rates
in the Dingley act.
In the meanwhile. having no decision
of the court. at least till next October, to
disturb him. he can order the OK
listing tariff relations retained between
the Philippines and those of the territory
Of the United States. The right of
the president to exercise free hand
in these matters cannot he passed upon
by the court even ut its October term.
for the army appropriations act was
not approved until March ., some
months after the diamond rings case
was argued. and hence the question of
delegated powers will not be- before the
court, and any utterance from the bench
on the subject would be confined to
obitcr dictum.
A good deal of discussion here touches
upon article four of the treaty of Paris.
in which ii is provided that for 10 years
Spanish ships and merchandise shall be
admitted to the ports of the Philippines
on the same terms as the ships and mer-
chandise of the United States.
Tnquestionably. Spain will hereafter,
until congress enacts Il law for the gov.
ernment Of the Philippines, become II
passagcway for much merchandise
from other parts of Europe into the isl
ands. unless the president draws tar.
itf circle about them. protecting their
ports from the United States in the same
way as from all other nations, and every
duty paid on goods brought in n Span.
iSh vessel to Manila will be paid under
protest. to await the supreme courts de.
cision in the fall.