The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-07-04
ON THE CONSTITUTION.


The Springfield, Mass. Republican in
its issue Of last week addresses itself 10
The value OF constitution. 1t says
William J. Bryans paper the Com
moner puts to the imperialist organs a
air question which merits answer 1t
is whether first a constitution is good
.hing for hepeople Of the United States
md, second if SO, DO not the Porto
Rican~ also need constitution?
The decision Of the United States Su-
Dreme court in the Downes case, as deliy-
cred by Justice Brown, strikes delibe-
rate blow ut constitutional government
and constitutional liberty. This is the
plain truth Of the matter, and the only
lpfense left to the, administration and
supportersiis TO maintain that 'constitu-
tlOns are Of no use or protection, and
that constitutional government Is an
idle invention which hasioutgrown if
It ever possessed any virtue. ForJustice
Brown says, in delivering the decision
Of the court that there is no JUST cation
for the fear expressed by many eminent
men lest an unrestrained possession Of
power on the part Of congress may lead
90 unjust and oppressive legislation. in
which the natural right-'.ot territories.
or their inhabitants. may be engulfed in
Il centralized despotism. And it is at
This point that he goes on to describe
those principles Of natural justice in
hcrcut in the AuglO,SaXon character, ~
constituting an all-Suf1icient popular
protection against arbitrary power.
The question, then. naturally arises,
rs the Commoner says If the Porto
Rirau~ do not need the protection of Il
written constitution why DO the people
of the United Statr- need written
constitution? If we concede that the
Porto RicauS are safe without u consti-
tuition. we must also admit thst thu
American people would be safe without
a constitution This necessarily follows
aud il is further to be admitted that If
the American people We're safe without
"A constitution, the same might not be
true Of the Porto Ricans, since the
American people elect the congress
which exercises this arbitrary power,
while the Porto Ricans havetno lart in
the election
Touuote the Commoner fNrther:-
The Porto Ricans do not elect thu
congress. we do and yet we have the
protection of constitution while thu
/ Porto Ricau4 have none We can re
I tire "A member of congress If we dom
like his conduct, the Porto Rican'
cannot and yet we have constitution
and the Porto Ricans have none, Thu
members of congress are chosen from
among us, md they must live under thu
laws they make for rs the congressmei
are not chosen from among the Port,
Rican~ and do not live under the law
made for the Porto RiCaus, and yet "
have a constitution and the Porto Rican
have none II there are certain princi
. pies Of natural justice inherent in TN
Anglo-Saxon character which need II
! expression in constitutions or statute
, | to give them effect or 10 secure d.
, pendeucies against Legislation man
: testify hostile to their real interests
, why were the people of regolutionar
: DAYS unwilling to rely upon til,
natural Justice If there is no aai
q ger in an unresrraiued possession
:. power on the part of congress, WI
.. were our torrtathers so careful TO T
a strain that power Has human ratu
- : changed "a TO make unnecessary no
a. the constitutional limitations viii,
n. W re thought necessary century age
NJ These are questiors which the il
40 p, ralists can ot answer satisfactorily
il themselves without going back on
n. our history and our most cherished
y. stituiious Aud they ira making no