Gilpin observer., 1901-06-06
,rgargrgEgxEEEEyEEEEGEgSEE7
l WASHINGTON LETTER.
I From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington. D. c., June 8, 1901
SasaSlSaHaaasslaaaA..lSN

cussing the insular decisions OF the U
S. Supreme Court and arguing for ano
against an extra session of Congress, as
a result of the decision that tariff coulo
only be collected on goods from Porto
Rico by an act of Congress after it passed
into the possession OF the U. S., to i'm
pose tariff upon imports from the Phil.
ippines. The President at once took the
side of those who contend that the with
holding of the decision in the Philip
pines case made it obvious that the Su-
preme Court did not consider the case
similar to that decided on the Porto Ri
can tariff, and that even il the same prin-
ciple were applied, no extra session of
Congress would be necessary, as the
Spooner amendment adopted at the last
session of Congress clothes the Presi-
dent with full authority to impose any
sort of a tariff upon Philippine goods he
pleases. There was an immediate fall
ing off in extra session talk. The War
Department has new Philippine tariff
all ready to be promulgated. Meanwhile
Secretary Gage has announced that the
Treasury Department will continue to
collect duty under the Dingley tariff act
on Philippine imports.
Much of the discussion of the insular
decisions is SO bound up in legal techni-
calities that it only seems TO confuse the
ordinary mind, but the fact that they
uphold the right of the U. S. to own and
control territory outside of the U. S
proper in any way that Congress and the
President see fit, is admitted by all. How
the decisions upholding that right were
reached and the arguments in the opin-
court are, of course, matters of the deep
est interest to Constitutional lawyers,
but the general public is only Interested
in the actual effect OF the decisions.
There is much talk about the narrow
ness of the margin in the most import
ant decision-5 for and against but
that amounts to nothing. The decision
is just as binding as though it had been
unanimous, and close margins in import
ant Constitutional decisions have been
the rule, rather than the exception, in
the Supreme Court for the last 20 years.
A wealthy Londoner, Mr.. Henry Blood,
who is now in Washington, has uncov-
cred the secret of American success. He
said: ~ have discovered the secret of
success. 1t is because you do
things over here and don't take forever
to think about it. An American will
conceive project and carry it into sue
cessful execution while an Englishman
is debating on how he shall take the first
step. England must copy some OF the
American methods of doing business if
it hopes to keep up in the race"
Mr.. G. w. Hill, Chief of the Division
of Publications OF the Department of
believes that small charge
should be made for the books issued by
that department, not to get the money,
but because it would save an enormous
waste caused by sending publications to
to those who make no use of them.
of his idea Mr.. Hill said: Dur
ing the last fiscal year we published
about S,0( ),C-1 copies of our various
This was an increase of
100000 over the previous year. The
Congressional appropriation for the com
ing year stipulates that each Congress
man shall receive 14,000 copies of each
farmers bulletin instead of the 5000 he
is now receiving. For next year my low
est estimate o. our publications is
11,O00C 10. At the present time many OF
our documents are wasted. carelessly
thrown aside or misplaced. II paid for,
even at D cents apiece, they would re-
ceive more care. The money received
from the sale of the documents should
be placed in n regular printing fund, TO
be expended for printing new bulletins.
| have also suggested that each Of our
publications be sent to library to be
established Mt all fourth class postoi.ice.
There are 10000 Of these, so even by
that means, counting the increase which
lS DOuu 10 come, our OoObB WouiO re-
ceiye a wide dissemination.
Public opinion strongly endorses Sec
rctnry Roots refusal to reopen the cases
of the cadets dismissed from West Point
FOR characterization, not only because
the dismissal is generally believed to
have been deserved, but because it is re.
freshiug TO see an executive official re.
fgse to be controlled by political "pull."
Nothing could more strongly cmpha-
size tho improved conditions in the Phil.
ippines than the fact that the War De
partment is arranging to send 800 Amer.
lean teachers for the public schools to
the islands in time for the opening OF the
next school year. These teachers will be
selected by agents Of the War Depart.