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cover, that it was fear of defeat which impelled
Washington to decline a third nomination. Being
a federalist ho was tho object of vory violent at
tacks on tho part of tho democrats of his day, and
recognizing the growing strength of his opponents
ho doubted, as I believe, his ability to again secure
an election if ho should run."
This will bo interesting to those who have
given Washington credit for honesty. It would
detract somewhat from the fame of the "Father
of His Country" if he really refused athird nom
ination because he feared defeat and then urged
as a reason for hio declination a lofty and pa
triotic sentiment. But now that the Declara
tion of Independence has been cast aside as
rubbish and tho constitution separated from
the flag, Washington might as well go with
the rest.
Meaning of Flag Changed.
In several of the speeches delivered by Mr.
McKinley during the past three years he has
said "Our flag does not mean one thing' hero
and another thing in our new possessions."
The policies which Mr. McKinley's adminis
tration is seeking to fasten upon our new pos
sessions placed large interrogation marks after
this reiterated statement of the president. But
those interrogation marks have been forgotten
in the' fact that tho decision of the United
States Supreme Court formally and emphatic
ally shows that our flag DOES mean one thing
here and another thing in our new possessions.
The decision of the highest court in the
landho.we tftat our flag dPps mean one thing
in. the,. states and another "tiling in the territor
ies, or the oologies, as you please. ' :
The preamMa to tho federal constitution
explains the purpose of that instrument to he
"to form a move perfect union, establish jus
tice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for
the common defense, promote, the general wel
fare and gecure tho blessings of liberty to our
selves and our posterity." Upon this pream
ble tho fathers ordained and established the
constitution for the United States of America.
At the time of the adoption of that constitu
tion there existed in this country the institu
tion of human slavery. Since then that con
stitution has been amendedin some places as
the result of calm and deliberate thought dur
ing tho times of peace in other instances as
the result of civil war. But in every instance
m which that constitution has been amended it
has taken tho direction of getting nearer and
nearer -to the Declaration of Independence, and
nearer and nearer to the ideal republican gov
ernment. But after all these years of progress in the
direction of the Declaration of Independence
tho United States Supreme Court holds that
the constitution is for the benefit and advan
tage of tho people of the states and. for them
only.'
We have no means of ascertaining what tho
flag means except by consulting the constitu
tion. By reading that constitution we will
find that the flag here stands for equal privi
, leges and immunities to all; that the flag here
prohibits tho enaotment of any law that would
deal unjustly with the people of any atatejthat
The Commoner.
the flag hero means that congress is denied the
privilege of enacting any law or exercising any
authority other than that expressly provided
for in the constitution.
But under tho recent decision of the United
States Supreme Court what does the flag in our
new possessions mean? In brief it means that
congress may enact such laws as the members
of congress deem advisable. While the flag
here means liberty and justice, clearly and dis
tinctly safeguarded by a written constitution,
the flag in our new possessions means the whims
and caprice of a body of men, created, it is
true by tho constitution, but under authority
of this decision, acting entirely regardless of
the constitution. Here the flag means liberty
and justice; in our new possessions the flag
may mean despotism and wrong. Here our
flag moans republicanism; in our now posses-
sions the flag means colonial rule unrestricted
by a written fundamental law. Here our flag
is the emblem of certain well defined princi
ples; in our new possessions the flag is a mere
piece of bunting. Whatever respect it may
command, whatever power it may wield, what
ever influence it may exert will be due to the
sharp point of the bayonet rathei than to the
love and aifection of the people, fostered by a
religious .concern in the perpetuity of certain
great principles and in the intelligent recog
nition of the wisdom and the justice of those
principles.
"A Curious Issue."
If there are Americans who1 are too busy in
the chase 'for the dollar to realize the dangers
involved in the supreme court's decisions in
the Porto Jlican case, they may without great
mental effort obtain an analysis of that decis
ion as made by an Englishman.
Tho London Daily News, commenting upon
the Porto Bican carfe, says it was the most im
portant decision which this tribunal has ever
been called upon to make. It regards
this decision as "A curious issue to 120 years
of triumphant democracy." Then the News
adds:
"It is not progress, but retrogression; not the
advancement of humanity, but that disheartening
product of our timesthe militarism of a democ
racy. Wo venture to think that the framers of the
united States constitution would have laughed at
the possibility of such a development as incredible.
The decisions have extricated President McKinloy
from an uncommonly awkward position, but it is a
lamentable headlong fall in the moral scale and a
turning of the back on all that has been the spe
cial glory and distinction of the United States in
order to join In tho barbaric scramble for the
waste places of the earth."
Not progress, but retrogression, not hu
manity, but militarism not the passing of an
other milestone in the path of civilization, but
"a lamentable, headlong fall in the moral
scale and a turning of the back on all that has
been tho special glory and distinction of tho
United States in order to join in the barbaric
scramble for the waste places of the earth!"
Americans who can realize the truth of this
arraignment must feel even more humiliated
because of the source whence it comes.
The Porto Bican decision was indeed a
"curious issue to 120, years of triumphant democracy."
Dooley Discusses Downes CaseJ
Mr. F. P. Dunne, the famous "Mr. Dooley ,"
discusses the decision of the Supreme Court in
the Downes case in a way that will not fail to
please. He mingles philosophy with his humor,
and shows the ridiculous side of the courts ar
gument. The following is an extract:
"I see," said Mr. Dooley "th' stipreme court
has decided th' constitution don't follow th' flag "
"Who said it did?" asked Mr. Hennessy: '
"Some wan," said Mr. Dooley. "It happened
a long time ago, an' I don't raymimber clearly how
it come up, but some fellow said that ivrywhero
th' constitution wint, th' flag was sure to go. 'I
don't. believe wan wurrud iv it,' says th' other fel
low. 'Ye can't make me think th' constitution is
goin' thrapezin' around ivrywhere a young lifti
nant in th' ar-rmy takes it into his head to stick .a
flag pole. It's too old. It's a home-stayin' consti
tution with a blue coat with brass buttons onto it,
an' it walks with a goold-headod cane.
" 'It's old an' feeble, an' it prefers to set on th'
front stoop an' amuse th' childer. It wudden't last
a minyit in thim thropical climes. 'Twud get a
pain in th' fourteenth amindmint an' die befure
th' doctors cud get ar-round to cut it out. No, sir,
we'll keep it with us, an' threat it tenderly without
too much hard wurruk, an' whin it plays out en
tirely we'll give it dacint buryal an' incorp-rat'e
oursilves undher th' laws iv Noo Jarsey. That's
what we'll do,' says he. 'But,' says th' other, 'if
it wants to thravel, why not lave it?' 'But it don't
want to.' 'I say it does.' 'How11 we find out?'
'We'll ask th' supreme coort They'll know what's
good f'r it.'" '
Mr. Dunne sizes up the situation about
right when, in reply to Mr. Hennessy, he has
Mr. Dooley say "No matter whether th' con
stitution follows th' flag or not, th' Supreme
Court follows th' election returns." As Justice
Brown was influenced by the destiny argument
in fact it seemed to control him he would
doubtless have sided -with Judges Pulley Har
lan, Peckham and Brewer if the 'election h'ad
gone against Mr. McKinley. ' " ":
Things That Never Die.
DY CIIAEtiBa DICKENS.
The pure, the bright, the beautiful,
That stirred our hearts in youth,
The impulses of wordless prayer,
The dreams of love and truth;
The longings after something lost,
The spirit's yearning cry,
The striving after better hopes
These things can never die. " "
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The timid hand stretched forth to aid
A brother in his need,
A kindly word in grief's dark hour
That nrovfiq n frion inQni.
The plea for mercy softly breathed,
When justice threatens nigh
The sorrow of a contrite heart
These things shall never die.
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The memory of a clasping hand, V' 'M'&
The pressure of a kiss, " "' hf 'M
And all the trifles, sweet and frail, " ;'
That make up love's first bliss; "v "'
If with a firm, unchanging faith,
And holy trust and high,
Those hands have clasped those lips have met
These things shall never die. ' ' ""f ;'
The cruel and the bitter word,
That, wniinrlorl o . . S
The chilling want of sympathy
We feel, but never tell;
eThr?rd reDulse that chills tho heart,
Whoso hopes were bounding high.
In an unfading record kept
These things shall never die.
Let nothing pass, for every hand
MuBt find some work to do;
Lose not a chance to waken love
o rQ,?F.m and 3ust and true.
So shall light that cannot fade
Beam on thee from on high,
And angel voices say to thee-r-
Thcse things shall never die.
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