6 Conservative.
Ex-President
EX-PRESIDENT
Harrison , in an
HARRISON.
add r e s s at Ann
Arbor , Michigan , before the lecture
association of the University of Michi
gan , upon the "Status of Annexed Ter
ritory and of its Civilized Inhabitants , "
declared that the constitution follows
the flag and that the theory of terri
torial annexation of the administration
was not in accord with American his
tory. General Harrison's address is of
peculiar interest at this time as the ques
tion is now before the supreme court of
the United States for settlement , and
the ex-president appears as counsel in
support of the principle of the applica
tion of the constitution to the newly
acquired territory.
"A goverment of unlimited and abso
lute executive powers , " eays General
Harrison"is not an
Limited Powers.
American govern
ment. For one , I do not believe the
makers of our Constitution ever intend
ed to confer the power of any such gov
ernment over any one in the Constitu
tion It is not right to say that because
of slavery our fathers did not mean all
men. It is a different thing to allow an
existing condition to continue from cre
ating an entirely different condition to
meet commercial necessity.
"Perhaps it should be asked further
whether the rule of equal taxation must
apply to all people. The instructions of
the president to the Philippine Commis
sion seem to indicate that the Constitu
tion must apply to any government that
should be established there. The pro
visions our fathers fought for were
for rights , not for privileges. No man
can read that schedule of rights which
the president gave to the Philippine
Commission , in an inverse order , with
out horror. Did you ever read one of
the treaties made by the United States
with an Old World Power ? On one
side they speak of the 'subjects of her
Majesty , ' and on the other 'the citizens
of the United States. ' Now if these
provisions , guaranteed to citizens
of the United States , do not ap
ply to the citizens of the Philippine
Islands , it is time for us to amend these
treaties by adding 'and subjects' after
the words , 'and citizens of the United
States. '
"The Constitutional provisions regu
lating the crime of treason seem to ap
ply to these people. We have never had
any trouble with this question in our
government of the territories before.
What have we been doing ? Have we
acquired these territories that we might
hold them for crown colonies ? There
was only one door of escape from the
provision for uniformity of taxation in
the Constitution , and that was to declare
that Porto Rico was not a part of the
United States. It would seem that a
region , where the educational and sani
tary and other regulations are of in
terest to the United States , is of itself a
portion of the United States. It would
seem that we should seek to find a way
; o govern this territory that providence
has thrown upon us , for which we paid
$20,000,000.
"But don't you see that there is a
graver peril hanging over us ? Are the
rights of the peo-
Dangerous Prccctlcnt. , , ,
pie upon the
mainland secure when we exercise arbi
trary power over people from whom we
demand entire obedience 7 The flag can
not stand for the benevolent policies of
the administration. It must stand for
permanency. Is it not a mockery to
raise the flag over the people of Porto
Rico and bid them respect it , and then
issue to them an absolute power of
government from the staff beneath ? If
; he act of annexation does not carry the
Constitution , I can think of nothing
hat does. The Constitution goes to an
nexed territory because of the act.
"A gentleman wrote me that it was
absolutely necessary to pass the Porto
Rican tariff to protect the beet-sugar
business. I thanked him but I could
not see that it referred to the question.
The fact that we give all the money
secured by the tariff back to Porto Rico
does not affect the question. It did not
satisfy our fathers when it was proposed
to expend the money derived from the
Stamp Act in this country.
"These Constitutional questions will
soon be settled by the supreme court.
If the court shall hold that the Consti
tutional provisions extend to all portions
tions of the United States , and all portions
tions that are governed by the United
States , then we s iall conform our
legislation and policy to this doc
trine , and be sorry that we have
ever held them at length in the govern
ment we offered them. The question
of whether the government can take and
control a hostile people is not a Consti
tutional provision , but one of conditions
which exist. The consent of the gov
erned to legislative action is an entirely
different question. The entire written
Constitution provides no rule for this
question. The right to conquer and
hold territory is a different question
from the question of how we shall gov
ern that territory when we have
acquired it.
"I have been making no argument
against expansion. The recent acquisi
tions from Spain may present a question
of greater loss than gain. Yon will
pardon me if I cannot rejoice because of
the acquirement of territory which must
be governed by authority rather than by
the provisions of that grand old Consti
tution.
"In conclusion , allow me to suggest
the sentiment : 'God forbid that the
day should ever come when the though !
of man as a consumer should absorb thai
grand old doctrine that man is a crea
tion of God endowed with inalienable
rights. ' "
CongrCSS Will DO f
riTATitra . . , , . . .
required at this
session to pass upon claims amounting
to $25,000,000 , most of which are for
property alleged to have been destroyed
during the civil war. A part of these
claims may be founded upon equity , but
ihe bulk of them are originated by un
scrupulous citizens who employ the
assistance of equally unscrupulous
lobbyists to push them through congress.
It is nearly forty years since the close of
the civil war and the government would
long ago have satisfied any just and
reasonable demand presented for pay
ment. It is quite probable that claims
of this character would have been
brought to the attention of congress
before this time. There would be no
object in delaying the presentation of
proofs in meritorious cases.
THE SENATORIAL * J
ELECTION.fil1 the unexpired
term of the la
mented Senator Hay ward will , as a
matter of course , it is said by knowing
ones , be taken up as soon as the
legislature is convened and organized.
The law and regulations which apply
bo the ordinary elections of United
States senators , upon the expiration of
each six years term , cannot be so con
strued some allegedly good lawyers
declare as to prevent or postpone
immediate elections to fill vacancies
caused by death ; and subsequently
made malignant by gubernatorial
appointees , like Allen , who bristle all
over with "the stings of ingratitude. "
If this really is the law , why not
elect somebody and eject Longtalker
Allen on the first day of the next session
of the legislature of Nebraska ? That
somebody will represent the conscience
and intelligence of this commonwealth.
It is important , therefore that he be an
able , honest , cultivated man.
THE FARM At St. Anthony
STUDENTS REVIEWF& , Minnesota ,
the Review is
published. It is a superior periodical
and devoted particularly to the dairy
interests. In its issue for December ,
1900 , is advertised "Alderny Butter
Color. " This cosmetic for cow butter
is described as "free from all sediment.
Does not fade" and "recommended by
hundreds of creamery men. "
While this beautifier of the com
plexion of butter is advertised and
praised as giving
Congress. f .
"a perfect June
tint" to the product of the creamery ,
congress is asked to make it a penal
offense to attempt to give an "Alderny
hue" or "a June tint" to any other
bread-greaser to be used as a substitute
for butter. Between the colored brother
and the colored butter , paternalism is
kept busy at Washington.