The  doctrines  of  the  self-extension  of  the  Consti-
tution, and  of  the   presumed   non-extension  of  acts
of  Congress  to  annexed  territory  are  perfectly  recon-
cilable.    The  Constitution  is  an  organic  law  creating;
a  government  for  the  United  States,  and  prescribing
fundamental   rules  for  its    guidance    throughout    its
dominions.     Acts    of   Congress    are    laws  of  lesser  \
dignity.      They    deal    with    the    circumstantial    and  \  \
varying   needs  of  the    republic,   and,   except   where  '  '
the  Constitution  prescribes  uniformity,  the  places  or

^  See  Cross  v.  Harrison,  i6  Howard  164,  197  ;  Chicago  &  Pacific
Ry.  Co.  V.  McGlinn,  114  U.  S.  542,  546.
-See  U.  S.  V.  Seveloff,  2  Sawyer  311.
THE    GOVERNING    OE  THE  PHILIPPINES     135

persons  within  their  purview  are  necessarily  deter-
minable by  Congress.  When  we  say  that  private
property  in  the  Philippines  cannot  be  taken  for
public  use  without  compensation  according  to  the
Fifth  Amendment,  and  that  at  present  no  one  can
acquire  land  there  under  the  Homestead  Act,  we  do
not  suggest  an  inconsistency,  but  attribute  to  the
organic  principle  and  to  the  circumstantial  statute
the  proper  function  of  each.
