The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-05-31
LEFT TO CONGRESS.
It Has Plenary Powers in Govern.
ing the New Islands.
According to Porto Rico Decision,
Territory Can Be Held Indefinite
~ as Colonies Under Such Laws
as Congress PrescFfbes.

Washington, May 29.-Speaking of
the supreme courts decision on the
insular cases, Solicitor General Rich
ards said: ''The decision of the court
calls for no change of policy. 1t sus-
tains to the fullest extent the so
called insuIar policy of the admins
tration. The government now has the
sanction of the supreme court for gov
erning the islands as their needs and
our interests require"
The net result of the decisions is to
sustain the administration, in so far
as its policies since the passage Of the
Foraker act are concerned, and to
reverse the administration as to its
policies prior to the passage Of the
Foraker act The collection of duties
upon imports from Porto Rico by the
treasury department, for the period
between the signing of the treaty of
Paris in April, 1899, and the passage
of the Foraker act, is held to have
been unconstitutional; and all these
duties will be refunded by the treas
ury department. The amount is es-
timated at about 100000. The
court holds that the constitution does
not, in all cases, follow the flag, by its
own force. It distinguishes between
organized territory and the states of
the union for the purpose Of levying
federal duties. The following ques-
tiOns were settled by the courts
decisions:
Congress has plenary power to legis-
late for the territorial possessions OF the
United States.
VALIDITY of the collection Of customs
taxes by the military authorities in POr-
to Rico, both before and after the rat
if1cation Of the treaty Of peace and before
the taking effect Of the Porto Rican act
is sustained.
Customs taxes were wrongfuIly collected
on imports into the United States from
Porto Rico after the ratification Of the
treaty of peace and before the taking eff
feet of the Porto Rican act; on imports
into the United States from the Philip
pines since the ratification of the treaty
of peace, and on imports from Hawaii
into the United States after the anneXa-
ton and before the taking effect of the
Hawaiian territorial government law
The validity of the duties collected both
in the United States and in Porto Rico
under the Porto Rican act IS sustained,
and the constitutionality Of that law is
sustained.
All duties collected on imports from
Porto Rico between the ratification of the
treaty Of peace and the taking effect of
the EOfLO ENlCctn law II Ila1Q unQeI pro-
: test, must be refunded by the govern
ment
Under these decisions territory can be
held indefinitely as colonies under such
form of government as congress shall see
fit to prescribe. They may be given COM
plete territorial governments, such as
that Of New Mexico and that which was
given to Hawaii during the last session
of congress They may be given limited
territorial governments, such as that
which was conferred upon Porto Rico, or
their government may be put entirely in
the hands Of the president, as was done
in the case of the Philippines by the
SpOoner amendment to the army appro-
priatiOn bill.
Does Not Affect Philippines.
Washington, May 29.-The treasury
officials discussed with much interest
the decisions of the supreme court in
the insUlar cases and the conclusion
has been reached that nothing in
these decisions is conclusive upon the
government to change its administra-
ton of the custom laws as to the Phil
ippine islands and therefore duties
will cOntiuS5e to be collected onimports
from those islands as heretofore and
until the court shall have decided
specifically that the islands are in the
same situation with respect to the
United States as Porto Rico.