Show PORTO CASES JUSTICE WHITE ASKS AS TO MEANING OF territories washington jan 10 solicitor general richards resumed als argument in the porto alcan cases bhea the supreme court convened today before taking up the line of hla argument be made reply to a question by justice white as to the meaning of the words the territories as used by chief justice marshall in the loughborough case he imald in that connection that the power of congress over a territory does not cease when organized and brought under the united states but he did recognize that there is a distinction in the control under the differing circumstances when mr richards concluded attorney general graggs addressed the court he said bis remarks were intended to be supplemental to those submitted in the cases involving similar questions which have heretofore been argued before proceeding with his argument the attorney general took up what he characterized as the concerning his position on these questions lie said there were numerous erroneous statements in the brief of the appellants appe lants in the armstrong case and he quoted come of them giving his interpretation of his own remarks made in the previous presentation 0 the subject taking up the question of the attorney general contended that the constitution does not provide tor absolute uniformity of duties under all circumstances and that the uniformity clause af pf the constitution refers to states and not to the territories the power to govern territory mr graggs said is expressly conferred by the constitution this power was given without limitation and there was no reservation of power in the people of the territories though there Is inthe people of the states then he drew inference that the power to govern territory wilch la absolutely con ferroil upon congress includes the power to tax either by direct or indirect methods this right was absolute but not despotic and mr graggs contended that it included the constitutional right to lay duties on imported into the united states from its insular possession and hat such a proceeding does not violate the uniformity clause the laws the administration and the revenues of the territories ar subject to the absolute control of congress mr graggs declared congress may repeal ithe whole form of government existing in a territory anay destroy the legislature vacate all the offices and take over all the public funda and absorb them into the common treasury it may appropriate out of the federal treasury all the money necessary to carry on a territorial government ern ment omitting all local taxation |