Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-03-14
He is quoted further:

He Is quoted further.
THE Secretary expressed the con
victicn that IL was plainly i'm the
power OF Congress to provide by law
for protection of aliens IN their treaty
rights I'm this connection he said:
" Certainly Congress ought 70 take
some steps directly authorizing the
Executive 20 use the forces at his
command TO protect the treaty rights
OF such aliens. and ought TO vest
+ the courts of the United States with
power TO punish the person who
would violate such alien rights.
He is treading on delicate ground
but he walks boldly when he says:
In the case of the Malta riots I'm
I Louisiana where Italian subjects
were deprived of rights secured by
the treaty of the United States. and
lin the more recent cases I'm san
I Francisco. where japanese subjects
/ were deprived OF their rights by law
/ less violence. the embarrassment OF
I the national government in attempt
/ ing TO protect and vindicate those
rights is known TO all men. IL puts
our country. now become a world pow
er and entering into treaties OF this
kind with every government on earth
I'm the most pusillanimous position OF
promising that subjects OF another
country shall be properly treated and
then of having no means OF carrying
out the promise, or OF Furnishing
those who violate 1t.
Fancy the feelings OF a Secretary
OF State who is Obliged 20 say 10 a
foreign country. 1T as true we agreed
ITO protect your citizens or subjects
III they came over here and conducted
themselves pcaceably. but under our
form OF government and laws while
we made that promise. and had a
right 20 make Do. we have no means
OF complying with g. All we can
do rs TO make "a respectful presen-
tation TO the State authorities and ask
them. as a favor TO as. to enforce
the laws.
This is indeed a most ridiculous
prcdicament I'm which the President
of the United states and the State
Department must appear. and yet It
is relatively the same condition that
confronts the national government in
dealing with the demand FOR the en-
+ forcement of the guarantees of the
Constitution of the United States.
10 is a well-known principle of law
that constitutional or legislative
enactment that carries with IL no
provision for the punishment of the
Individual or corporation that vio-
lates its provisions is null and void
and yet the national government Is
embarrassed by just such a condi-
ton IN dealing with foreigners.
In commenting upon this fact, Sec
Rotary Taft is quoted:
IF Turkey or China were TO
make such an excuse as that 20 us
for the killing or mObbing OF our
citizens in those countries. should we
not become justly indignant at the
explanation A foreign nation has
nothing TO do with our internal con
Germs. BY the Constitution a for
eign nation is obliged TO look 10 the
central government, and If il deals
with that central government, and
that central government can make
a promise, il can only look 10 the
central government for a redemption
OF the promise.
We are in a situation now &c
say 20 our foreign friends whose
citizens may be assaulted or muir
dered in violation of treaty obliga-
tions, we can soOthe your feelings
by paying out of the government
treasury the value of those lives. but
we cannot save them. We cannot
punish anybody for taking them.
/ confess that this lack OF federal
power, due wholly TO inaction by
/ Congress, savors OF that doctrine
which attracted so much ridicult
when il was advanced that IL was
unconstitutional for States to seced'
but was also unconstitutional for the
central government TO try to coerc'
them
This then is the openly declared
policy Of the prospective President o.
the United States. He stands for the
Capitalization of government and The
Democrats of the country are invited
to sit up and take notice" Blu
what about the rights of the citizens
of color in this country, Seeretar,
Taft? Article ~ reads:
The right of the people to be sc
cure in their persons houses, paper
and effects, against unreasonable
/ searches and seizures shall not b.
= violated. 49,"
1t IL a notorious fact that coiores
people in the South are not secur'
in their persons, houses or paper
against just such treatment.
What about Article V, Secretar.
Taft? IL reads:
"No person shall be held to answe
= for a capital or otherwise infamou
Z crime. unless on a presentment o
!, indictment of a grand jury, excep
in cases arising in the land or ma
val forces. or in the militia. when II
actual service in time OF war or pub
G lie danger"**nor shall any person b
d subject for the same offense to b
s twice put in jeopardy of life or limb