US Presidency
1906

The machinery of the elections is administered entirely by the Porto Rican people themselves, the governor and council keeping only such supervision as is necessary in order to insure an orderly election. Any protest as to electoral frauds is settled in the courts. Here, again, it would not be safe to make any change in the present system. The elections this year were absolutely orderly, unaccompanied by any disturbance, and no protest has been made against the management of the elections, although three contests are threatened where the majorities were very small and error was claimed; the contests, of course, to be settled in the courts. In short, the governor and council are reentryerating with all of the most enlightened and most patriotic of the people of Porto Rico in educating the citizens of the island in the principles of orderly liberty. They are providing a government based upon each citizen's self respect and the mutual respect of all citizens that is, based upon a rigid observance of the principles of justice and honesty.