The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-05-31
may 81. I~Oi
CONSTITUTION UNFRAMED.

CONSTITUTION UNFRAMED.
1t is very probable that there will
be great deal of spread-eagle alarm
put forth by the so called anti-imperi-
alists that the decision of the supreme
court in the insular cases, will endan-
ger our institutions This is even
slightly limited at by Justice Harlan,
who has been placed all along as be-
ing against the view taken in the
cases by the administration. But
really the decision, so far as we can
see, does not change the spirit of our
institutions in the least. Nor does il
really change the actual position
which congress has held toward new
territory since the purchase of the
Louisiana territory in 1904. Congress
has always legislated for our territor-
ial possessions as it has found condi-
tions calling therefor and no serious
question has been raised in all that
time as to its right so to do. Naturally
our detached island possessions call
for somewhat different line of legis-
lation, at the first at least and this
seeming change in conditions seems to
have stirred up the whole trouble.
The view that has always held in rela-
tion to congress legislating for our ter
ritorial domain has not been changed
in the least, but its scope has been
suddenly enlarged by changed condi-
tions, or rather by new additions
differently placed. Nor with the more
| complete reports, do the different de-
cisions rendered by the supreme court
in the insular casse seem greatly in
consistent. One decision holds that
congress- has authority to enact such
legislation as 1t considers necessary for
the benefit and welfare of the terri
torial possessions and the other deci-
sion simply holds that in the absen &c
of such legislation, or until it is en-
acted, conditions which are regular and
constitutional under such legislation
do not exist and that the general laws
of the land must be observed and fol-
lowed in the interim.
There has always been, from the
formation of the republic, grave fears
expressed from certain quarters that
the constitution would..be wrecked by
the attempt to do certain things or the
carrying out of certain policies, but SO
far it has survived all the alleged
shocks it has received and even went
through severe civil war unscathed.
In all this time the peoples liberties
have not been in the least endangered
or curtailed, but on the contrary have
increased and expanded. Certain
things have been declared on the part
of some at the time they were put
forth, as unconstitutional and danger
GUS, but as time passed they have been
approved by the courts and accepted
| by the very people who at first bit
terly opposed them. The declaration
that the constitution does not extend
over our territorial possessions does
mot necessarily endanger our liberties
In the states, or present occasion for
fear of tyranny in the territory an
nexed. The disposition of the people
is the best guarantee of liberty that
can be put forth as to the attitude
that will be assumed toward these
lately acquired possessions, and that
disposition of the people of the United
States toward these new possessions,
} is one of kindliness and desire for the
advancement of their welfare. Writ
ten pledges are valueless if unfulfilled.
The character of our institutions,
what we have accomplished for liberty
and progress the enlightenment and
uplifting of humanity, is the best
guarantee that can be put forth as to
the national disposition toward Porto
Rico and the Philippines in the future,
it is a guarantee of liberty and ad-
vancement.