The times., 1901-05-29
THE lNSULAR CASES.
No Further Decisions Handed Down
by the Supreme Court.


The United States Supreme Court ad-
journed yesterday until October without
handing down any further decisions in
the insular cases two of which are still
pending. 1t was decided by the court
some time ago, although not announced
Monday, that the fourteen diamond
rings case, Involving the question of the
right of the Government to collect duties
on importations from the Philippines
should go over until the October term.
This has been widely accepted as mean
ing that the decisions Of the court in the
de Lima and Downes cases Monday ap-
ply to the Philippine situation, but there
is authority for the statement that no
such deduction is warranted
One of the Supreme Court Justices. who
concurred in the majority opinions of the
court, said that the Philippines case must
be decided upon it's own merits and with
out regard to the points passed upon by
the court Monday. This Justice said that
nothing has been decided as to the ques-
tion of the status of the Philippines and
that Mondays decisions do not necessari-
ly affect it, as there are important legal
points involved in the Philippines contro
versy that did not appear in the Porto
Rican cases. The facts that the Philip
pllAtS dlt sun ullttI d IlllIldiy StNtlA4-
ment, with an insurrection in progress,
and that the Spooner law is in force Civ
ing the President of the United States
supreme control until Congress shall en-
act a form of permanent government for
the islands are apparently the conditions
referred to by the Justice as existing in
one case that did not exist In the other.
1t is not likely that the present policy of
the Government with regard to the Phil
ippines will be changed until the Supreme
Court shall have passed upon the -four
teen diamond rings case or Congress
shall have enacted further legislation.
1t is the opinion OF the Justices of the
Supreme Court that the Philippines case
Will be decided some time during the Oc-
tober term, which, however continues un-
I'll May. In some quarters the belief has
been expressed that Congress will be
called In extra session for the purpose
of considering the Philippines question
in the light Of Mondays decisions of the
court in the Porto Rico cases, but there
Is reason to believe that the Spooner law
will be found to be all sufficient until
Congress meets in regular session.
The Treasury Department will at once
proceed to the work of refunding the
taxes collected on Porto Rican irnUorta-
tlons under the Dingley law as fast as ap-
plicattons are filed, and it is estimated that
the total amount to be SO paid back will
De IN the nelghbOrhOOd of &. zoo, ,0U0. OF
course, the Treasury officials cannot take
into account the possibility of a like de-
cision in the case of the Philippines and
Will continue to collect the tariff duties
until Congress takes action.
The War Department officials decline
to make any statement as to what effect
the decisions of the Supreme Court will
nave on the present government of the
philippines and the collection of tariff
duties on imports from those islands.
All the official concerned. from Secretary
ltoot down, give as reason for declining
to comment on the subject that they have
not formed any opinions and cannot do so
until they have had an opportunity Of
reading the decisions of the Supreme
Court.
1t is evident that the military authori-
ties here are disappointed over the fail
a decision in the fourteen diamond
rings case. When copies Of the Supreme
Court decisions have been received by the
Department they will be referred to the
legal authorities of the department for
review and the memoranda of these Off
GERS viii be used by Secretary Root as a
basis for deciding what action is nee
essary.
The War Department is especially en-
barraSsed over the failure of the Supreme
Court to decide the fourteen diamond
rings case in view of the fact that new
tariff schedules for the Philippines had
been red and were to be promulgated
il the decisions were favorable to the Gov
ernment, 1t will now be necessary for the
War Department to determine in the light
of the decisions in the Porto Rican cases
whether such a tariff can be put into
effect.